She swallowed hard, her hands shaking. “I can’t be pregnant. I mean, my periods have always been horrendously irregular because of genetics and the fact that I was a dancer for so long. And that’s just what happens to us. So I didn’t even think about the fact that I haven’t had them. But, it doesn’t make any sense. This can’t be happening.”
And as the doctor kept speaking, telling her about prenatal vitamins and the appointment she could make with the OB/GYN and the options she had, she kept all of that in the back of her mind as all she could focus on was the fact that, somehow, she and Fox had created a baby.
She would have to tell him.
And she really had no idea what she was going to do.
She had known that whiskey-induced night would change things; she just hadn’t realized how much. Until now.
She was screwed.
Chapter 11
Fox leaned against the office wall in the back of Dare’s bar, juggling three lemons. Dare hated when he did this, but Fox needed to think. He had another story brewing in the back of his mind, even as he worked on a hundred other things having to do with the paper. Plus, by the success of his first article with Ms. Pearl, he knew he needed to do at least one more. It was all up to what she wanted to do, rather than what he needed to do.
Unlike some reporters, he knew that Ms. Pearl was the most important part of the story, and that meant if she didn’t want to do a follow-up, he wouldn’t. And though she had wanted him to come over tonight to talk more and see where the story would go, nothing was set in stone.
She never wanted to be part of the big papers and the heartbreaking news so often found in them, and that had never been part of his life. He liked what he did, and he didn’t know if he liked the fact that so many people were contacting him now that they’d gotten to know the woman who knew the famous people back in the day. He knew his town would keep Ms. Pearl safe, and he wasn’t really worried about that, but it still felt weird to have so many more eyes on his work than usual.
He really was weird, even for a writer.
And because his phone wouldn’t stop ringing at work, he had tasked his assistant with dealing with all of that, and the rest of his employees were either off working on their own stories or doing research, so he was sitting in his brother’s office, avoiding work rather than even helping out at the bar. It wasn’t yet dinnertime, so it wasn’t as if Fox’s help was needed, but he really was just avoiding everything.
“I really wish you would stop stealing the produce,” Dare said as he walked back into his office, yet another folder of paperwork in his hand. Fox thought he had to deal with enough paperwork with his own job, but both of his brothers had even more than he did most days. How all three ended up owning their own businesses, he had no idea. It wasn’t what his brothers had grown up thinking they would do. But, here they were. And if he were honest with himself, their sister had even more paperwork than the rest of them combined. She practically ran a huge business out in Colorado with her husband and his family.
“I’d make a joke about life giving me lemons or something, but I really don’t know where I would go with that.”
“Please don’t make a joke. I have a headache since both of my waitresses are working their assess off, and yet we’re getting too busy for just the two of them. We’re probably going to have to hire a third waitress or pull someone over from the restaurant side and make everybody stressed out. I think I can get Kenzie to work tonight along with me, but she’s already been working all day at the inn, and now I’m just going to have a bigger headache, and my girl is going to be exhausted.”
“I have a meeting with Ms. Pearl later, but after that, I can probably come in and help. I would cancel on her, but no one really cancels on Ms. Pearl.”
“Duly noted, and I thank you in advance. And yeah, do not cancel on Ms. Pearl. And I didn’t tell you this before, but great job on that article. Really good stuff.” Dare’s head was down as he searched through paperwork but Fox knew that his brother was sincere.
It had been a really good story, after all.
“I talked with Tabby earlier, and she said that she’s probably going to call later tonight. You might want to text her and tell her you’ll talk to her tomorrow if you’ll be in the bar all night working since we’re short-staffed. I like that she’s been calling more often since the wedding and now news of the baby, but I also hate the fact that it just reminds me that our baby sister is so far away. Now, she’s going to be a mom herself, and the baby will be a Montgomery, and all those Montgomerys just keep breeding so she will end up with like eighteen children by the time we get to see her again.”
Dare looked over his shoulder and smiled. “I don’t really think that’s how the whole pregnancy thing works. But it’s been a long time since Nate was born so I could be wrong.”
Fox laughed and stopped juggling since he could see it was getting on Dare’s nerves. He might be the little brother, but he’d long since given up the notion that his sole role in life was to annoy his two older siblings. Most of the time anyway.
“You and Kenzie thinking about having babies of your own soon? Or if that’s not a question I should ask right now, you can just look away and go back to your paperwork.”
Dare turned and leaned against his desk, folding his arms over his chest. “We’re trying. I don’t know if I was supposed to tell you that or not, but our family apparently tells each other everything these days, so…yeah. We’re trying. Kenzie’s afraid that she’s getting too old to start thinking about having babies, even though she’s not even thirty yet and it’s not like she’s in that window. But we kind of want to give Nate more than one younger sibling, so that means we have to start trying earlier rather than later. And, yeah, we’re not married yet, but we like to do things backwards. It’s just how we are. But she’s my life. She is going to be it for me. So that means I get to start trying to make a baby with the person I love most in the world, I count that as a win. By the way, the whole marriage thing? I’m working on it. We both said we wanted to wait until we at least hit six months together, but I don’t know if we’ll wait that long. Knowing Kenzie, she’ll be the one to propose to me.”
Fox smiled widely, thinking about Kenzie going down on one knee for Dare and then the two raising even more kids. “The idea of you and Kenzie having kids is possibly the best thing I’ve heard all day. Thank God Kenzie is hot because Nate is a cute kid, but it all comes from his mom. Not your ugly mug.”
“You’re lucky we’re at work, or I’d kick your ass right now.” Dare shook his head, glaring at his papers. “And, once again, I don’t get why you’re here instead of in your office.”
“I think better in yours.”
“That makes no sense. My office is tiny and cramped and smells like fried food and beer, even though Kenzie and I have repeatedly tried to change that. And your office has actual windows that air out the place as much as you want. Plus, you never have family members frolicking inside because they like your office better.”
Fox set the lemons down on Dare’s desk and glared. “I did not, nor have I ever, frolicked.”
“I’m just calling it like I see it.” Dare’s eyes filled with laughter, but Fox didn’t reach out and punch his brother like he wanted to. Somehow, Kenzie or even their parents would show up just at that moment and scold them, and he’d been in trouble. He supposed the two of them—no, three since Loch was just as bad as they were—needed to grow up at some point.
“You’re cruel. And on that note, I need to head to Ms. Pearl’s. I’ll be back later though to help behind the bar.”
Dare nodded, his attention on his books again. “Thanks. I know you don’t have to help, but I appreciate it.”
Fox squeezed his brother’s shoulder on the way out the door. “You let me use your office and bar to work when I need space to think and write, and if I were the one who owned this place, you’d help out the moment I needed it—and probably before since you’d realize I neede
d the help. We’re family. It’s what we do.”
And on that note, Fox headed out before they got too into their feelings, and he ended up making Dare uncomfortable. His brother was getting better since he’d gotten with Kenzie, but there were still some things Dare didn’t like to talk about. Loch was even worse, and it made Fox realize why he and Tabby were so close—because Fox actually told people what he was feeling. Maybe it was the writer in him, maybe it was because he and his sister were closest in age and she never let him get away with anything. But he at least tried to be transparent.
At least until it came to Melody.
Because hell if he knew what he was doing there.
And now that he was headed to Ms. Pearl’s, he knew there was a high probability that he’d see Melody at the house. He knew Kenzie and Ainsley had been planning to stop by her studio since he’d asked them if they’d met her yet. He’d ignored their all-too-knowing looks because he’d known that Melody would need more friends than just him in this town if their hormones didn’t calm down soon. However, he had no idea if the two had actually made it to the studio or what had happened. He figured if he saw Melody, he’d find out tonight, or maybe he’d text her. And if he were too chicken to do that, he’d just ask Kenzie and Ainsley.
Melody affected him to the point where he kept second-guessing all his decisions, and he didn’t know what that meant other than he was pretty sure he wanted to see her again—and not just as friends. But they’d agreed to be just friends, so now he had no idea what he was doing. Yes, they’d kissed when they shouldn’t have, but they’d reaffirmed to each other that they needed to remain friends in order to stay steady. Or whatever that meant.
Tonight, though, was about work, and he’d just have to suck it up and stop thinking about Melody naked—or in his life in any way but as friends.
Totally easier said than done since he couldn’t get the thought of Melody and her rosy nipples out of his mind.
“And that’s enough of that,” he growled as he got into his car and drove toward Ms. Pearl’s place. It had been raining on and off all day, so he’d driven instead of walked so he wouldn’t get his work wet. He’d need to head into the gym soon too since he hadn’t been walking the town as much as usual. Of course, as soon he thought about the gym, he thought about Melody and her body pressed close to his.
He needed to get her out of his system, or he would end up insane.
Grumbling, he parked in front of the house and made his way up to the front door. It was just starting to drizzle again, so he was glad that when he knocked, someone answered right away. Melody stood on the other side, her face pale and her body wrapped in a blanket.
Fox immediately let himself inside and cupped her face. “What’s wrong? Are you okay? You should be sitting down, not answering the door.”
She shrugged, pulling away from him. “Just a weird day,” she said, her eyes not meeting his. “And someone had to answer the door, or you’d be standing on the porch in the rain the whole time. Grandma is sleeping upstairs. She had a headache.” She paused. “Were you supposed to meet her tonight? I didn’t know, or I’d have texted you. I’m sorry you came all the way out here for nothing.”
Worried, he tugged on her hand and led her into the living room. “Sit. And don’t worry about not texting me. If your grandma has a headache, of course she should be napping. I’m just sorry neither of you is feeling well.”
She tilted her head, studying him. “I’m not feeling well?”
“You’re wrapped in a blanket and pale. I assumed. Now sit down because you’re worrying me.” He pressed down on her shoulders, and she sank onto the couch. The fact that she did it so easily worried him.
“I’m fine.” But as she said it, she rested her head on the back of the couch and closed her eyes. “Really. I’ll be fine.”
He knelt down in front of her, taking her hand. “If your grandma has a headache and is upstairs, who is taking care of you?”
“I don’t need to be taken care of.” She opened her eyes, giving him a small smile that almost reached her eyes. “I’m just a little tired. Long day, you know.” She searched his face, and he tilted his head, studying hers in turn. “You didn’t talk to the girls, then?”
He blinked. “The girls?” He felt as if he were missing something; two steps behind. But when it came to Melody, he usually felt like that.
She cleared her throat, looking distinctly uncomfortable. “Ainsley and Kenzie stopped by the studio today. They were nice.” She paused. “I remember them from that night.” Her cheeks finally held a little bit of color, and he relaxed somewhat.
“I didn’t know they’d stopped by, but they did mention that they wanted to. Kenzie is pretty new to town, as well, so they wanted to make sure you had a support system if you needed one.”
“They were nice. They seemed nice that night, too. Though I guess we didn’t really get to talk with them, did we?” She cleared her throat again, her gaze darting from his, and he couldn’t help but lean forward and trace his thumb along her jaw. He didn’t know what it was about her, but he couldn’t keep his hands off of her. And if it weren’t for the fact that her fingers were slowly tracing his other arm at that exact moment, he might’ve felt a little bad about it. They were not doing this friendship thing the way they probably should, but it wasn’t as if he knew what he was doing.
He’d never tried to be friends with a woman after he slept with her. That made him sound like an asshole. His relationships just hadn’t ended up where he and his partner could be friends. Every single one had either not been serious enough, or they had drifted apart to the point where he was no longer in their lives. Melody seemed to be the exception, and he wasn’t quite sure what that meant.
And because he wasn’t sure, he knew that what he was about to do was beyond stupid.
Her face had colored again, and she no longer looked like she had when he first walked into the house. She licked her lips, and his gaze couldn’t help but drift down at the motion, her tongue peeking out once again. His thumb grazed her chin again, and he slowly slid his hand around to the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair.
The tips of her fingers kept playing with his other forearm, and he let out a shaky breath before he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. He knew this was a mistake. They were supposed to be friends. Only friends. Friends where they both knew the need was too much, too intoxicating.
And, hell, he’d just told her that he wanted her to sit down because she looked pale?
He was such a damn lecher.
Fox pulled away and rested his forehead on hers, knowing that if he looked into her eyes now and saw disgust or shame, he would never forgive himself. He hadn’t meant to kiss her. Hell, he had only meant to come to this house to work and perhaps try and keep his friendship with Melody healthy. Instead, all he had done was worry, and now kiss her when he knew he shouldn’t.
Melody did something to him, but there was no blame on her shoulders, there never could be.
He was the one who needed to find his control, because she had said she was too overwhelmed to think about a relationship, and their being together one night didn’t constitute a commitment beyond that single moment. And that was something he would just have to remember.
He was just about to pull away when something wet touched his thumb. He pulled back, shocked. Tears streaked down her face, and his stomach rolled. What had he done?
“Melody? What’s wrong? Oh, God, did I hurt you? I shouldn’t have kissed you like that. It was wrong of me, and I told myself it was a mistake, but I couldn’t stop from kissing you just then. I’m so sorry that I hurt you. I can leave right now if you need me to. Leave and never come back. I promise. Just please don’t cry.”
Melody mumbled something under her breath, but he didn’t quite catch it. He didn’t reach out and wipe her tears away, and he did his best not to touch her at all. He’d kissed her, and now she cried. He was a damn fool and deserved whatever
lashing she gave him.”
“Talk to me. Or don’t. If you want me to leave, I can do that, too. I just don’t want to leave you like this, Melody. Not if I can help it.”
“I’m pregnant.”
He blinked, not quite understanding what she had just said. But even though he couldn’t comprehend the words, his mouth went dry, and his body went as still as a statue.
“What?”
Melody looked at him for a moment then lowered her head, her gaze on her hands. And then she pretty much broke down.
“I’m pregnant. Oh, God. I hate whiskey. Whiskey is evil. Whiskey and everything named whiskey. Why did this happen? How could this happen? Whiskey is the devil, and so are the brothers who own a damn whiskey bar.” She looked up then, her eyes wide with panic he had never seen before. “Oh my God, my baby is going to be named Whiskey. It’s all on the damn whiskey. All the blame.”
He patted her hand as if he thought that might comfort her as he tried to get his thoughts in order. She was pregnant? As in, a baby coming in nine months or he guessed less than that since she kept talking about whiskey. He swallowed hard and found that his mouth was too dry for even that to work, and so he just sat there, blinking.
“That was a lot of whiskey.” Okay, he probably could’ve said something a little more helpful, but even as a writer, he was at a loss for words.
“I know it was partly the whiskey,” Melody said quickly. “That’s why we’re in this situation.”
“We. You mean we. As in you and me. As in that one night a little over three months ago when we had all that whiskey? We also made a baby? But we used a condom. Lots of condoms. Birth control. We were safe. We were really, really safe. I mean, we were drunk, but we were safe. But you’re saying that you’re pregnant, and now the whole you being pale and looking shell-shocked thing makes sense. Because you wouldn’t have just blurted it out like that or look like you’re ready to vomit if you weren’t pregnant. Oh, God, I think I need to sit down.”
Whiskey Reveals (Whiskey and Lies Book 2) Page 9
