"I'm not entirely sure yet," I confessed as Ray nodded solemnly, her hands tapping on the steering wheel as she weaved in and out of traffic, trying to get us closer to the turn-off we needed.
"Annabelle, you know you must apply regardless of where you go. You don't want to miss a place."
I chewed on my fingernail as I nodded glumly. I was hoping not to study any longer than I had to—all my family had done it, and I knew it was expected of me, but I just didn't feel attracted to it. My eyes lit up as Ray slid the car into a vacant spot, the delicious smell of flame-grilled chicken making my mouth water as I almost ran to the restaurant. It was pretty busy, but we managed to grab a little table for two at the back. We settled in and placed our orders immediately—much to our waiter's surprise.
Ray fixed me with a look.
"Why are you giving me that look?" I demanded, and she blushed, glancing down at the table before meeting my eyes again.
"You and Eli are so alike it's scary sometimes." She confessed as I rolled my eyes playfully.
"Do you ever stop thinking about him?" I scolded as she threw a napkin at me.
"No." She giggled, and I laughed, unsure how we had gotten where we were today, both in serious relationships and not spending as much time together as we used to.
"Do you love him?" I found myself asking as I watched her with intrigue. Her pupils dilated, and her mouth opened slightly, a faint flush on her cheeks as she shrugged.
"A little bit."
"Remember when you thought he couldn't stand you?"
"Oh, don't. I thought Eli hated me," she said sadly, her dark eyes full of worry.
"Obviously not." I winked at her as she grinned broadly.
"If we get married—" She began as I pretended to choke, much to her amusement. "If, I said,if. You'll be my sister-in-law. Eek!"
We giggled as we chatted about this and that, but I was aching to tell her about Elena. I didn't usually keep anything from Ray, but I knew this was a serious secret and not mine to tell. So imagine my surprise when she dropped a little bombshell on me.
"Rumour has it that Elena is pregnant."
I stared at her as she shook her head.
"Dumb girl isn't even on birth control even though she fucks anything and everything. If it's true, I wonder who the baby's daddy is?" She snorted then, her eyes meeting mine. "No, it's not funny, is it? I hope it's just a rumor. No one deserves her as a mother."
I blinked as our food arrived; my appetite suddenly dampened.
Was Elena pregnant by ateacher?
Twenty-Nine
Now
Ihad convinced Ray to drop me at Bailey's house after we had filled our stomachs with an alarmingly excessive amount of food. I knocked on the door, hopping from foot to foot in the cold. I should've texted him first, but coming directly to him was a last-minute idea. The door opened, and my mouth gaped slightly at the vision of my boyfriend's brother, Reuben. He wore navy jogging bottoms and, well, nothing else. His stomach was ripped, my eyes following the perfect v that led down to his—
"Annabelle. Are you coming in, or are you content standing on the doorstep?"
He gazed at me, clearly amused.
My cheeks flushed as his eyes lingered on me slightly longer than necessary, and he stepped back so I could walk in. I hurried past him, averting my eyes so he didn't think I was staring at him. A smile played on his lips as he nodded at the stairs.
"You know the way to Bailey's room, right? I'm assuming you didn't come to see me?"
He winked at me as I leaned down, pulling my shoes off awkwardly. This family was stunning; their presence turned me into a gibbering wreck. But then, I realized he was still watching me, clearly waiting for an answer. I shook my head as I went upstairs, and Reuben strolled back to the kitchen with a playful smile.
I pushed open Bailey's door, his scent greeting me warmly. He was lying on the bed, his phone by his side as he stared at me in surprise.
"I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess you're completely naked under that coat," he said softly, his blue eyes lazily studying me as I closed the door. I unbuttoned my coat, and he groaned when he saw I was wearing clothes, but he sat up and held his hands out to me.
