Page 73 of When love and Hate Collide

“I don’t know,” I sigh, closing my eyes. “I’ve got a hundred questions circling in my head and I can’t find an answer to any of them.” I answer honestly and he nods, leaning against the dressing table. “Everything is such a mess.”

Dean walks over to me and perches in front of me, “I know, but we’ll figure it out one way or the other.”

My eyes dart up to meet his, “How?” I ask hastily, “How are we going to explain this to Ash? To our families, Dean?”

Dean rubs a hand over his face and sighs, “I don’t know, JJ, I haven’t really thought that far ahead, I’m still processing the fact thatyou’recarrying my baby. First, we need to figure out what we want and then we can worry about everyone else.”

I chew my lip when he lowers his eyes to my stomach and his brows knit.

“Scowling at my stomach isn’t going to intimidate the baby into fleeing, Dean.” I point out and he lifts his eyes to stare at me unamused.

“How far along are you?”

I sigh, wetting my lips. “I’m not sure, a couple of weeks maybe. It’s been what thirteen days since that night we got stranded so…”

“Is it possible the test could be wrong?” Dean questions, a speck of hope flashes in his green eyes and I shake my head.

“One maybe, but I took three; all positive.” Dean shifts and sits next to me on the bed and we both stare down at the beige carpet.

“Fuck.”

I nod, “Yeah.”

Dean and I turn to look at one another, each of us searching for the answers we’re seeking in the other.

* * *

Dean and I stay up the entire night trying to come up with a solution and instead we came up with the bright idea to take a couple of days to process and make a pros and cons list to weigh our options. As much as I was looking forward to this trip, I am thrilled it’s over and we are on our way back home. Dean and I spent the final three days avoiding one another. The ten-hour flight back home I sit with Oz this time and Dean sits with a random passenger.

When we finally make home it’s afternoon. Ashlyn, Oz, Jessica, Dean and I all pile out of the Taxi.

“Damn, anyone else just been struck with the holiday blues?” Oz utters sourly, setting his suitcase on the floor, a glum look on his handsome face.

“I hate London.” Jessica groans, pulling the handle to her suitcase up so she can drag it. Our front door swings open, and both set of parents come rushing out, greeting us like we just got back from fighting a war.

“Darlings, you’re back! Oh, we’ve missed you!” Aunt Tay exclaims beaming at us while she hugs us all one by one.

“How was the trip? We want to hear everything.” My mother gushes, hugging my sister and I. “Oh, but first, Jeyla, you have some serious explaining to do young lady.” I feel the colour drain away from my face and my heart rate slows drastically. I sneak a look at Dean who’s frowning also. “There’s someone special here to see you,” she announces, a glint in her soft brown eyes. I give her a quizzical look and she grins back at me like an over-enthused teenager.

“Hi Jey.”

A shiver rolls down my spine when I hear that all too familiar drawl from behind me. I glance over at Ashlyn, who is gaping at the person the voice belongs to, and my horror is confirmed when I turn and lock eyes with the tall, six-foot-three, dirty blond with baby blue eyes walking over to me.

What the fuck?

“Pax?” I stammer, downright astounded to see myexstanding before me after we broke up three months ago. “What are you doing here?”

Paxton smiles at me handsomely, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “I tried calling you a couple of times, but your phone was off. When I didn’t hear back from you, I got worried and came to check in on you to ensure you were okay.” I watch him guardedly while he moves over to me, looking just as good as I remember.

The gloriously beautiful bastard.

“Um, well, as you can see, I’m perfectly fine.” My eyes catch my best friend’s, and she shakes her head at me slowly. “You really shouldn’t have come all this way,” I say, giving him a pointed look, which he dismisses completely.

“Darling, you’re my fiancée, it’s no bother. Besides, I’m allowed to be concerned about you.” My eyes grow wide when he coils an arm around my waist and kisses my forehead like we didn’t break up three months ago. Has this man gone and lost his goddamn mind?His fiancée?

While Paxton’s lips are pressed against my temple, my eyes find Dean’s and the perplexed look on his face causes my stomach to clench uncomfortably. The intensity behind the probing looks he’s giving me is making me wish I could shrink to two feet tall, so I can scurry away from them both.

Someone up there is fucking with me.

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