Chapter 11 #2
“Okay, so we’re going to give you a recap,” Sloane says.
She points at her chest. “I’m the bestie, hers first, and then this one came along.
” She points to Rowan. “I’m unattached. Rowan works for the Rampage and is married to Landry, Corie’s brother.
Corie is married to Knox and also works for the Rampage.
And this little man belongs to Daddy Sin. ” She coos to Camden.
“How’d that go over? Marrying your brother’s best friend?” Amanda asks.
“Better than you would expect. We hid it for a long time. But when Landry found out, he was more hurt that we didn’t tell him than anything.”
“And you both work with your husbands?” I ask.
“We do.” Rowan smiles. “It’s an adventure, to say the least.”
“What about you?” I ask Sloane. “What do you do?”
“I’m a teacher.” She grins. “I get to spend my days shaping little minds.”
“What grade?” Amanda asks.
“Right now, I’m at the preschool level. I’m licensed through fifth, but I love my littles.” She smiles, hugging Camden to her chest.
“What about the two of you?” Corie asks.
“I’m the operations manager for Riggins Enterprises. It’s a logistics company based here in Nashville,” I explain.
“She works with the hottie Riggins brothers all day,” Amanda teases.
I can’t help but laugh. “They are easy on the eyes, but they’re all happily married, and no other women exist in the world but their wives.
” It’s not an exaggeration. All five of those brothers are obsessed with their wives.
Oftentimes, I wonder what having that kind of love would feel like.
I ignore the voice in my head telling me that I might be missing out on my only chance to find out, and focus back on the conversation.
“So what you’re telling us is that Reid doesn’t have any competition where the brothers are concerned,” Sloane teases.
“Nope,” Amanda says, answering for me.
“What do you do?” Rowan asks her.
“I’m the talent coordinator for the Country Fiddle downtown. I book all the bands.”
“You win,” Sloane says, bouncing Camden on her knee. “Your job is the most fun.”
“I don’t know.” Rowan smirks. “Sneaking away at work with your husband has its benefits.” She wags her eyebrows, and we all crack up laughing.
We spend the next hour laughing and talking.
We all have our turn loving on baby Camden, and I admit, hearing his laughter is enough to put anyone in a better mood.
When Corie’s stomach growls, we order pizza for delivery.
Everyone offers to pitch in, but Corie insists that it’s her treat, and we can all take a turn next time.
My eyes find Amanda’s, and she nods. These ladies, the people that Reid Montgomery surrounds himself with, are good.
Not just because Corie is buying dinner, but they’re just kindhearted, laid back, and easy to be around.
They’re not at all what I expected.
Thirty minutes later, the doorbell is ringing, which has Corie jumping off the couch to go collect our food.
Amanda goes to help her, and I follow Sloane and Rowan into the kitchen to set up.
Rowan starts getting the high chair ready, and I smile because, despite this not being his home, the baby stuff scattered around makes you think Camden is here full-time.
As soon as Corie sets the boxes on the counter, Sloane lifts the lid and groans.
It takes a few seconds, but as soon as the smell hits me, my stomach rolls.
I swallow, trying to breathe through it, but that’s not going to work this time. Slapping my hand over my mouth, I take off sprinting down the hall, dropping to my knees in front of the toilet, where I lose the minimal lunch that I ate earlier today.
I groan. Is there anything worse than throwing up? Yeah, there is. It’s throwing up in your new friend’s guest bathroom, who also happens to be married to the best friend of your one-night stand, who’s trying to make one night be… more. That’s worse, trust me.
“Are you all right?” Amanda asks, appearing next to me. Corie shows up with a wet cloth and a bottle of water, handing them to me.
“I’m sorry,” I tell them after swishing the water and spitting it into the toilet. I stand, wiping my mouth. “I was sick with food poisoning last weekend. I guess it’s still lingering a little,” I tell both of them, who are standing and watching me with concerned expressions.
“Here.” Corie bends down, opens the vanity drawer, and grabs a spare toothbrush and a travel-size toothpaste. “We get them from the dentist, and I hate to throw them away,” she explains.
“Thank you. I’ll be right out,” I tell them, feeling my face heat with embarrassment.
This experience was not on my bingo card for tonight.
Quickly, I brush my teeth, wash my hands, and make sure I didn’t leave a mess in the bathroom before turning out the light and making my way to the living room.
I’m met with four pairs of eyes, peering at me with concern.
Then there’s Camden, who coos and holds up a tiny piece of pizza squished in his hands.
Again, I smile because I can’t seem to help myself, regardless of how shitty I feel.
“Is that good?” I ask Camden, and he just grins, shoving more pizza into his mouth.
“How are you feeling?” Rowan asks.
“Blah,” I answer, because I don’t know how to explain it. Food poisoning isn’t supposed to last this long, right? What if there’s something else wrong with me? Before I can panic about that, my best friend sets free a panic I hadn’t considered.
“Bellamy?” I turn to face Amanda. “Is it possible that you’re pregnant?”
“What?” I ask, shock racing through my veins. “No. No, I’m not. We—nope.” I’m shaking my head because Reid is the only man I’ve been with in months, and I’m on the pill.
I’m not pregnant.
I can’t be pregnant.
“Bella, you don’t know for sure.”
“We were careful,” I say, well aware that Reid’s friends, the ones he calls his family, are witnessing our conversation.
“I have tests,” Corie speaks up. “If you want to take one.”
“What?” Sloane asks. “Why do you have tests?”
Corie shrugs. “We’re not trying, but we’re not preventing either.”
“So that means you’re trying!” Sloane moves around the table and crushes her best friend in a hug. “I’m so happy for you,” she mumbles.
“I’m not pregnant.” Corie laughs. “Not yet.” She’s smiling when her eyes find mine. “You’re welcome to use one. I have several. I just wanted to be ready if and when I ever needed one.”
“You should,” Amanda tells me. “Or we can take you to the doctor and have them check you over.”
“I’m fine,” I assure her.
“It won’t hurt to take one. Just to see,” Rowan suggests.
My heart is racing, and my hands are sweaty.
I can’t be pregnant. What will Reid say?
He’ll think I did this on purpose. He’ll think I tried to trap him, right?
Isn’t that what women do when they’re dating professional athletes?
Not that we’re dating, but—argh. As bad as I hate to admit it, I need to take that damn test.
“I’ll take it,” I say, my voice quivering.
“You got him?” Corie asks Rowan, who’s sitting next to Camden in his high chair.
“We’re good.” Rowan nods.
Corie stands and nods for me to follow her. “Do you want me to come with you?” Amanda asks.
“No. I’ll be okay,” I tell her, turning back to follow Corie to their bedroom.
“You can use my bathroom. The entire bottom drawer is tests. Knox might have gone a little crazy when he found the three I bought, and bought more.” She’s grinning as she says it.
“He loves you.”
She nods. “Do you want me to stay with you?” she asks.
“Do you mind waiting in the bedroom for me?”
“Of course.” She steps closer and wraps me in a hug. “No matter what the outcome is, it’s all going to be okay. Reid Montgomery is a good man. He’s not one to not take care of his family.”
There’s so much conviction in her words, it’s hard not to believe her. As she steps out of the bathroom and closes the door behind her, I send up a silent prayer that if this test is positive, that its daddy wants to be a part of its life, even though he’s a football player.
It’s too late to turn back now.
With shaking hands, I grab a test out of the bottom drawer and read the instructions.
“Here goes nothing,” I mutter as I take the test, place it on some toilet paper on the counter, and wash my hands.
I glance down, not expecting to see a result yet, but it’s already there.
Glaring at me like a beacon in the night.
Pregnant.
I grip the counter and bow my head. It could be a false positive. I could take another one, but that would just be wasteful of Corie’s generosity. I know the test is right. I’ve been feeling off and overly emotional for a couple of weeks now. The signs were all there. I just ignored them.
I can’t ignore them anymore.
My hands rest on my belly, and I pull in a deep breath. Single and pregnant is not the plan I had for my life, but it’s the one I’ve been given. Grabbing the test, I wrap it up in toilet paper and step out of the room. Corie sees my face and smiles widely.
“Congratulations,” she says, hugging me tightly. “He’s going to be thrilled, Bellamy.”
“He’s going to think I did this on purpose.”
Corie tosses her head back in laughter. “That’s going to be the furthest thing from his mind.
I know there’s something in your past with your dad that has you keeping him at arm’s length, but Reid is his own man.
He’s not going to blame you, and he’s not going to walk away.
If you thought he was persistent before, watch out. ” She grins.
“He is persistent,” I agree. He’s never wavered, not since the first minute I met him. He’s not my father. He’s this baby’s father, and I need to find a way to give him the chance he’s been asking for. I owe it to our baby.
“So, how are we doing this? Keeping the news to ourselves? Telling the others? Tell me what you need.”
“I don’t want to lie to them. Can they keep quiet until I can tell Reid?”
“You can trust us,” she says, linking her arm through mine and leading me back out to the living room.
“Well?” Amanda, Rowan, and Sloane ask as soon as they see us.
“I’m pregnant,” I say, choking on the words, as I hold up the wad of tissue paper and plop down on the couch. I don’t bother to check the tears as they race down my cheeks. I’m lost in my head, in my feelings, and they give me the time and the space I need to work through both.