Page 12 of Need You To Choose Me

You think you’re so much better than me, Savvy? You just wait and see. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

The hateful words from the past ring in my head—the words I thought I had forgotten in the last fifteen years, but, apparently, I was wrong.

I shake my head, pushing them back into the box and lock them inside.

I was nothing—nothing—like her.

I never would be.

We stay like that until my stomach is empty, and I’m drained, physically and emotionally. Kate hands me a new towel, and I wipe at my sweaty face.

“Are you okay?” Becky asks, brushing a damp strand out of my face.

I shake my head silently.

Becky and Kate exchange a look before my best friend asks gently, “Who’s your baby’s father, Sav?”

Rough fingertips skimming my skin.

A hard body pressed into mine.

A heated look holding me hostage as that low growl sent a course of electricity running all the way to my core.

Eyes on me, Blondie.

Just remembering it sends a shudder through me. Some days, I still dreamed of him. Of the way he held me as we slept together. I knew I should have left as soon as the deed was done, but it was too tempting to stay, to get lost in his embrace and forget all of my insecurities and worries.Hewas too tempting.

“I…” My tongue darts out, sliding over my lower lip. “I don’t know.”

Becky’s brows furrow. “What do you mean, you don’t know?”

“Exactly what I said.”

I was pregnant, and I had no idea who my baby’s daddy was.

“It was a hookup. I stopped at this hotel bar after I found Mark, well…” I wave my hand, not in the mood to bring him up again, especially not considering the murderous look in my best friend’s eyes. Becky never liked my ex, and even less after I told her what happened when I went to visit him in Houston. “Anyway. This guy was sitting next to me, we started talking and one thing led to another and…”

“You didn’t catch his name?”

“I didn’t want to know his name,” I correct, letting my hand drop. The motion knocks over the test, it falls down face first, the plus sign laughing at me. “It was supposed to be one night.”

Only now, it wasn’t. Not any longer.

Why is this happening to me?

“Hey.” Rebecca’s arms wrap around me, pulling me into a hug. “It’s going to be okay. You’re not alone in this; you have us.”

“She’s right,” Kate chimes in. She joins us, her hand landing on my forearm. “We’ve gotcha. Anything you need. We’ll help you.”

“Thanks, girls. I really appreciate that.”

Becky pulls back, nibbling at her lower lip before asking tentatively, “Do you have any idea what you wanna do?”

My hand slides down to my stomach, and I swear I can feel a flutter inside my belly. Rationally, I knew it was way too soon for the baby to move, but the idea gave me comfort.

A baby.

My baby.

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