Page 35 of Love, Luck & Clusterf*ck

“Hand me another one. I’ll do it right this time.”

I had to get ready for work very soon, but what if it was positive? I couldn’t exactly just leave her all day alone. I couldn’t call in when it was only my second week either.

I scanned the back of the other two boxes again. Stupid, stupid me. My mind was just not functioning right. Neither of these testshad time limits. Why did I have to go with the fucking pretty one?

I pulled them both out of the packages. “Okay, here’s the deal. Pee on both of these at once. There’s no time required, so just go nuts and finish it all off. Another three minutes and we’ll know.”

I waited for her to ask why I didn’t just give her one of those to begin with, but she just nodded and took them from me. She looked about ready to fall over, and I was no better. My eyeballs were starting to pound.

She peed, I set the timer, and then we waited again. I think I must’ve fallen asleep in that time because the shrill beep made me want to stomp my phone into pieces.

I didn’t ask what she wanted this time. I just looked down at the two sticks sitting on the sink counter.Holy shit. The minus sign was clear as could be on the one. The other had a single faint line that grew darker by the second.Holy mother of God, thank you, Jesus, holy motherfucking shit.After all that… but it was worth it for the end result.

“You’re not pregnant.”

She took one look at me and cracked open the bottle, chugging down a hearty swig. Then she passed out.

I wasn’t sure how I’d managed it, but after I put Christa to bed, I showered and made it into work on time. All I could do was take it second by second and hope I didn’t mess up any multimillion-dollar systems since my brain was a worthless lump.

Kate wasn’t in yet, so I took those few extra minutes to plop down on my chair and rest my head back in silence before the busyness started. I gave myself a pep talk. I could do this. In less than ten hoursI’d be comatose on my pillow, frolicking happily in la-la land.

“Wow, rough one, huh?” Adam’s face was suddenly inches from mine. “Not that you could ever look like shit, but if you could, it’d be today.”

“Thanks.”

“I can’t understand why you like those girlie drinks so much. The hangovers are brutal.”

“I’m not hungover. I just didn’t sleep yet.”

It wasn’t as if I hadn’t pulled an all-nighter before. I had, and plenty of them. But this one had been different. It’d been mentally draining, and I felt like I’d been flattened by a steam roller.

“We need to get you some coffee or you’ll never even make it through the first hour.” He tugged on my arm. “Get up and let’s go to the cafeteria. The ladies love me down there.” He winked. “I’ll have them make you an extra strong cup.”

“But I have to log in soon.”

“Nah, it’s fine. We got some time. Come on, my treat.”

“Donut too?” I’d scarfed down my bag of emergency gummy bears on the drive over, but it wasn’t enough. My morning needed more sweetness. And fried dough.

“Anything for you, darlin’.”

That sounded like a plan. I should be in motion anyway, not lounging in my chair, tempting myself to fall asleep. Maybe I’d even try to work standing up to keep alert. I clamped onto the arm rests and hoisted my body up. Caffeine and sugar were summoning me.

“Since you’re so eager to please, Adam, you should have no problem making the run yourself and bringing Perry back whatever she wants.”

I ignored the ache when my head whipped around and spotted the owner of the voice.Thatvoice. Who needed a donut? He was a dose of liquid candy injected directly into my veins.

“Stephen?” My jaw dropped a bit as I tried to process what he wasdoing standing right in front of me. This wasn’t his building. “Um… I mean, Mr. Davidson.”

“Stephen’s fine,” he said.

I rubbed my eyes. He was wearing a frickin’ suit that looked way too good for my brain to handle that morning. It was messing with me big-time. Not fucking fair. I wasn’t coherent enough to deal with his hotness yet.

“I was planning on taking Perry with me,” Adam said. “We have the time and she needs some coffee.”

“I can see that, but I need to speak with her before the shift starts. I know you wouldn’t mind picking her up something and bringing it back.” He shifted those eyes to me. “Perry, how do you take your coffee?”

I opened my mouth but Adam beat me to it. “Oh, I already know exactly how she likes her morning coffee.” He winked at me. “Extra sweet, touch of cream. Isn’t that right, honey?”

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