Page 36 of Ruin The Friendship
“How are you?” Zoey asks as she adjusts her black-rimmed glasses. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.”
“I know, it’s been a weird few weeks.” I laugh, and my eyes burn with tears—stupid hormones.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Grace coos, resting her hand on my shoulder.
I take a deep breath, glancing over to Stan and Mabel, who are lost in their own world. Warm-ups haven’t even started yet, and I’m already losing it. It’s going to be a long afternoon.
“I’m pregnant.”
“Holy shit,” Zoey blurts, slapping a hand over her mouth.
“What?” Grace gasps, squeezing my arm.
I panic, not knowing what to say, so I shove a handful of buttery popcorn into my mouth. The flavor bursts on my tongue, helping with some of the emotion flooding through my body.
“You’re pregnant?” Zoey questions. “Who’s the father?”
Grace’s eyes widen. “Is it Fletcher?”
“Oh my god!”
The only downside to all the popcorn in my mouth is that I can’t deny them and tell them he’s not the father.
“I knew it,” Grace shrieks. “I knew you two were together.”
I shake my head aggressively, muttering through my mouthful, “No, no!” I really didn’t think that through. I swallow the popcorn, choking on a hull. “Fletcher isn’t the father.”
Grace’s face falls. “Dang. Who is, if it’s not him?”
I groan. “His name is Jude, and he’s decided not to be involved. We went on a few dates, slept together once, and I’m still not quite sure how it happened, but here we are.”
“And you’re keeping it?” Zoey asks.
“I am.”
“We are here to support you in any way that we can.” Grace runs her hand over my arm.
“Thanks.” I sniffle as a tear streaks down my cheek. “I’m scared, but this is what I want.”
“You’re going to be an amazing mom,” Zoey says.
Oh, great, more tears.
“Stop it. I need to quit crying.”
They hug me, and I soak in the comfort.
“What does Fletcher have to say?” Grace asks.
I look over to the ice, where the players are running through their warm-ups. A memory of Fletcher shirtless, leaning over the kitchen sink to help me with my hair, flashes in my mind, and those traitorous goose bumps prickle my skin again.
“We haven’t really had much time to talk about it, but he knows and is going to be there for me. I tried to tell him I’ll move out, but he said no.”
“Wait, when are you due?” Zoey questions as we stand to head to the seats to watch warm-ups.
“May twenty-seventh,” I mutter under my breath, my cheeks heating. “They told us the due date during the ultrasound in the ER, but they want the OB to confirm it at my first appointment.”
“Oh, shit,” Grace murmurs.
