Page 24 of Rockstar Baby Daddy

Persy went through the list of questions that included my family history, date of my last period and the most unexpected question of all. “That’s more than six weeks, could you be pregnant?”

I sucked in a breath at my friend’s question and shook my head. Pregnant? “No, not possible.”

Isn’t it?the snarky voice in my head chimed in, bringing me back to reality. I closed my eyes and instantly I was transported back to all the times I’d been with Gavin over the past couple of months. The orgasms. The kisses. The touching and tasting. Me on my knees. His face buried between my legs. His lean hips thrusting deep. Lots and lots of sex, more than I’d ever had, and not a condom in sight.

“Oh. My. God.” The shock was visceral, as if my chest had just slammed into the steering wheel at thirty miles per hour.

I looked up to find a sympathetic grin on Persy’s face. “You can tell me, you know? I’m bound by doctor-patient confidentiality.”

I gave her a look with one brow arched and my lips pursed. “That’s a cheap way to dig into my personal life, Persephone.”

She flashed an innocent smile before a laugh exploded out of her. “First of all, we’re friends, which gives me every right to dig. Second, I wasn’t aware youhada personal life.”

“Touché,” I sighed. “I’ve been sort of seeing Gavin. It’s nothing serious, just a bit of fun and a lot of sex until he goes back to Hollywood.”

“And you’re all right with those terms?”

I sighed, because of course I wasn’t all right with it. “It’s not terms, per se. We never talked about it, but come on, Persy. He’s not settling down here when his life is back in California. And when or if he does, it won’t be with a woman like me.”

I knew that and wouldn’t convince myself of anything else.

“Right. Well, maybe you want to talk to Gavin about what this is before you make up your mind.”

A knock sounded on the door and an arm slid inside to hand Persy a folder.

“I don’t want to talk to him about it. I know the truth.” And I couldn’t bear to see him look at me with a pitying look while he searched for ways to let me down easy.

“You think you do, but he clearly likes you. No offense, but if it was just sex or a distraction, there are plenty of willing women to warm his bed.”

“True,” I sighed. “All the more reason to accept what this is.”

And isn’t.

Persy nodded, but she had that expression on her face that said she didn’t agree. “Suzie, your urine shows high levels of HCG, and you know what that means. You’re pregnant. We can wait for the blood test to confirm it but, based on the levels, I’m confident that’s the cause of your symptoms. As your friend, it’s time to think about what you really want.”

The answer came immediately.I want this baby. No matter what Gavin said he wanted with us or this baby, my decision was solid. Firm. I wanted to be a mother, and as sad as it was to admit to myself, given my age and lack of a social life, this might be my only shot to give birth to a child of my own. Then, like my own parents, I would focus on adopting or fostering children who needed a stable, loving home.

I sat a little taller on the exam table and looked Persy right in those clear violet eyes. “I’m having this baby.”

“You sure you don’t want to talk to Gavin first?”

I shook my head. “I’ll tell him.” Eventually. “But my mind is made up. I want this baby.” He or she wasn’t planned, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t make the most of this opportunity. This experience.

Persy’s smile came slow and bright. “Then let me be the first to congratulate you.” She leaned in close and wrapped me in a tight, supportive hug. “Whatever you need, I’m here.”

“Thank you, Persy.” It meant a lot to know I would have a support system here. It filled me with confidence that I would be able to do this alone. Mostly alone, anyway.

“No problem. I’m prescribing you basic prenatal vitamins, but I recommend you make an appointment with obstetrics right away, unless you plan to go somewhere other than JRMC to protect your privacy?”

I laughed. “That would be pointless since I’m keeping the baby and eventually will start to show.” Jackson’s Ridge was a small town and it wouldn’t take long before someone put two and two together to realize that Gavin was my baby’s father.

“Maybe Gavin will be happy about the baby,” Persy offered with a hopeful smile.

I shook my head, knowing he wouldn’t be. Without breaking Gavin’s medical privacy, I sighed and told Persy the truth. “His stay here is very temporary and it would be stupid of me to think otherwise.”

His voice was getting stronger by the day, and I knew I had weeks, possibly days, before he left Jackson’s Ridge in his rearview. Maybe forever.

“It doesn’t matter what he thinks because I’m having the baby, but I will let him know so he doesn’t find out from someone else.” However Gavin reacted, I would handle it the way I handled bad news, adversity, or trauma—with my head held high. And a plan.

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