“Oh, shit. Guess I was off base there.” He presses on his dick, likely trying to get it to settle down.
Gabby opens a box and hands him a long Q-tip. “It’s okay. Why don’t you swab first so you can go… deal with your problem.”
As she rotates around the room, my heart jackhammers in my chest.
This situation is so out of control. If Coach hears about this before we get some answers, he’ll be pissed. But worse, he’ll be disappointed.
Who’s the dad, you ask? Well, funny story about that…
Fuck, no. I definitely don’t wanna have that convo if I can avoid it.
Jesus. I should be working on my essay and studying my ass off right now. Not lounging around the living room waiting to swab some spit. Seriously, I need a kid like I need a shiv to my kidney. I’m so fucked if this baby is mine.
My leg jiggles against the couch, and I rub my palm down my thigh to try to calm down.
When she swabs her brother, they don’t say anything to each other. Seriously, what is his deal?
I understand she’s upset he’s standoffish, but why has he been pretending he barely knows her all this time?
When she gets to me, I stare at her unabashedly. It’s a great distraction from the fact that I’m taking a fucking paternity test.
A thick strand of hair falls into her face, and my fingers itch to tuck it behind her ear. She smells warm and feminine, and everything in me aches to stick my nose against her skin and inhale.
I study the gentle slope of her neck. The graceful tilt of her head. The intense hue of her eyes.
Hazel is too simple a description to describe her eyes. They’re a deep golden color with flecks of green, like the shade you’d see on some exotic animal.
She’s no bird. No, more like a lioness. Fierce. Unyielding. Uncompromising. Characteristics I never thought I’d find so attractive.
How did I miss all of this freshman year? Was I always such a spectacular idiot?
I knew she was intense. Back then, I probably viewed that as a negative trait, but now, watching her take command is sexy as fuck.
If Miss Duran was my teacher, I’d never miss a day of school.
When she finally looks up, when our eyes meet, my heart kicks in my chest again.
“Thanks for doing this, Gabby,” I whisper with all sincerity. This baby situation is pure insanity, but for some reason, knowing Gabby is here makes it less crazy.
And then I realize the crazy part.
I can count everyone I trust on one hand.
And yet… I trust her.
Except for this emergency, we haven’t really spoken in years, but I know down to my soul that she’ll do her best to help us figure out what’s going on and take care of Poppy.
A pink hue heats her cheeks, but she nods.
I want to say so many other things, except now’s not the time.
But maybe with all of this baby stuff going on, I’ll get a chance.
Because I need to make it up to her. One way or another.
12
GABBY
