Page 19 of Baby For The Billionaire Silver Fox

I slid across the vinyl into the long booth. I was glad I didn’t have a short skirt on so I didn’t have to painfully peel my legs off the seat on my way out of the booth. In reality, it wouldn’t be too long before I couldn’t fit in a booth.

“Cadillac margarita, please, no salt on the rocks,” Lexi ordered the minute the waiter came over.

“I’ll stick with water, thanks. And keep the chips and salsa coming,” I told him. “They look really good.”

I glanced at Lexi and noticed she was studying me intently.

“What? Don’t judge me. I am starving, and you know how I love me a good chips and salsa starter package.”

She shook her head and was about to say something but paused when her margarita came. She took a long sip, and a look of agony crossed her face.

“Brain freeze?

“Gah,” she gasped.

“Touch the roof of your mouth with the tip of your tongue. I just read that works, although I haven’t had an opportunity to try it yet.”

Lexi’s face contorted at the apex of the brain freeze, then slowly relaxed again as it thawed.

“I’ll try it next time. I was too far gone to understand what you were saying,” Lexi said.

She continued. “I noticed you’re still not drinking. Are you ready to talk to me about that yet?”

I took a deep breath and let it out in a loud whoosh. I wanted to tell her, but didn’t know where to start. I mean, I couldn’t just shock the shit out of her by blurting it out.

“Lexi, I’m pregnant,” I blurted out.

“I thought so,” was her response, clearly not shocked at all.

Lexi’s eyes got a hurt look, and I swallowed hard.

“You can tell me about it, you know. You can tell me anything, and I won’t judge you. You’re like a sister to me,” she said.

I looked down. “I know. I just couldn’t tell you until now. I think I’ve been in shock. I was trying to figure out if it was all just a joke my body was playing on me, like, here’s a false positive pregnancy test, hahaha. You’ve been punked!” I sounded a touch hysterical.

Lexi reached for my hands across the table. “Oh, Nik.”

“I’m scared, Lexi. Scared shitless, to be honest.”

“I assume it happened that night with Derek?”

“Yes. I hadn’t been with anyone else since Jason and I broke up. It was stupid of me to think getting back in the saddle for one night with a new guy might be a good idea, but wow, this was not how it was supposed to go.”

I realized I was squeezing Lexi’s fingers hard when she winced.

“Oh, sorry. I’m wound a little tight right now.”

“That’s totally understandable. I can imagine what you’re going through.”

“Was it the not-drinking that tipped you off?” I asked.

“That combined with you not quite acting like yourself.”

“I think the alcohol did cloud my judgment that night. I mean, I did try a few dates with him after that evening, and we didn’t sync at all. In fact, we had nothing in common, and I didn’t find many redeeming qualities about him. And now I’m having his baby. Again, this is some cosmic joke.”

“How did it happen?” Lexi asked.

“The usual way,” I quipped, but I knew what she meant.

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