Page 56 of One Unexpected Gift

“I know. At the time I wasn’t thinking about that. All I wanted was...”

“Nick.” Brooke gave her a sad smile.

“Yeah, Nick. When I missed my next period, I was still in denial. I didn’t take a pregnancy test until I was four weeks late. And then I took a few weeks to process. By then it was too late to...” She looked away from Gina, ashamed for even contemplating aborting the baby when her best friend could never have one of her own.

As if reading her thoughts, Gina scooted closer and pulled her in for a hug. “It’s okay. You were scared and alone.”

“There’s a stigma about pregnant single women in the military.” They were all aware of it. “I hate being a statistic. That I could jeopardize my career.”

“There are thousands of pregnant and single-mom nurses.” Charlie pushed her beer away and rested her elbows on the table. “Your career shouldn’t be in jeopardy.”

“The chances of me ever being deployed again are slim to none.”

A civilian would comment that it was a good thing; her military sisters understood it wasn’t the same. Even Brook, who chose not to reenlist.

“Does Nick know?” Gina gave her another squeeze before releasing her hug.

“I told him two days ago.”

“By the circles under your eyes, I take it the conversation didn’t go so well.” Brook patted Gabby’s back when she started squirming.

“What an asshole.” Charlie pushed back her chair and stomped over to the fridge, taking out the pitcher of sangria and bringing it to the table. “Owen said he’s been off lately. He asked me if Nick knew about Gabby.”

“Wait. Owen knows Nick’s the father?” Charlie scrunched her face, her shoulders lifting to her ears. “Does Bryce know too? Drew?” She surveyed her friends. All three avoided eye contact. “Oh my god. I feel like such a fool.”

“Oh, no, honey. They understood. They’ve been pushing Nick your way as much as we’ve been pushing you to him,” Gina said.

“Great. So he was only interested in me because your husbands have been brainwashing him into giving the girl who’s put on twenty pounds since he’d last seen her, and who has no life, possibly no job, no family, bags under her eyes and around her hips, varicose veins—” Sky turned into a blubbering idiot, tears streaking down her cheeks.

“Stop.” Brooke jumped to her feet startling Gabby and Sky. Gabby nestled back into Brooke’s warmth, but Sky did not.

She pulled her sleeve over her hand and wiped her face with it. “I’m a mess. I’m bringing the three of you down. You should be out with your husbands, having a romantic night, not caring for a postpartum depressed nut job who’s been lying to her best friends and the father of her daughter for ten months.”

“I said stop.” Brooke handed Gabby to Gina and took Sky by the shoulders. “You’ve been through a life-changing event and have handled it all on your own. That’s not the way it works around here. Am I laying on the guilt? Maybe. But that’s only so you stop taking all this on by yourself and learn to lean on your family. Because we are your family. Don’t ever say you don’t have a family. That, we will take offense to.”

“I’m sorry.” Sky sniffed, wiping her nose with her sweatshirt. Not only was she depressed, but she was disgusting as well.

“None of that.” Charlie came over to Sky. “No apologies. You did what you believed was best. Maybe you made some mistakes, but we learn from them. Nobody is perfect. Now back to Nick.” Charlie looked at Brooke, then Gina. “Did either of you tell him to take Sky back to his office and bang her on his desk.”

“Seriously, Charlie.” Sky couldn’t help but chuckle under her tears.

“Not me,” Gina said.

“Me either.”

“Did either of you or your husbands tell Nick to sweep Sky off her feet and do the nasty in a supply closet?”

“I’m pretty sure that was all me.” Skylar sniffed.

“I’ll come clean and tell you Drew and I snuck off for a little nookie in a closet at Gina’s wedding.” When Charlie smacked her arm playfully, Brooke added, “What? Gina’s wedding was terribly romantic. We got turned on. Care to tell us where you and Owen were when you went MIA? Gina had to delay the cake cutting until we found you.”

“Okay. Busted as well. Only Owen and I went off into the woods. Which proves none of us can keep our hands off our men.”

“Are you telling me I’m the only one who didn’t have sex during my wedding reception?” Gina planted her hands on her hips with a huff.

“I can’t believe I’m best friends with such horn dogs. And nice job deflecting my question.”

“We didn’t deflect. As you can plainly see, you and Nick got the ball rolling all on your own. When we went to The Zone a few weeks ago, he made a beeline for you. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice him fumbling over his words.” Gina bounced Gabby, who was getting restless for her bedtime feeding.

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