Page 8 of The Daddy Claus

Things went from bad to worse when Gabbi met Atlas and reamed him for the way he treated me. He denied it convincingly, which convinced Gabbi to question me. It was honestly a relief to admit the truth to my best friend. I hate lying, and having that secret hanging over me was horrible. Especially since Atlas fell for Gabbi instantly. The thought of coming between my best friend and her soulmate was horrible.

Luckily for Gabbi, their relationship went from zero to sixty as soon as I cleared the air. Fast relationships seem to be the norm in this small Texas town. Rumor has it, the water is responsible for the insanely high amount of love-at-first-sight relationships happening in Silver Spoon Falls. Not only did Gabbi find Atlas, but Roman met his own soulmate around the same time. The magic water dropped the ball with me and Jordan. One-sided love is worse than no love at all.

I have no idea how I’m going to handle the family Christmas celebration with the lovey-dovey couples and the man who shattered my heart and knocked me up. Maybe I can fake a hideous stomach ailment and escape early.

It’s time to find out if there is going to be nine months to life consequences for that one night of pleasure in Jordan Sterling’s arms. After dropping my phone onto the coffee table, I slowly make my way back to the bathroom to face the little white stick. The walk across my small apartment feels like a mile as I slowly inch across the room, one step at a time. I step into the bathroom and close my eyes.

Taking a deep breath, I grab the little white stick and stare down at the window.Pregnant.That one little word circles through my mind on a continuous loop as the urge to puke returns. Full force.

Now, I have to find a way to tell my best friend and her older brother, who doesn’t even know we had sex, that I’m pregnant. Yay me.

* * *

My heart kicksinto overdrive when I turn down the private lane leading to the Sterling mansion. It’s time to face the music.

I park in the circular driveway between a ridiculously huge black SUV and Atlas’ Challenger Hellcat and hop out. Moving at a snail’s pace, I open the back door and reach in to grab the presents I brought. It’s show time and I’m sweating.

Gabbi throws the door open before I even knock. “It’s about time you got here.” She’s wearing an adorable green Christmas sweater with “Santa’s Favorite” splashed across it.

“I’m three minutes late.” I roll my eyes and follow her through the large, ornately-carved, solid wood door and set my presents on the hall table.

“Three minutes too long,” Gabbi grumbles and hugs me. “I haven’t seen you in four whole days.” It seems like an eternity to me, too. I had no idea how much I would miss living with my best friend until she moved in with Atlas. Nothing feels the same.

“Hello, Gabbi.” Atlas Jacks, the Falcon’s goalie, walks up and smiles at me. At least he isn’t holding a grudge against me for almost wrecking his relationship with Gabbi before it even started. “How are you?”

“I’m great,” I lie and swallow down the nausea crawling up my throat. “And you?”

“Couldn’t be fucking better,” he grumbles, and the poor guy has good reason to be a little salty. Over the last few weeks, he’s suffered back-to-back concussions and nearly met his maker when a porch collapsed on him in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately for Atlas, his luck has improved significantly since he and Gabbi found each other. He has a lifetime of keeping my best friend out of trouble ahead of him, but I’m betting the massive hockey player is up to the task.

He pulls Gabbi against his side and leans way down to whisper something in her ear that causes her face to turn bright red, and the green-eyed monster rears its ugly head as I watch the exchange. I feel torn. I’m happy for my friend finding her soulmate, but my life is spinning out of control and I don’t know how to fix it.

“Being my goalie won’t save you from an ass-kicking if you get too handsy with my little sister.” The hair on the back of my neck stands up as I sense Jordan walking up behind me. I don’t even have to turn around to know he’s standing a few feet away. My senses go into overdrive as I fight the urge to run or to throw myself into his arms. I haven’t quite decided what I want to do.

“Bite me.” Atlas nips at Gabbi’s ear, causing Jordan to growl unrepeatable threats, which breaks the spell of having Jordan this close wove around me.

“Stop.” Gabbi’s eyes narrow as she points her finger over my shoulder. “We are going to enjoy a nice, relaxing Christmas without you two giving Atlas hell.”

“Keep those happy thoughts,” Roman replies, and I finally work up the nerve to glance over my shoulder. Both Sterling brothers are standing a few feet away.

Jordan might be an inch or two shorter than Roman, but he’s way more imposing. He looks more like a hockey player himself than the owner of the team.

He wears his thick dark brown, nearly black hair a little longer than his younger brother, and has long dark eyelashes that would make any woman jealous.

Today, the billionaire businessman is wearing a ridiculously ugly Christmas sweater with “I have a big package for you,” written across it under a picture of Santa holding up a package. I blink several times, attempting to believe what I’m seeing. If my heart wasn’t in a million pieces, I would get a kick out of seeing him in the silly outfit.

Swallowing, I paste a fake smile on my face. “Hi, Jordan,” I tell him, barely making eye contact before moving on to the safe brother, the one who has no effect on my heart. “Hi, Roman.” Okay. I can handle this if I ignore the older Sterling brother and what he does to my heart and body. “Where’s Raven?” Roman and Raven met recently when she held a business meeting at The Sterling Rope. Evidently, the Silver Spoon Falls water did its trick and the two of them fell instantly in love.

“She’s in the den on a video call with her family back home.” As Roman’s kind knowing eyes hold mine, I wonder if he’s figured out my secret.

When he pulls me close for a brotherly hug, Jordan growls something intelligible and tugs me out of his younger brother’s arms. His dark brown eyes hold mine captive as he leans over to whisper, “Merry Christmas, princess.” His spicy scent wraps around me, and I almost forget the other people in the room.

I step back from him, planning to return his greeting when his words penetrate.

He knows. He freaking already knows.Did Gabbi tell him? Did he figure it out on his own?Oh my God, does Roman know, too?The room spins as confusion cuts through me.

The nausea I had hoped would stay under control for the day comes roaring to life, and my stomach turns as I shove Jordan out of the way before making a mad dash for the downstairs powder room.

I barely close and lock the door behind me before I lose my measly breakfast of saltine crackers. The doorknob rattles as Jordan’s fists bang on the wood door. “What the fuck? Unlock this fucking door or I’m going to spank your gorgeous ass until you can’t sit down.”

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