Page 54 of Accidental Baby For My Brother’s Best Friend

Even Jackson, as mad as he must be, doesn’t argue. He doesn’t say anything, actually, heading to the back of the bus and leaving me and Axel in the front with Gemma driving like a maniac.

I keep looking at the profile of her face, her chin with the little dimple in it, and wondering if the baby will have that same dimple, or maybe the one like I have in my cheek. I look away, picking dried blood off my upper lip and avoiding that thought all together.

“Gem,” Jackson says to her when she parks in the hotel parking garage, but Gemma shakes her head.

“Not now,” she says softly, and Jackson looks down at her and then at me, his face softening just a little, as he gets off the bus. Axel follows with a groan, holding his back, and I do remember hitting him there a couple of times.

Too bad I still can’t feel sorry for him. After all, he lied to Jackson, saying that he only made out with Gemma. I know what the score is, and I find a certain dark satisfaction in Axel’s sore back.

I walk to the front of the bus and I should just keep going, head into the hotel and be done, text Jackson that I’m leaving so he doesn’t try to kill me again, but I can’t. I can’t seem to move my feet any further than the first step of the tour bus.

“Locke, I’m tired and sick and I need you to get your big ass off the bus-” Gemma snaps from behind me and I turn around to face her and her mouth snaps shut.

I don’t realize that I’m crying until she brushes a tear from my cheek. It’s strange because since I’m on the first step of the bus, she’s nearly my height. It’s also strange because I’ve cried a handful of times in my whole life, and not for two years.

“You’re okay?” I ask her, reaching out to touch her belly gently, and she nods slowly.

“Yeah, we’re okay. They said that some breakthrough bleeding is normal, especially…especially if you’re sexually active.” Gemma blushes slightly.

“So, it was my fault?” Fresh tears spring to my eyes and I can’t believe I’m not already bolting for the hotel by now. Crying in public is something I’ve never done before, even those handful of times.

Gemma shakes her head, her beautiful green eyes focused on my face.

“No. No, I’m just supposed to take it easy for a few days.”

“I’m so sorry.” I move my hands to her hips to bring her closer, pressing my forehead against hers.

I feel like I’m barely there, standing outside of my body, somehow, given everything that’s happened. I’ve been feeling like she’s been a million miles away in the hospital, and I realize now that in the back of my head I thought maybe she lost the baby. I’m so grateful that she’s here and she and the baby are safe that I don’t know how to express it.

“I told you, it wasn’t your fault,” she murmurs, and I shake my head, pulling away to look at her.

“No. No. I’m sorry for…for everything. I’m sorry that I didn’t use protection–”

“So what? You regret this? You regret-”

“No!” I cry out and she shuts her mouth, her bottom lip trembling, her chin jutting out. I want to kiss the little dimple in her chin but instead I just take in a sharp breath through my nostrils and exhale slowly through my mouth like I always do when I’m trying to calm myself. “I don’t regret anything. I don’t regretyou, Gemma, and I won’t. Not ever. I know that you have other plans. I know that you don’t…that you don’t want me.”

Gemma’s eyes are the color of the sea when they’re swimming with tears. She’s so beautiful and I feel so stupid for not noticing it six months or a year ago.

“Locke,” she starts, and I love hearing her say my name, but in this context, it hurts. I don’t want her to pity me, that hurts more than her rejection.

“I know that you want me to walk away, little bit, but Ican’t.I don’t want to. I want to be a part of this baby’s family, just like the guys are a part of mine.”

“You…you do?” Gemma’s voice sounds hesitant and shaky.

I shake my head and her face falls, so I take her hands, kissing her knuckles.

“Not just that. Not just the baby. I want to be yours and I want you to be mine, Gem.”

“What are you saying, Locke?” Gemma’s still got her chin jutted out like she’s mad at me but there are tears rolling down her cheeks and she doesn’t remove her hands from mine.

“I’m saying…” I pause and take in another deep breath. “I’m saying that I’m in love with you, Gemma.”

She catches her bottom lip between her teeth and I thumb it. She huffs out a breath and I can’t help but laugh even though my heart is in my throat since she hasn’t responded.

She stares at me and it feels like my whole life is in her small hands.

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