Page 42 of Accidental Baby For My Brother’s Best Friend

Gemma

Ihate Locke Kincaid. I hate blue Takis because I love them but now they make me want to puke, I hate this tour bus, I hate the heat in the Midwest, and IhateLocke Kincaid for doing this to me.

I glare at him and Locke gives me a smile, that half one that shows the dimple in his right cheek and I narrow my eyes. That’sexactlywhat got me into this mess, that smile. It’s the same one he had given me that first night that he’d hooked up with that bartender and made me question everything.

I huff out a breath and turn back to the cards I’ve got lined up along the floor, but I can’t find a jack of spades no matter what I do so I throw the cards and they scatter across the floor. Samuel raises an eyebrow at me but no one says a word. Everything and everyone seems to irritate me these days, I even snap at Samuel when he offers to help me off of the tour bus when we arrive at the hotel in Dallas.

“You need me to walk you to your room again, little bit?” Locke asks me on the elevator, leaning down so only I can hear him, and I shake my head furiously.

“Absolutely not.”

Locke sighs, which is a little dramatic in my opinion, and I take in a deep breath so that I don’t snap at him.

He’s watching Axel like a hawk, which normally, would just make me laugh and tease him. In fact, I kind of like it when Locke goes all protective and possessive, and it’s certainly made the sex interesting, but right now, all I need is a damn pregnancy test. Axel’s the only person in the world who knows, and it’s not like I can sneak out with a tour bus full of the band’s equipment in the middle of the night with both Jackson and Locke watching out for me since I’ve been sick.

I’m googling “will Postmates deliver a pregnancy test” as I’m walking down the hallway when Samuel gasps behind my shoulder. He’s been following me since he’s on the same floor as me, and apparently, my brother and Locke Kincaid think I can’t walk a hundred feet without supervision.

“You’repregnant?”

“Stop reading over my shoulder!” I bark.

“I’m sorry,” Samuel apologizes, wide eyed and holding his hands up as if in surrender and I open my mouth and everything just spills out.

“I don’tknowif I’m pregnant because my brother watches me like I’m a wayward toddler and the only person who knows is Axel and Locke is watching him as if he’s on an America’s Most Wanted list and I’msickall the time and I don’t know what to do!” I burst out, tears rolling down my face.

“Aw, Gem.”

Samuel pulls me into his arms and I sob against his chest for a moment.

“Take a deep breath. There’s a Walgreen’s right around the corner, I’ll grab one for you. I want some Oreos anyway.”

I sniffle, looking up at him. “Will you get me the vanilla Oreos?”

“I thought you hated the vanilla Oreos?” Samuel looks confused.

“Ido,but now that’s all I want to eat!” I wail.

Samuel wants to laugh, I can tell, but he holds back and I'm grateful because I cannot seem to stop my eyes from leaking.

It doesn't mean you're pregnant,I think to myself as Samuel promises to hurry back with the test (and the vanilla Oreos).It just means you aren't sleeping.

That much is true, I'm not sleeping much at all between hooking up with Locke and our punishing road trip and concert schedule. Everyone gets irritable on long trips and with little sleep. It'll be fine. Right? Besides, it’s not like I’m hooking up with Locke anymore, is it? Since I’m doing all I can to stay as far away from him as possible ever since I realized I was late.

* * *

Samuel returns with a Walgreen's bag full of blue Powerade, vanilla Oreos, and three brands of pregnancy tests and I could kiss him if my mouth didn't taste like nervous vomit. Then again, Locke Kincaid kissing me is what got me into this mess so I’m not surprised. I text Axel that I got a test and before I even make it to the bathroom, there’s a knock on my hotel door.

As soon as I open the door, Axel sneaks inside like we’re doing a drug deal.

“You got the stuff?” he asks, and I choke back a barrage of nearly hysterical laughter.

I shake the bag. “There’s three, so I’m chugging Powerade.”

Axel looks in the bag. “That’s the good one, I think.”

I raise an eyebrow at him. “How would you know?”

Axel shrugs. “I’ve got a sister and plenty of girls I know have had scares, okay?”

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