30. Winnie
Reese didn’t give me the option of not staying with him. When Sawyer mentioned Laney and Emma would be staying with him, Reese demanded I stay with him too. He claimed it was so he didn’t have to worry about me in the storm, but I think that’s just an excuse. I don’t mind, though. I still haven’t told him about the baby, so this should be the perfect time to drop the news.
Should be, being the key words.
“We have to get alcohol.” Gavin grabs a case of beer and drops it into the cart.
Reese wraps an arm around me. “What do you like to drink?”
“Oh, uh, no. I’m good.”
“You sure?” He eyes me for a beat, and I wonder if he knows, but then he shrugs and reaches for a few different boxes full of a variety of drinks into the cart. “Just in case you change your mind.”
If I could drink right now, I would. Maybe then it would rid me of my nerves. Or make them worse.
Stay vigilant for falling trees and flooded roads. If you don’t have to go out—don’t. Emergency workers are advising people to stay indoors. Check back for updates.
“Well, shit.” Schmidt looks out the window at the darkened sky. “Yeah, it looks nasty.”
“I can’t believe our games might be canceled for some rain.”
Reese scoffs at his teammate. “Not canceled. Rescheduled. And it’s not just fucking rain, Brogan. There’s a flood warning, if you weren’t listening.”
“Well, whatever. It’s fucking dumb.”
I grab Reese’s thigh resting aside mine and stroke it, hoping it calms his irritation with Brogan. If we are going to be trapped here all night together, I’d rather there not be any weird tension. All afternoon, I’ve watched each of the guys roll their eyes at something Brogan has said, and he’s deserved it each time. The guy is obnoxious, for sure.
Reese slips his fingers in between mine and kisses my head. We’ve still not had time to talk, but it’s been nice having a lazy afternoon together.
Sawyer’s phone goes off for what feels like the fifteenth time, and I guess he’s had enough of not answering it. He picks it up and, with slumped shoulders, stalks over to the kitchen. Everyone else disperses, some leaving the apartment, Brogan thankfully being one of them, leaving only me, Reese, Sawyer, Emma, Laney, Schmidt, Beckett, and his girlfriend, Avery. This is my first time meeting Avery, but she seems sweet. She’s, like, model pretty, too. Dark curly hair, deep skin that glows like the sun is shining directly on her, and wide set eyes framed by thick eyelashes.
Beckett lifts her up and drags her back toward his room. “Let me know if the building starts falling down.”
“That’s not funny.” Emma swats at his ankle, and he chuckles.
Laney has been visibly uncomfortable all afternoon, and when I asked her about it, she just said she doesn’t like storms. It seems more than just not liking storms, though. I don’t think she’s uncurled her arms from her body since we sat down. Every time the wind makes too much noise, she winces, too. Must be a really bad fear.
“I don’t know what you want me to do, Amy.” Sawyer’s voice is low, but we are only separated by a doorway.
She’s not on speakerphone, but I’m pretty sure I can hear screaming on the other end. She must be very unhappy.
“I’m not driving in this. You know how I am with storms.”
I glance back at Reese since we are the only ones close enough to hear him, but he just shrugs.
“He doesn’t talk about it.”
Huh. I wonder what that could mean. “She sounds really mad.”
“She’s always mad, but I would be too if you were bunked up for the foreseeable future with some guy you had a history with.”
I shoot a look around the room. The only other girl besides me is his sister, his roommate’s girlfriend, and Laney.
“Laney?” I keep my voice a whisper, making sure Reese is the only one to hear me.
He nods a few times. “Yeah, don’t you see the way they look at each other? I didn’t either until he said something, but now I don’t know how I missed it.”
They look at each other? Just then, Sawyer walks back into the room, and exactly as Reese said, his eyes lock on Laney right away. Holy shit. He looks physically uncomfortable standing in the doorframe, like he can’t decide what to do.
“What happened?”
Reese shrugs. “I don’t really know. I guess she’s always had a crush, and one time they kissed.”
“But he’s been with Amy for, like, ever, right?”
“Sure, but it wasn’t that serious until a year or so ago. Then she flipped and has been a crazy girlfriend ever since, but now I kind of don’t blame her. I still don’t like her, because she treats my best friend like shit, but at least I mostly get why she’s an insufferable bitch.”
I would have never guessed there was anything between Sawyer and Laney. Reese said she holds the crush, but watching him look at her like he would protect her from the world, like her suffering is killing him, is enough for me to wonder how one-sided that crush really is. If that crush is even still there. I drift my eyes across the room to Laney. Emma is showing her something on her phone, but her eyes keep drifting to Sawyer, and there is definitely a moment shared between them. Huh. Now that I’m thinking about it, they would make a really cute couple, and it seems that Amy makes him miserable, so I don’t know why he stays with her. There must be more to the story.
Wind blows outside, and something hits the window. It doesn’t break it, but it was loud enough that I’m surprised it didn’t, and I shoot a quick look at Laney. She’s since buried her face into her hands and is shaking like a leaf. I climb from Reese’s legs, crawl over, and place a gentle hand on her knee.
Emma is rubbing her back with a worried expression on her face.
“Are you okay?” I keep my voice low and gentle not to disturb her.
“I-I’m sorry, I j-just don’t like storms.”
I peek at Sawyer, but he’s gone. Seconds later, though, he comes back from the kitchen carrying two handfuls of shots. He slams them on the table, and Laney jumps. She lifts her head, and he points to the shots.
“Drink.”
“I don’t think—”
“Drink, Delaney.”
I’m not sure even I would argue with that tone, and I’m not into this man. Emma tries to defend her friend, but Laney assures her it’s okay. Gosh, I don’t know how Emma is around them all the time and misses that her best friend and brother totally want each other. I guess it would be the same for Elijah.
“It’s fine. Maybe the alcohol will settle my nerves.”
I reach for a shot and pass it to Laney. Her hands are shaky, but she manages not to spill.
“There’s one for everyone,” he tells us while he grabs his.
Reese moves forward, taking his before passing me one.
I stare at it for a beat, but Laney nudges me. She points to the shot, and while Reese and Sawyer are distracted, we swap drinks and she throws it back.
I need to tell Reese soon, or poor Laney is going to be shit-faced by the end of the night.
“Never have I ever sucked dick.” Beckett smirks like he’s the king of comedy.
Three out of four girls lift their drinks, and I smile proudly knowing I’m responsible for one of them.
“Fuck, Emma, really?”
“Look, it was after prom and—”
Sawyer throws his hand to his ears, but she continues with a shitty smile on her face, telling us all about how her date was hot and that was her only reason, really.
“Okay, new game,” Sawyer grumbles. “I’m tired of hearing everything my sister has done sexually.”
“Ooh, what about karaoke?” Laney is definitely smashed. Her words are slurred and her movements sloppy. We’ve only been drinking for a little over an hour, and I haven’t seen her get up and refill her cup once, but I guess she is small.
As if God thinks that’s an awful idea as well, the power cuts out. Laney, or maybe Emma, screams as the apartment goes dark.
“Fuck. You got flashlights at your place?”
“Let me go look.”
Winnie climbs up after me, but I quickly add, “You can stay, I’ll be right back.”
Instead of sitting back down, she steps closer and drops her voice. “I was thinking I could up my chances at never have I ever.”
My eyes widen with a mixture of shock and excitement. I scan hers to make sure I understand what she’s hinting at. When I’m positive, I grip her hand and begin dragging a giggling Winnie from the apartment.
“We will be back.”
“Bring those fucking flashlights over first!”
Yeah, no fucking way am I doing that.
I don’t stop until we are in my room. It’s dark, but I have a battery-operated lamp I flick on. I turn, breathing hard as I lift a questioning eyebrow. Winnie’s chocolate eyes roam down my body and back up. She bites her lip, and any reserve I was holding disappears. I all but pounce on her. Grabbing her around her slim waist, I lift. She wraps her legs around my hips, and I lead her to my bed.
Dropping her onto my bed, I grip her leggings and thong and tear them down her body in one smooth movement. She pulls her top off next and then leans up on her elbows to look down at me, watching as I enjoy her body in the most organic way.
“You look so beau—”
“I’m pregnant.”