by Nia Arthurs
Amina pops a flaky piece of cupcake into her mouth and sighs. “I’m so jealous.”
“Of me?” I ask.
“Spur-of-the-moment make-ups are hot.” She stares dreamily out the window.
“You should know, right?” Venus nudges Amina in the side. “She and Matt are always fighting and making up. It’s like they’re turn on.”
“Sh. That’s a secret.”
I laugh.
“Besides,” Amina huffs, “we’re getting along so well lately. It’s not the same.”
“Boo-hoo. You and your boyfriend are learning to compromise like mature adults. You must be so ashamed.”
Kayla gives me a motherly look. “Was it spur of the moment for you, Ina?”
I shrug. “Sort of.”
“Did you use protection?”
“Um…”
Amina and Venus stare at me, leaning forward to hear my answer.
I mentally skim through last week’s events.
Heading to the store.
Getting jealous at those girls eyeing Lucas like a stick of meat.
Lucas dragging me into the stairwell.
Tearing off my clothes.
Feeling him come up behind me.
My body thrusting into the wall.
I wince. “No.”
“No?” Venus’s eyes bug. “What do you mean ‘no’?”
“I didn’t—it wasn’t planned. We didn’t have time.”
The matchmakers share I can’t believe this looks.
Venus bursts out laughing. “No way. You’re pulling my leg, right?”
I’m not. “We got caught up in the moment.”
“That’s fine. You’re a nurse. I’m sure you took the right precautions when you got home.”
I didn’t.
Not one.
Amina touches my hand. “Ina, when’s your period?”
“Before that? Is Lucas safe?” Kayla asks, eyes wide. “Because you never know these days.”
“Yes.” He hasn’t been with anyone seriously since Kate died.
“You should still check.”
I nod.
“Period?” Venus taps her fingers on the table.
“I’ve got an app.” I hesitate to pull it out.
“Well!”
My fingers tremble.
I haul out my phone and scroll to the calendar. All the while, I scold myself for being so darn careless. Prevention is better than cure. And taking precautions is better than scrambling later.
I know that.
My inexperience got the best of me.
Still, that’s no excuse.
We were too eager.
Too intense.
There’s no way I would have remembered or even wanted to stop.
But how could we have forgotten…?
The calendar blows up on screen.
The glaring red numbers scream at me.
My grip loosens.
The phone clatters to the table.
I can’t breathe.
“Let me see.” Venus grabs the cell phone. Watches the screen. Curses.
“What does it say?”
Amina pushes her head closer to Kayla’s to check.
Frowns creep onto their pretty faces.
They all look at me with sober eyes.
Amina is the first to speak up. “It’s fine. I’m late all the time.”
“Yeah, these apps aren’t worth crap.” Venus scrunches her nose.
I moan pitifully. “It’s ninety-nine percent accurate.”
“So? The body isn’t some machine. There could be lots of reasons you’re late.”
Kayla smiles encouragingly. “Venus is right. Don’t freak out yet. Give it a few days. You might get your period later.”
I nod.
Inside, I’m trying not to hyperventilate.
I’m never late.
I really hope…
I can’t be…
There’s no way I’m… pregnant, right?
Thirty-Eight
Lucas
“Unbreak my heaaart. Say you love me agaaain!”
I cringe as Matt butchers the soulful tune. It’s sad, really. The big guy is putting his all into it.
Brendon drunkenly waves along to the beat.
At least Matt has one fan.
Teale, a tech millionaire and Brendon’s best man, is laughing his head off, clearly drunk out of his mind.
I meet Troy’s eyes. Should we make a run for it?
He tips his beer up. We’re stuck, bro.
I shake my head.
It’s an honor to be invited to Brendon’s… ‘wild’ bachelor party—which has been rather low-key.
We went to a bar, played some pool and now we’re here, enduring auditory assault via the carpenter holding the mike.
It’s not a typical party. I’m not saying I prefer strippers. They’re not my style. But anything is better than Matt with a microphone hooked up to speakers.
I gesture to the exit. “Bathroom.”
Teale nods.
Troy stares imploringly. Take me with you.
Just then, Brendon hooks his arm around Troy’s shoulders and slurs, “Let’s do some K-pop.”
“K-pop?” Troy pales.
“Yep.”
“But I don’t speak Korean!”
I scoot out of the plush leather booth that’s shaped like a giant U and escape through the door.
Freedom.
The silence is refreshing.
I lean against the wall near the private karaoke room and pull out my phone. Scrolling to Ina’s number, I stare at our last few messages.
ME: Babe, I’m heading to Brendon’s bachelor party.
INA: Have fun.
ME: I miss you.
INA: Miss you too.
ME: Are you free? I want to take you out tomorrow.
INA: Sorry. I can’t. I’m working.
It’s been the same excuse for the past three days.
I get that she’s busy taking care of Mrs. G and dealing with her responsibilities at work, but I haven’t seen her face since the night we got back together.
At first, I tried to be understanding.
But now I’ve run out of patience.
Ina is avoiding me.
Plain and simple.
It’s strange.
And a little alarming.
That day was incredible, for both of us. I had her screaming so loudly I thought my neighbors would call the cops.
I made sure to observe her every expression. She didn’t slip into her memories at all. But did I miss something? Did she have a flashback afterwards?
It’s the only explanation that makes sense.
I could still be wrong though.
Damn.
I hate that she’s not talking to me.
I can’t help her unless she tells me what she needs.
The door opens.
Matt pokes his head out. “You alright, man?”
I nod and head back in.
A phone chirp wakes me up.
I groan and try to lift my head, but I can’t. There’s a giant, hairy foot on top of it.
Pushing the limb off, I wince against the sunlight.
My head feels like it’s about to split in half.
What the hell?
I slide off the leathery sofa.
My eyes fall on the other four guys that looked like they fell asleep wherever they were standing.
The phone keeps buzzing.
It disturbs Brendon who’s lying halfway off a beanbag, a bottle of champagne balanced on his chest.
Teale whips up, half his face covered in whipped cream.
“Is it mine?” Troy mumbles, scratching his behind.
The buzzing gets louder.
I feel something vibrating in my socks and bend down.
The hell?
How did my phone get here?
A loud gasp ricochets through the room.
Matt jerks up. “It’s mine?”
/> “My fiancée’s calling, bro!” Brendon scrambles to sit up and falls flat on his face.
Teale turns around and around. “Dude, why are there lipstick stains on my shirt? My wife is gonna kill me.”
Troy bawls out. “Has anyone seen my phone?”
I free my cell where it’s trapped between my ankle and my sock.
Ina’s face fills my screen.
My heart skittering, I head through the marble hallways, staring at the paintings on the wall.
When did we move to this penthouse suite?
What the hell did we do after we left the karaoke room?
I clear my throat a few times and then answer. “Hello?”
“Hello?” Her voice is firm. “Is that really all you have to say to me?”
I wince. “I love you?”
“Try again.”
“Ina…” I rub my nose.
“You want to explain what happened last night?”
“I…” My mind draws a blank.
Damn.
It’s been a while since I drank so hard I blacked out.
I blame Matt.
His terrible singing pushed me to self-medicate.
“Guys?” Brendon calls from the living room. “You need to come see this.”
I stay on the phone with Ina.
“It sounds like you’re needed,” she says.
“Don’t hang up.”
“Why?”
“It’s been a while since I’ve heard your voice.”
“It hasn’t been that long,” she says knowingly.
I round the bend and stop short when I see a projector screen with an image on it.
Brendon’s eyes meet mine. “Okay. Lucas is here. I think that’s everyone.” He nods at Troy who presses play on a laptop.
The still image blinks to life.
Through the projector’s tinny speakers, the sound of pop music fills the air.
Brendon and Kayla show up on screen. They’re dancing sensually beneath a lowered disco light.
The camera pans to Teale and his beautiful dark-skinned wife Zania, making out in a couch.
Troy and Venus are next. Venus is in a daring bikini, splashing Troy with water in a bubbling Jacuzzi.
“I wondered why I was shirtless!” Troy yells, a hand to his naked chest.
My jaw drops when I see my face on the screen next. Every inch of my cheeks to my chin is smeared with barbeque sauce.
The guys laugh loudly.
In the video, Ina’s next to me, patting my cheek with a cloth as I sob on her shoulder. “I just love you so much.”
“I know, baby,” she says in exasperation.
“Wonder Woman? I mean, who the hell does she think she is?”
“Alright, honey.”
“I love you. I love you.”
The camera pans away to Amina and Matt, caught in an embarrassing state of undress.
I turn away from the projector and hiss into the phone. “You were here last night?”
“Brendon drunk-dialed Kayla so we swung by.”
“That sucks.”
“Why?”
“The first time I saw you in a week and I was drunk.”
“I’m free this morning.”
“Really? You don’t have to work?”
“Nope.” I can hear the smile in her voice. “Let’s do brunch.”
“It’s a date.”
I turn back to the guys who are still scratching their heads trying to figure out last night. “Fellas, I’ve got to run.”
Troy squeezes my shoulder. “It was fun.”
“Thanks for coming, Luc.” Brendon nods. “This was a… great party.”
“It was.”
I offer a sweeping wave to the guys and jog out of the lavish hotel room to get ready for a hot date with my favorite girl.
Thirty-Nine
Ina
I wait for Lucas on the front stoop of my house. As soon as I see his car, I race toward him, my skirt fluttering around me.
Lucas climbs out and spreads his arms.
I leap into them, pressing adoring kisses on his cheek.
“Mm,” he murmurs. “Did I do something good last night?”
“Maybe.”
He looks down at me.
His brown eyes burn with affection.
Gosh, how I love this man.
It’s impossible to imagine my life without him.
“Guess what day it is?”
He crinkles his nose. “I didn’t forget our three month anniversary, did I?”
“Nope.”
He scratches his head. “Grant Gustin’s birthday?”
“No.”
“I’m lost.”
“My period!” I cry, overjoyed.
“Okay…”
“I got my period yesterday.”
“Congrats?”
“That day we made up,” I bite down on my bottom lip, “we forgot to…”
He groans, catching on quick. “Use protection.” Lucas curses under his breath. “Ina, I—”
“It’s fine.”
His expression tightens. “Were you worried about that all this time?”
“Wouldn’t you be?”
He gets quiet.
I keep talking. “I was just late. It’s rare for me, but I guess it happens.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I wasn’t sure.”
His jaw hardens and he glances away.
I slide my hand up his chest. “Are you angry?”
“I’m not. I’m just… frustrated.”
“Why? This is a good thing. We’re not… I mean… did you want to have kids right now?”
“That’s not the point, Ina. You had this huge worry and you didn’t share it with me. What do you think I’m here for?”
“I just…” I pull back, flustered.
I hadn’t expected him to be upset.
He lets out a deep breath. Softens his voice. “Of course I want to have kids with you.”
My heart melts. “You do?”
“But having children won’t fix our problems. If you’re not telling me what’s bothering you, I can’t help. I can’t even be there.”
My eyes fall to the grass.
He tips my chin up. “I’m here.”
“I know you are.”
“Then why didn’t you call me instead of ghosting me for a week?”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m—it’s my fault.” He wraps me in his arms.
His body is warm.
He smells like Lucas.
Like safety.
Like love.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” I speak into his shirt. “I didn’t know what to say to you and I knew if I saw you, the truth would come gushing out.”
“You don’t have to be afraid of that.”
“I’ll remember that next time.”
“Next time?” He pulls back, a smirk on his lips. “Let’s try to keep our pregnancy scares to one.”
“I thought you wanted to have kids with me?”
“Later.” He drops a kiss on my forehead. “Right now I just want to enjoy being with you.”
“Me too.”
He holds my hand. Glances up. “Is Mrs. G home?”
“Yeah. She’s probably spying on us from behind the curtain.”
His lips arch up. “Think she wants to come to brunch?”
“Of course, but,” I hesitate, “are you okay with that?”
“I’m okay with whatever makes you happy.”
I kiss him again for being sweet.
Lucas pats my butt. “Go. Tell her to get ready.”
I turn around.
Before I can take a step, the front door bursts open.
Mrs. G stands there, waving at us. “I’ll be out in five minutes!”
I glance at Lucas with a smirk.
He shakes his head. “I see where Venus gets it from.”
I wrap my arms around him and lean agai
nst his chest. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He squeezes me tight.
This.
Right here.
It’s exactly where I want to be.
Lucas rubs my back.
A gentle wind blows my skirt and teases my short hair over my cheek.
I breathe in and let it out, soaking in the peace thrumming through my veins and buzzing in my head.
I found happiness first.
Then my true love found me.
And now I’m happy as can be.
Forty
Lucas
I stroll through Troy’s latest award-winning exhibit. Despite the stunning paintings, my gaze keeps stealing back to the work of art on my arm.
Ina’s wearing a stunning green dress that hugs her figure so well that I know I’ll be tearing that off her before the night is over.
“What?” she asks, her red lips glistening in the light.
“Nothing.” I let my gaze wander her body again. The dress flows like silk to the ground. Silver earrings dangle from her ears. She pulled a few strands of her twists to the front while the rest is pinned up away from her stunning face.
“You okay?” I whisper, stealing a chance to let my lips brush against her ear.
She leans over to say, “I’m wondering if I should have invited Nellie.”
I glance behind me.
Jonas is standing behind Nellie, glaring at the young punk in a suit who’s flirting with her. She’s giggling, seeming to enjoy the attention, but I can tell Jonas is seconds away from throwing a punch.
“Should we step in?” I wonder.
“Nah. Let them figure it out.”
I place my hand on the small of her back. “You think he’ll ever tell her?”
“You think she’ll ever admit she doesn’t hate him as much as she says?”
We look at each other.
Shake our heads.
“Nah.”
I smile, glancing ahead.
A familiar figure steps through the crowd and stops in front of us.
Ina smiles in welcome. “Greg?”
I nod at the muscled guy.
He dips his chin at me and then focuses on Ina. “Hey.”
“Hey.” She gives him a hug.
She can do that now.
Not that I’m always happy to see it.
Especially when the receiver of the embrace is a guy she had a ‘thing’ with.
Although Ina swears it wasn’t a ‘thing’.