The drive to Warren’s house is silent. I can’t bring myself to turn the radio on. It was the same for the entire two-hour drive back from my parents’ house earlier today.
The thoughts racing through my mind are too loud to compete with any other sound in such a small space.
I pull the car to a stop in front of the house. My hand instinctively rests on my stomach even though there’s nothing to see there yet.
There’s still a baby in there.The thought echoes through me.A baby. An actual baby. And they’re all about to know about it.
I suddenly feel nauseous, and I don’t think it has anything to do with hormones this time.
Dragging in a deep breath, I make my way to the front door. Warren is there opening it before I have a chance to knock or ring the bell.
Taking in my surprised face, he mutters an apology. “Sorry, I didn’t want it to wake Jacks up.”
His eyes track down over his sweatshirt that I’m wearing. A barely there smile ghosts the corners of his mouth.
I give him a small smile because I can’t help it. It’s good to see him. As I start to walk past him, he pulls me in for a hug. I relax against him for a beat before moving further into the house.
Entering the living room, I find Tucker and Grayson standing near the entryway to the kitchen. I saw their cars outside. I knewthey were already here, but seeing all of them in the same room makes all this more real.
A smile spreads over Tucker’s face. I can tell there’s a level of wariness to it, but he’s masking it well. This is something I’ve found he does quite frequently when things are anything other than blissfully happy.
He walks across the room, pulling me in for a hug. He kisses my temple.
“I’m glad you’re here,” he says.
I don’t know what to say, so I just nod.
Glancing away from Tucker, I see Grayson still standing in the same spot he was when I walked into the room.
His face is blank, but his mind is clearly whirling. A flash of something crosses his features.Fear?
It’s gone in the blink of an eye, though, and he’s back to his even stare.
Warren grabs my hand, guiding me over to sit on the couch where he sits beside me. Grayson takes the chair to the side of the couch, and Tucker perches on the coffee table in front of me.
I can’t seem to look at any of them, so my eyes stay fixed on my hands that I’m nervously wringing in my lap.
“Did we do something wrong?” Grayson asks, sounding more vulnerable than I’ve ever heard from him. “Did we hurt you?”
My head snaps up so I’m looking right at him. I shake my head adamantly. “No, no. You guys have never hurt me.”
They all seem to release a sigh of relief.We’ll see how long that lasts.
I straighten my back, pulling in a deep breath. “I’m pregnant,” I say in a voice louder than a whisper, but not quite at my normal volume either.
My eyes ping-pong between all of them. They’re all staring at me, but none of them says anything.
Grayson stands, moving toward me. He sits next to Tucker on the coffee table. For some reason, all I think is:I hope it’s strong enough to hold both of them.
My brain short-circuits, and I start rambling. “And if it wasn’t clear already, one of you is the father. Obviously, I don’t know which one. You’ve all come inside of me. Some of you at the same time.”
Tucker and Grayson glance at each other before focusing back on me.
“I’m not telling you because I’m expecting anything. I just wanted you to know,” I continue.
I pull in a ragged breath.
Go. Go. Go.
