by Rona Jameson
“I need to tell you something else, which I hope you won’t hold against me because I really need you.”
My heart sank. “Tell me.”
“Rogan is dating Tiffany.” Julia gulped and rushed on, “I didn’t want you finding out through anyone else. It’s weird because sometimes I don’t think Rogan actually likes the girl, but other times, especially when he knows I’m watching, he’s all over her.” Her brows drew together. “I’ve wondered whether it’s all for show.” She met my watery filled gaze. “A bit like you and Daniel, except Rogan is putting on a show for my benefit in the hope that word will get back to you.”
“You need to call Leon.” I nodded toward my phone clutched in her hands.
No other words came to mind. I felt numb at the thought of Rogan with another girl. Through all the time we’d been separated, I’d never thought of him being with someone else. It hurt and made me wonder if there had been more going on when I’d visited him at school. I was too sad and worn out to let his actions play on my mind like they’d always done.
Until Julia had showed up, I’d been doing well with carrying on with my life. I had a part-time job that I actually liked, I had a good friend in Daniel, and I enjoyed my classes. I didn’t want to go back to the never-ending days when I couldn’t switch off, and the nights where I’d wake in a cold sweat and panicked.
“I have my own phone.” Julia placed mine down beside her on the bed and reached for hers in her back pocket. She spent a few moments on her phone and then winced. “I texted and asked him if he could visit me here. I told him we needed to talk, and that I missed him.”
Julia’s phoned buzzed.
“What did he say?”
“He’s getting the next flight he can. He’ll let me know what flight he’s on.”
I offered her a small smile. “I told you he loved you. Don’t hurt him, Julia. Give him a chance to be there for you both.”
She smiled through her tears. “Thank you for being here, even though I don’t deserve you.”
“I’m always here for you, and I’ll help you in any way I can. I hope you know that.”
“I was so stupid and naïve about Rogan and you. I really am sorry.”
Rogan had to be a topic that never got discussed, otherwise my life was going to be hell.
Rogan
“Leon, you asshole. Why couldn’t this wait until morning!” I hissed at one of my best friends. He’d been out to San Diego to make up with his girlfriend, and it had killed me to watch him go, knowing that he’d also see Fallon. I hadn’t seen her in over sixteen months.
“It is morning.” Leon paced back and forth in the small apartment we rented between Chase and us.
The apartment was much quieter than the dorms, and the privacy was welcomed. The only drawback was having Leon waking me at three thirty in the morning. “Spit it out so I can go back to bed.”
“We’re pregnant.” He grinned. “And engaged.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Julia. She broke up with me because she thought I’d break up with her when I found out. Stupid girl. I love her like crazy. She’s mine and I’m not going anywhere, but to San Diego to be a daddy.” He grinned like a fool while my brain tried to catch up to him.
While he paced, I switched the Keurig on and brewed a dark coffee to help me wake up and be able to think properly. “You’re transferring?”
He rolled his eyes. “Is that all you got out of that? I’m going to be a dad!”
I laughed because Leon’s excitement was amazing to see. “I’m happy for you. I really am. I’m just surprised and wow. Julia’s pregnant.”
“Fallon is going to help her until I’m there permanently.”
My heart clenched at hearing Fallon’s name.
“I saw Daniel while I was there. He seems like a good guy. Only has eyes for Fallon,” he commented.
My gut clenched and jealousy hit me hard. Fallon would always be my girl and hearing that Daniel was still in the picture ate at me. Had she allowed him to be intimate with her? Leon glanced at my clenched fists and added, “Fallon never returned his look, if it helps.” He ran his hands through his hair. “You and Fallon need to talk and sort shit out because you’re my best friend and Fallon is Julia’s. We’re having a kid together and we want you both in our child’s life.”
“I walked away because it was the right thing to do.”
“You walked away because I talked you into it. It had already been on your mind, which is why you allowed me into your head. From what I saw in San Diego, and from what I witnessed between you and your stalker, is that you’re both as unhappy as the other.” Leon sighed. “The truth is, I don’t feel your relationship with Fallon is as wrong as I used to do. Maybe it’s because we’re not at home anymore. Or maybe it’s because I’ve witnessed firsthand how much you miss her. I don’t know, but you’re both as miserable as the other.”
“I can’t remember the last time we really talked.” I laughed. “Actually, I can.”
“Yeah, me too. My jaw hurt like a bitch for a month.” Leon snickered. “Yours did too, even though you denied it. I saw you rubbing it a few times.”
“I miss her, Leon,” I admitted quietly. “Stalker Tiffany has been useful in what I wanted Julia to see, but I should never have encouraged the girl. She won’t leave me alone and has it in her head that I’m into her. She knew upfront I wanted Julia to see me all over her and she was only too happy to agree. I should have realized then what a mistake I was making.”
“Right now I should be saying, I told you so, but I won’t.” He smirked. “Because I did.”
I thumped him in the arm, and changed the subject. “So, when is baby Leon due?” I groaned. “I think I’ll hope you have a daughter. One of you is enough.”
“Hey!” He shoved me. “I don’t give a shit what she has as long as Julia is okay, and the baby of course.” He guzzled the rest of my coffee. “She’s four months along.”
“How the fuck did you not notice?” I asked, surprised.
“I noticed she’d put weight on.” He rubbed his chin. “It flittered in my mind that she might be pregnant but she was convincing. She was scared, and ran. I’m still annoyed she broke up with me and left. It fucking hurt.”
“I saw.”
He watched me from the corner of his eye, so I raised a brow. “What?”
“Fallon seemed sad at times when I saw her looking at Julia’s belly. At first I wondered why, then I remembered the accident and that Fallon couldn’t have children. It must hurt.”
“Yeah,” I agreed roughly, and cleared my throat. “When are you going back?”
“I’m going to go and talk to someone over at administration later and find out how I can transfer to San Diego. Julia doesn’t want to come back here. Her parents won’t talk to her, but I’m hoping for her sake that they’ll come around.” He shook his head and ran his hands through his hair. “I’ll drive when I do go because I have too much shit to fly. We can do a road trip.” He grinned.
My heart didn’t think it could take seeing Fallon when I could no longer be with her. I just agreed. “That would be good. Chase loves road trips.”
“Don’t think I don’t know what’s going through your mind right now.” Leon smirked, which turned into a frown. “You have no plans to help me move,” he stated. “But you and Chase are my best friends, so you don’t get a choice.”
I collapsed back onto the couch and wondered when my life got so complicated.
When you fell in love with Fallon.
“Tiffany.” Leon sat forward and put my empty coffee cup onto the messy coffee table between us. “You need to come with me to get away from her.”
“I can handle Tiffany without running away.” I ran a hand through my short-cropped hair. I kept it that way now because I knew how much Fallon liked it longer. “Tiffany is—”
“Stalking you!” Leon banged his fist on the table. “Admit it, Rogan. The woman has been after you since we s
tarted freshmen year. Since the ruse for Julia to report back to Fallon—even though I told you they weren’t talking—that girl has been everywhere. Jeez, even I can’t turn round without her watching me. It’s damn creepy.”
“Maybe she is a bit over the top.” I sighed. “I’m going to try and get some more sleep.” I raised a brow. “I’ll find her tomorrow and tell her to stop.”
Leon snorted. “You won’t need to find her because she’ll find you within ten minutes of you leaving here.” A frown appeared. “You be careful with her, okay? I wasn’t joking when I said she scares me.”
“I promise to be careful.”
I grabbed my cell phone from where I’d left it charging and settled under the quilt. I opened my photo app, and there she was. My girl. My heart ached and I reached up and pressed against my chest in the hope that the pain would dissipate. The photograph album I have of the two of us hasn’t been viewed that often. I had to force myself not to look at first and then it became routine. I knew the photographs were there, so it eased the pain. But when I did look at them, the pain tore through me and I found myself in agony. Unbeknown to me, tears ran down my face as I looked through my collection. I swiped them away but couldn’t move my eyes from the smiling face looking back at me.
In the picture Fallon smiled, full of arousal. She looked sexy as fuck with the come-hither gaze. I’d just gone down on her and refused to let her come. I’d wanted her release to be wrapped around my dick. As soon as I’d taken the photograph of her, I’d thrust inside of her tight heat and given us both the release we’d craved.
My dick had throbbed into a rock hard erection with the remembered images in my head of that day. As I fastened a fist around my flesh, my ass clenched and my hips pumped into my fist. I still held my phone with the sexy image of Fallon and I remembered the way her dark hair had spread beneath her. I remembered how she had looked at me. Touched me. My legs spread as I pumped faster, harder, tighter, into my fist, the image of Fallon and the small gasps she’d made as she came fresh in my head. Her pussy had quivered and pulsed in pleasure, and I hadn’t been able to hold myself back for another moment.
I dropped my phone to my chest, arched up with my head thrown back, and I came. I panted hard and pumped my release all over my belly, chest and hand. I was a mess. Inside and out. I missed my girl like fucking crazy, and the temptation to go and get her back was so close to the surface that I thought I’d break. I couldn’t. I had to stay strong. It was for the best.
Why didn’t I believe that?
33
Fallon
“My back is killing me,” Julia moaned, as she tried to reach around and press into her lower back.
I smiled because my best friend was huge and she blamed Leon for the size of their baby. Both Leon and I worried that she was too small to give birth the natural way, but so far her OB wasn’t.
“Go and lie on your side on the bed and I’ll massage it for you.” I slipped my hand into hers and led her through to the bedroom she now shared with Leon.
Things had rapidly changed once we became friends again and Leon arrived. I moved out of the dorms and into a small two-bedroom apartment, and between Leon and me, we managed with the rent. They wouldn’t have been able to manage alone, so I’d offered. I hadn’t known at the time that they’d presumed I was moving in with them anyway, not because of the money, but because of our friendship.
“Fallon,” Julia moaned, ending my wool gathering. “It really hurts, please press on my back.”
Was Julia in labor? She wasn’t due for another three weeks, which was why Leon had quickly popped home to visit his parents, his father being too sick to travel here.
Knelt behind Julia, I pressed into her lower back where her hands had been trying to reach. The deep sigh she released told me I was working my magic.
“Oh!” Julia hissed. “Fuck, I think I might be in labor.”
Blood gushed around in my head as I panicked. I was so not ready to help her with this. “This is Leon’s fault,” I cursed. “If he hadn’t put his dick inside of you, then I wouldn’t be here freaking the heck out because my best friend is in labor and I don’t know what to do!”
“Fallon, stop and take a deep breath,” Julia hissed, and started her breathing exercises. I copied her, which surprisingly put my head back on.
“I’m calling an ambulance because there is no way I can get you to the hospital, not even in a taxi.”
Julia didn’t argue, which had me worried. She argued about everything lately. So before she had time to realize what I’d said, I grabbed my cell and called 911. Help would be arriving in five minutes. At least we only have two blocks to get to us. My next call was to Leon, whose phone immediately went to voice mail. So did all the other times I called and left him messages on the way to the hospital. He still hadn’t called me back or answered my other calls when Julia was wheeled into a delivery room.
Julia grabbed my hand and the tears that ran down her face hurt me to see. I wanted to take the pain away for my friend. “He’s flying back, remember?” she whispered. “Send him a text and tell him where I am and not to worry.” She moaned and grabbed her belly while breathing heavily. “Tell him his baby isn’t coming into this world until he gets his ass here.”
“Now, Julia Quinn, I can assure you that your baby will arrive when he or she is ready, and not because you decide it’s not time.” The labor and delivery doctor appeared with a stern look on her face. The slight tilt of her lips made me grin. She obviously found humor in Julia’s words. “I’m going to examine you to see how far along you are. Your contractions are close together, so I think things are moving quickly. I want to be certain.”
The doc turned to me. “If you’re staying, can you suit up?” She nodded off to the side where a small neat stack of blue gowns waited in plastic wrap.
The gown hung off me it was so big, but fidgeting with it gave me an excuse to avoid the examination the doctor was doing on Julia. Blood never bothered me, but the thought of seeing my best friend down there made me faint.
“She’s covered up,” the doctor said, a grin on her face.
“Thank you.” I cleared away my embarrassment and asked, “How is she doing?”
“I think she’s going to become a mom within the hour.”
My eyes widened and panic flittered in my belly.
Leon, where are you?
“Baby daddy in the picture?” she asked.
“Yes. Leon Davies. He made a quick trip home to see his dad, who is really sick. We thought there was time, with Julia, not his dad. He’s on his way back, which is why I can’t get him on the phone. He knows to come straight here when he lands.” I really hoped Leon got his messages. I’d also risked a message to Rogan telling him to get ahold of Leon, and the reason why. He hadn’t replied.
I’d slept on the sofa at Daniel’s apartment when Rogan had helped Leon move to San Diego. I was terrified of seeing Rogan, and wasn’t sure how he would react. I missed him every day, but I managed to get through the days without crying now. I hadn’t wanted to go back to the days where I felt dark clouds permanently hung over my head. So instead of facing him, I’d escaped to Daniel’s place.
From all accounts, Rogan had been resigned to me not being around, but when Julia had let slip that I’d gone to Daniel’s for a few days, he’d been hurt and upset. He’d gone off on his own for a few hours, and he’d barely spoken to anyone for the rest of the weekend.
I’d been tempted to get in touch with him and tell him there was nothing intimate between Daniel and me, but I hadn’t. Rogan had been the one to tell me to get on with my life, so I’d decided to let him stew.
“Earth to Fallon,” Julia whispered between bouts of pain.
“I’m here.” I grabbed Julia’s hand.
“I’m scared.”
“Julia, don’t think like that. Very soon you are going to be holding your beautiful baby, and everything that you’re going through now will be worth it.” I smil
ed through my tears. “Leon will get here eventually and we have to make sure he knows that you don’t hold it against him for not being here. You practically shoved him out the door to go and see his dad.”
“His dad only has a week or two at the most left. He had to go. I wanted to as well.”
“I know.” I kissed her wet cheek and let her squeeze my hand as another sharp pain tightened her body. As she relaxed, exhausted against the pillow, I added, “We can do a video of your baby and send it to Leon’s mom to show his dad.” I smiled. “He’ll get to see his grandchild. Everything works out for a reason.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Fallon, how is me being pregnant with Leon’s baby affecting you? You never talk about it with me.”
I knew exactly what she meant, but I tried to be funny. “I’ve never wanted to have Leon’s baby.”
She started to reply until another pain ripped through her body. “Idiot,” she moaned. “I meant—”
“I know what you meant.” I sighed, and swallowed hard. “It’s something I try not to think about, more so since you’ve been pregnant.” I glanced away and then held her gaze. “The only boy”—I smiled—“man that I’ve wanted to spend my life with is Rogan. I can’t see beyond him. No matter how much I’ve tried, even with Daniel, it’s always going to be Rogan. He doesn’t want me, though, so worrying about not being able to give him a child is a moot point.”
“You didn’t see his face when I let slip you were at Daniel’s place.” She shook her head. “I saw his pain, Fallon, and I don’t ever want to see either of you hurting like that again. I want you to tell him about Daniel.”
“He has Tiffany.” I glanced away again and quickly turned back to Julia when she cried out in pain, and right on cue a delivery nurse walked into the room.
Julia grabbed my wrist. “He only did what he did with Tiffany in front of me because he wanted me to tell you he’d moved on, so you would. Leon told me Rogan set it all up for my benefit. Except, the girl is stalking Rogan now. He can’t go anywhere without her showing up. Leon and Chase want him to go to the cops, but Rogan thinks she’ll eventually give up.”
