Page 32 of Messy Strokes (Wrecked Roommates)

“Hey, Mads,” Dove returns. “What’s up?”

“Are you alone?”

She pauses slightly. “Yes? What’s going on, Maddie?”

With my head in my hand, I choke out, “Did you tell Marty?”

“What?”

“Did you tell Marty about Peanut?”

“What? Of course not!”

“How would he know?”

“About Peanut?” she clarifies. I can hear the confusion in her voice.

“Yeah. He texted me. How did he get my number, Dove? How did he know about the baby or how to reach me? Tell me––”

“I don’t know!”

“You were the only one whodidknow,” I return, my tone rising with my heart rate.

“Maddie, you need to calm down. I promise I didn’t say anything.”

“So,howdoes he know?” I scream, the room starting to spin.

This can’t be happening.

This can’t be happening.

“Calm down,” she returns. “Let methinkfor a second.”

Unable to keep still, I push myself to my feet and pace the kitchen, shoving my fingers through my hair before dragging them down my face. I feel like I’m suffocating. Like I can’t breathe. Like all the oxygen has been sucked out of my body, and I’m going to pass out any second.

If Marty knows about Peanut, he’ll use her against me. He’ll tell Milo. Hell, he might even tell Jos about Milo’s arrest to be an ass. He could ruin everything. Hewillruin everything. I know it.

“Crap,” Dove whispers, pulling me back from my spiraling thoughts.

My heels dig into the ground, and I squeeze my eyes shut. “What is it?”

“The texts…”

“What texts?”

“Do you remember the night I came home from touring with Broken Vows? When I found out about you and Gibbs?”

I nod even though she can’t see me. “Yeah?”

“Marty got ahold of Gibson’s phone and forwarded screenshots of your conversation with Gibson about you being pregnant to me. Which is how I found outandwhen he must’ve gotten your new number.”

“Along with finding out I was having a baby,” I breathe out, the pieces falling into place. “He knows.”

“I’m sorry, Mads,” Dove apologizes.

“But why now?” I choke out.

It doesn’t make any sense.

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