The Baby Arrangement (A Winston Brother's Novel #1)

by J. L. Beck

  Scarlett's hands pull mine away from my face as she gives me a sympathetic look. "Uh huh, sure sweetie. You keep telling yourself that and let me know how it works out for you."

  I don't respond to that statement. What's the point? Instead, I ask, "Are you going to be ready at some point tonight? At this rate, we're never going to get there."

  She raises an eyebrow as though she's challenging me, "Well, since you don't like him and aren't attracted to him, shouldn't you be excited about that possibility?"

  "You're such an ass." The girl makes me so mad, but she's one of only a few people that I can't really stay mad at. I don't let people in easily, but she slipped past every wall I put up.

  Scarlett's checking herself out in the mirror, turning from side to side to make sure the outfit looks the way she wants it to. That doesn't stop her interrogation though. Pulling her shirt down and her skirt up, her eyes meet mine in the mirror, "Seriously Pey, the world wouldn't end if you gave a guy a chance. I'm not even saying it has to be Wyatt. But, you need to put yourself out there or you're going to end up as an old, lonely cat lady. And when you have fifty cats I will not be visiting you. That's just gross. Really, by finding a man you'd be doing me a favor, because I'd hate to stop being your friend over the cats. That would suck." Flopping back onto her bed, I pull a pillow over my face and scream into it. "Oh. My. God. How did we go from I'm not attracted to Wyatt to I need to date someone or I'm going to be a cat lady. Jeez Scar, I'm only nineteen! It's not like I'll be a spinster on my next birthday. It's 2014, not 1814!"

  Ripping the pillow out of my hands, Scarlett leans over me rolling her eyes, "You're such a dork. Just give it some thought okay? I think Wyatt could be good for you."

  "Whatever. Can we please drop this subject? And would you get ready to go? I have to go home tomorrow, so I'd like to get back here kinda early tonight."

  Scarlett nods before going back to her mirror to finish her makeup. Twenty minutes later, she's finally ready to go. Annabelle is home and changed, and we're just waiting for Kat to get down here. She had a late afternoon class so she's scrambling to get ready. While we're waiting, Annabelle and Scarlett start discussing the merits of each guy that we'll be with tonight. It's all I can do not to groan; I really thought we were done with this subject.

  "Okay, so while Kat's not here, what's the deal with her and Max?" Annabelle asks and she and Scarlett both turn to look at me.

  I know my eyes are wide when I shrug, "How am I supposed to know? They act like they're dating, so I'm going with that until they said differently. Obviously, I'm not the best judge of who's in a relationship with who."

  Annabelle blows out an exasperated breath, "Peyton, she's your roommate. Have you talked to her at all?" She pins me with her narrowed eyes, and I squirm. Annabelle is normally pretty quiet, but when you get her riled up, you better watch out!

  "No, not really," I say guiltily. I haven't really put in much time this week getting to know my new roommate. I don't have the time or the inclination to get to know someone who will likely be gone at the end of the semester. I just need to deal with her until she's gone. Harsh, I know, but it's the truth. She was living with her sister until someone needed a place to stay. Surely they won't be there that long, right?

  I'm saved from having to say anything else by a knock on the door. It might just be the first time I'm glad to see my new roommate. Scarlett is quick to open the door, immediately pulling Kat into a quick hug before stepping back to study her outfit.

  "Kat!" she exclaims. "I adore that color red on you!" Scar's favorite color is red and I'm not sure if it's because of her name or not. She always dyes her hair red, although tonight she's used temporary color to add black streaks, which looks really cool. Scarlett loves to be the center of attention and is always trying to make people, especially guys, notice her while Annabelle and I are content to stay in the background.

  Giving Scarlett a shy smile Kat says, "Thanks Scarlett. I love your hair." Scarlett beams at her, and pulls her further into the room. Here we go. Scar's going to ask her a shitload of meaningless questions to "get to know her" and it'll be another hour before we get to the bar. Annabelle and I both groan, prompting Scarlett to give us both a go to hell look before turning her attention back to Kat.

  "So, Kat, how well do you know Wyatt?" Scarlett asks, giving me an innocent look when she sees my glare. Why does she have to torture me? We just agreed to drop the Wyatt discussion, and here she is picking it right back up.

  "Um," Kat starts, giving all three of us a confused look. Scarlett and Annabelle are both looking at her expectantly, and all I want to do is change the subject. Unfortunately, Kat starts to answer before I can even attempt it. "I don't really know any of the guys that well, other than them being Max's brother, friends and roommates. Why?"

  "No reason," Scarlett's quick to say, "Is he single?"

  "Yeeees." Kat draws the word out looking even more confused.

  Scarlett continues, "Awesome -" I clamp a hand over her mouth, cutting off whatever she was going to say next. At this point, even the death glare she gives me doesn't scare me.

  "Stop it!" I hiss at her.

  Scarlett's eyes widen and she nods so I remove my hand. She immediately starts speaking, "Come on Peyton. Just admit it. Admit that you like him and I swear I'll drop it!"

  Throwing my hands up in the air in exasperation I shout, "Fuck! Fine! Yes, I like him! Are you happy now?" Good Lord! At this point, I would admit to being the devil incarnate if it meant she'd stop bugging me, but I'm surprised to discover that when I yell the words, I actually mean them. Damn it.

  The fact that she was right makes Scarlett dance around the room shaking her ass while singing, "I knew it! I knew you liked him! Peyton and Wyatt -"

  "Alright, alright you got me to admit it. Jeez, please can we let this go now?" I say, interrupting her impromptu song and dance. "Can we go to the bar now? What's this place called anyway?"

  Kat, who's been watching this entire exchange with her head bouncing back and forth between Scarlett and I like a freaking ping pong ball, pipes up with, "Drench. The guys know the owner's sister."

  Turning to Scarlett, I ask, "Can we go to Drench now that you've made me spill everything?"

  "Yep," Scarlett says with a huge shit-eating grin, popping the "p" at the end of the word. Linking arms with me she pulls me out of the room, Kat and Annabelle following close behind us. I hope this whole exercise wasn't an indicator of how the rest of the night is going to go. If it is, I'd really rather stay in the dorm by myself. Since that isn't an option though, I'll just have to try to stay to myself and hope that Wyatt doesn't show. Yeah right, like that'll happen.

  Once we're out of the dorms, Scarlett links arms with Kat as well and practically drags us over to my car. The other girls keep up a running commentary on everything from this semester's classes to Kat's non-relationship with Max until we get into downtown Nashville and head for Broadway. I try to drop them all off at the door thinking I can then sneak back, but Scarlett knows me too well. When I make the suggestion, she just narrows her eyes before shaking her head vehemently. Swallowing my groan, I search out a parking spot that's close enough we'll be able to get everyone back to the car after a few drinks. Trying to get a sloppy drunk to a far away parking spot isn't fun, and I've already had to do it a few times for Scarlett and her fake ID. Surprisingly when we get inside, the guys aren't there so we find an area with enough free tables we can push together to make enough room for everyone before settling down to wait.

  We've been at this club for a little over an hour now and Kat's friends just showed up. Considering we're the girls, you would've thought we'd be the last to get here. It hasn't been so bad though. Scarlett gets along with everyone, and she's easily pulled Kat into our conversations. Even I have to admit that Kat isn't as bad as I first thought, though I'll never tell Scarlett that. She'll gloat for months.

  When the guys get to our table, Max immediately sits beside Kat stretch
ing his arm over the back of her chair. His brother sits on the other side of her, while Emmett remains standing next to the table, looking around the bar. Wyatt is the last to reach the table and he doesn't immediately sit beside me, even though that's what I was expecting him to do after our last few encounters. Instead, he tugs Kat's ponytail, grinning down at her when she whirls around to glare at him before sitting at the far end of the table, closer to Annabelle.

  He scans the room along with Emmett before finally meeting my gaze. When our eyes meet, his search mine, although for what I'm not sure. His brow furrows as he continues to study me and I squirm inwardly. He's looking at me like he can see everything I'm feeling, everything I try to keep inside, and I hate it. I hate him. I glare at him but don't say a word. He's on the other end of the table, and with the noise level in this building he'd never hear me.

  "Baby!" a feminine voice squeals, startling me enough that I'm able to break the connection with Wyatt. I turn just in time to see a slim girl with dark hair leap into Emmett's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him exuberantly. Standing beside them is a blonde with pink streaks throughout her hair. She rolls her eyes heavenward before greeting the guys and taking the last empty seat at the table.

  "Hey Wyatt," she says, her voice teasing.

  He grins back at her, "Hey SB. How's it going?"

  "Same as always, hanging out with Olivia," she says with a shrug before looking around the table. Her eyes widen slightly when her gaze sweeps over Annabelle, Scarlett and I, and she leans closer to Wyatt to say something in his ear. He tilts his head to the side, probably so that she doesn't have to stretch so far to speak to him. Even though he's listening intently to whatever she's saying to him, his eyes lock on mine.

  Feeling too exposed, I tear my eyes from his and turn to Scarlett, practically shouting in her ear, "Let's go dance."

  Pulling away, she studies me intently for a moment before nodding. Standing up, she pulls on Annabelle's arm to bring her along with us. Leading the three of us to the dance floor, they immediately join in the synchronized dance. Maybe the dance floor wasn't the best idea after all. Dancing is so not my thing. Scarlett and Annabelle don't let me stay on the edge of the dance floor though. Each grabs a hand and pulls me over to stand between them, attempting to teach me the moves as we go along. By the time I finally start to catch on, the song is over and a new dance starts. Luckily, this one is similar so I'm better able to keep up.

  The second song ends, and the three of us are laughing over my two left feet when an upbeat dance song comes on. Keeping a tight hold on my hand, Scarlett maneuvers me so that I'm between her and Annabelle so that I don't have to do very much actual dancing. They are doing the majority of the work, while I'm between them basically standing still. Closing my eyes, I give myself over to the movement and attempt to move with them. For a little while, I'm able to forget all the pressure and the expectations I'm under and just listen to the music. I haven't had this much fun in a long time.

  I'm concentrating so hard on the movements we're all making that I don't even jump when a hand lands on my hip. Thinking it's just Scarlett, I try to follow her movements until the hand on my hip brings me back into a decidedly male chest. Whirling around, I look up to see Wyatt behind me. Scarlett is off to the side dancing with Clay, and Annabelle is with them. Emmett is dancing with the girls who joined our table, and I don't see Max or Kat anywhere. Placing my hands on Wyatt's chest, I attempt to push him away, but both of his hands are on my waist and all I succeed in doing is pushing the lower half of my body against his.

  Gasping at the feeling of his erection against my stomach, I start to struggle. Wyatt looks both confused and concerned, but he releases me quickly once I really start trying to get away from him. Turning, I move through the bodies on the dance floor, which isn't easy because it's packed. Heading towards the sign that says "Restrooms", I don't look back at the dance floor. I know that I've seriously overreacted and now that I'm away from him, I feel extremely embarrassed.

  I'm almost to the bathroom when a tug on my hand pulls me around and my back is against the wall. Wyatt is standing in front of me breathing heavy and looking worried.

  "Are you okay?" The look on his face is earnest, and I can tell he really is concerned about me.

  I don't understand why he keeps turning up unwanted, and why he keeps trying to make sure I'm all right, but my exasperation comes out in my voice. "I'm fine, jeez."

  Wyatt runs a hand through his hair as he continues to study me. I'm not sure he believes me, and I try to pull my hand from his. My pulse is pounding, and the fact that he keeps coming to check on me weakens any defense I have against him. I don't want to be attracted to him, and I need to get away from him before I do something really stupid like kiss him. He must have the same thought because he tightens his grip on my hands while his gaze moves from my eyes to my mouth.

  Unconsciously, my tongue darts out to wet my lips and he squeezes his eyes shut with a groan before his head lowers and he crushes his mouth to mine. My mouth opens in a gasp allowing his tongue to sweep inside while his free hand slides around to the back of my neck, holding me in place while he kisses me in a way no one else ever has.

  I'm not sure when it happened, but he let go of my hand at some point and his hand is now gripping my waist keeping me still along with the hand at the back of my neck. He begins trailing kisses along my jaw line making me shiver. But when his teeth bite my earlobe tenderly, I come back to reality.

  What the hell am I thinking? Pushing him back, he lifts his head to level his heated stare on me. I've never had anyone look at me this way, and my breath catches in my throat.

  "Please stop," I whisper, and turn my head, closing my eyes. When I feel his hands drop from my body, I risk a look at him. He's standing a few steps back from me with a haunted look on his face.

  "Peyton," he starts, but trails off when I hold up a hand.

  I shake my head, "Don't Wyatt. Just don't." Before he can say anything else, I walk into the restroom. Closing myself in a stall, I press my fingers to my lips where I can still feel his kiss. What am I doing? A relationship with Wyatt is the last thing I want. I don't want a relationship with anyone.

  Coming out of the bathroom I'm oddly disappointed that Wyatt isn't in the hallway waiting for me. Not wanting to think too long about that, I head back to our table finding Kat, Max and Annabelle with their heads bent together discussing who knows what. Emmett has Olivia sitting on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck and their mouths fused together at the other end of the table. Dropping into the seat next to Annabelle, I try to follow along with their conversation.

  Thirty minutes later, I still have no clue what they are talking about because the only thing I can focus on is what happened in the hallway earlier. In fact, I don't even notice the woman sitting next to Kat until I hear my name. Jerking my head up, I see an older version of Kat looking at me.

  "Anna, this is my new roomie Peyton," Kat says, gesturing towards me. "Peyton, this is my older sister Anna."

  Her sister gives me a friendly smile, "Hey Peyton! Sorry about sticking my messy little sister with you, but my bestie needs a place to crash for awhile."

  "It's fine," I mutter, not knowing what else to say. I can't exactly say gee, thanks for kicking your sister out so that I have to share a room with her.

  In an attempt to show I'm not interested in having an actual conversation, I let my eyes roam around the room, freezing when I see Wyatt out on the dance floor. It isn't the fact that he's dancing so much as how he's dancing and whom he's dancing with. He's standing behind Olivia's friend, but he's so much taller than she is that he's bent over slightly to grip her hips in his large hands. If it wasn't for the unexpected jealousy I feel, I'd probably laugh. As it is though, I want to scratch her eyes out and punch him in the balls.

  Knowing I can't stay here and watch him be all over someone else after he just had his tongue down my throat twenty minutes ago, I make a lam
e excuse to Kat and Annabelle before stumbling out of my chair and heading towards the exit. I'm such a glutton for punishment though that when I pass the dance floor I can't help but take another look at them.

  Wyatt must feel my eyes on him because he looks up at me, his eyes widening when he sees the look that I know is on my face. Dropping his hands from SB's hips, he makes a move like he's going to come over to me, but stops when I shake my head vehemently at him. This time, he lets me leave. I don't know why, but the fact that he nods, holding my stare for just a beat longer before he continues dancing with her, upsets me. Ignoring the lump that's suddenly in my throat and the burning behind my eyes, I push through the steady stream of people still coming into the bar, trying to get outside before I completely lose it. I know better than to let a guy affect me.

  Leaning back against the wall outside the bar, I shoot Scarlett a quick text letting her know I left before finally leaving downtown for the comfort of my currently empty dorm room. I still need to prepare myself for my trip home in the morning, something I'm absolutely dreading.

  Family dinner. I still don't understand why we do this every month. Family dinner is just an opportunity to "tell Peyton everything she's doing wrong and what she should be doing instead." By now, you'd think they would realize that I'm not Patrick or Patricia. My brother and sister are 16 and 14 years older than me and both are perfect. I'm the screw up, and the never-does-anything-right child. The child that shouldn't have been, and as punishment they are harder on me than on either of my siblings. You'd think from the way they act that Commercial Music is synonymous with Satan worship, even though it's something that has always fascinated me.

  Patrick is the oldest. He's 35, married for the second time and has two kids with his crazy ex-wife. For real, she's insane. They split after Connie caught him with his dick down his secretary's throat...for the fourth time. Not the fourth secretary, just the fourth time with that secretary. Now, he's married to Alyssa, the aforementioned secretary. Then, there are his children. Patrick Jr. Is 9, and Penny is 5. They bounce back and forth between my brother and his ex and each parent badmouths the other. It's a fun situation all around.