Page 42 of Irreplaceable

I laughed. “Probably. I don’t know.”

“I get to plan your baby shower, right?” Juliana asked.

“Of course. I mean, that’s still months away, though.”

“Yes. But it’s never too early to begin planning. You should start working on your guest list—coworkers, friends, family.”

My eyes went wide as I was hit with a sudden realization. “Oh my god. I’m going to have to tell my parents.”

Lauren smiled. “Girl, your parents are going to be so excited.”

I appreciated Lauren’s enthusiasm, but I had my doubts. “I’m not so sure about that. I doubt they’ll be very pleased when they realize I got pregnant from a vacation fling, and the father wants nothing to do with me or his child.”

My girlfriends frowned, then Juliana gave me a sympathetic smile. “You haven’t even told Enzo. You can’t possibly know how he’ll react.”

I’d been holding this knowledge in for weeks, and I couldn’t take it anymore. “I don’t know how to contact him,” I blurted, finally admitting the horrible truth. “I don’t even know if Enzo is his real name.” I covered my face with my hands, shame coating my skin like the sunscreen I’d used in Bali.

“Wait.” Lauren rubbed her forehead. “Back up.”

So, I did. I told them everything. How Enzo and I had met. How it had ended. When I finished, it was so silent, you could’ve heard a pin drop. I braced myself for their reactions.

Finally, Juliana said, “Well, you were right. He is an asshole.”

My friends weren’t judging me as I’d feared. They were enraged on my behalf.

“An asshole who’s now the father of my child. I mean, ignoring the fact that he deserves a right to know…”

“Whoa. Whoa.” Lauren held up a hand. “Considering the way he treated you, he doesn’t deserve anything from you apart from contempt.”

I appreciated her anger, but still. “I’m pissed, but I have to think about my child. What am I going to tell them when they’re older?” What was I going to tell my family? “God, this is such a mess.” I shook my head, tears falling as the reality of my situation sank in.

I’d gotten my wish—I was pregnant. And while I wanted to enjoy it, all I could do was despair. My life was such a disaster.

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