Page 38 of Trials of a One Night Stand
“So much more.” Jayne rubs her face. “And I’ve been working toward that since I passed the bar.”
“You have a great career and reputation, according to Cliff. He calls you a shark.”
She straightens. “I try to be, though right now I feel more like a lost clown fish.”
That makes me laugh.
Jayne glances at the bathroom. “I think it’s been three minutes.”
At least four, but who’s counting? She doesn’t make a move to stand.
I move closer and hold out my hand. “We’ll do it together.”
Slowly, as if she’s weighing the pros and cons of touching me, she slips her hand in mine. Her skin is soft and warm, and I give her a reassuring squeeze. She stands, and it’s all I can do not to inhale her. Even though I’ve seen her off and on all day at work and sat next to her on the car ride over here, her vanilla and floral scent makes me want to say “mine.” I feel a possessiveness I’ve never experienced before, not even with Zelda.
Weird, given we don’t even know if she’s pregnant yet.
I lead her to the bathroom, each of my steps heavier than the last. What are the chances one night could lead to a baby? If Bradley were here, he’d be able to answer the question.
The light is off in the bathroom—I nearly laugh because Jayne seems like the type not to waste energy—so I flick it on with my free hand.
She jerks to a stop. “I—”
“This is hard and not a situation you ever saw yourself being in. I’m right there with you.” And I may need to have my blood pressure taken after I finish here. “But we need to know.”
I emphasize we because this wasn’t an immaculate conception, and I’m not that big of a jerk to leave Jayne alone to deal with this. Maybe twenty years ago—hell, even seven years ago, I might’ve, but I’m not the same guy I was. I’ve changed a lot just in the last couple of years thanks to Zelda, Chloe, and my nieces.
Jayne wets her lips. “Yes, we do.”
With her head held high, she passes me and goes to the counter. I’m right behind her.
She inhales sharply. “Fuck.”
I stare at the line on the test window. Fuck is right.
We’re pregnant.
Two hours later, more than a dozen pregnancy tests sit on the bathroom counter. All of them say the same thing—pregnant. “I don’t think the answer’s going to change.”
Jayne didn’t freak out after seeing the first result. She just didn’t believe the first test, so I offered to get her another one. She asked if I’d buy a different brand. I did better than that. I bought all the brands I could find, some double packs. I also picked up a bottle of prenatal vitamins for her to take until I can talk to one of our lead scientists and figure out the best thing for her.
“Could they all be defective?” she asks, studying them like one of my company’s interns, hoping the result will suddenly change to their desired result.
“Not likely. I went to two different stores.” In the mirror, I can see tears well in her face. “But I can go to another store—”
“You’ve done enough.”
Fuck. I’m not sure if she means in the last hour or so or…
“Thank you for staying with me,” she adds, tears slipping down her face. “My worst nightmare has come true.”
Except I’m not some seventeen-year-old baby daddy, and she’s no longer in high school. But what neither of us counted on was a surprise pregnancy, and based on what little Jayne has told me about herself—emphasis on little—I get why she feels that way.
Both of our worlds have just changed forever, but she’s the one carrying our child. I need to help her even though I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.
I try to think what Max or Bradley, or even Sam, would do at a time like this.
Hug her, you bloody fool, I imagine Max saying.
