Page 16 of A Little Secret
Not the week without anyone. I’m not that much of a baby. No, I mean the actual baby. The one I have a hunch is growing inside of me.Thatbaby. How am I going to get through being a mom? I’m too young for this. I’m too young and too busy and too…young. Yes, I know I said it twice, but it’s kind of a big factor here. Everett’s arms hang limply at his sides for a solid two seconds until he wraps them around me, returning my hug.
“Hey, you okay?” he murmurs against the top of my head.
Oh, the things I could say.
“Yes, you big butthead,” I voice aloud. “I’m going to miss you, is all.”
His chuckle is warm and throaty as he squeezes me one more time. “You could’ve come.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know I shouldn’t have used up all my travel points on visiting Drew, okay?”Boy, do I regret it now, I silently add as the pregnancy test burns a hole in my back pocket. I don’t want to be alone. I don’t want to be anything. I only want to curl into a ball and cry.
“The good news is you won’t be alone anymore,” Everett offers, cutting through my spiraling thoughts.
I pull away from my brother, my brows wrinkling. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Griffin’s staying here.”
Frowning, I search the room for my brother’s best friend. The man who has caused so many issues in my relationship with Drew it isn’t even funny, and he has no idea. Okay, maybe he has a teeny tiny idea since I told himwe can’t be friends anymore, but I digress. He’s the man who, for all intents and purposes, hates me. The man who’s currently staring at my back pocket like it’s a snake’s head. I tug at the hem of my sweater, covering my jean-clad ass and the pregnancy test still most definitely burning a hole in my back pocket.
“You’re staying?” I ask.
Dragging his attention from my backside, he folds his arms and leans his shoulder against the wall. “Appears so.”
“Why?”
“Lost a bet.”
Reeves chuckles, and my glare cuts to him before I turn back to Griffin. “Are you serious?”
“Is it a problem for you, Fin?” he challenges. His gaze sweeps along my body in a half-bored gesture. “Or maybe it’s a problem for Drew.”
My nostrils flare, and I open my mouth to bite the guy’s head off when Everett butts in.
“Finley, relax. He didn’t lose a bet, all right? Something came up, and he doesn’t want to jinx shit. Sometimes, things just work out.”
My molars grind, and I face my brother again. “Did you pay Griffin to stay home and babysit?”
Everett scoffs. “You really think I’d pay someone to babysit you?”
I cock my head.
“Okay, you’re right,” he concedes. “I would definitely do that, but no. I had nothing to do with Griffin’s change of plans.”
He lifts his hands in defense, but I bat them back down. “Then why’d he change them?”
“Like I said, something came up.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“If you want specifics, you’ll have to ask him, but I gottago so I don’t miss the flight. I’ll text when we land.” Shifting around me, he heads toward the door with the rest of our friends following, each of them stealing one final hug as they head outside.
With a quiet click, the front door closes behind Maverick, leaving me alone with the one person I want nothing to do with.
Marching toward him, I demand, “Why’d your plans change?”
His brows lift. “I’m sorry. Are you mad at me?”
“Why did your plans change?” I repeat, not bothering to hide my aggression. So, sue me.