Page 85 of Roan

Amberly’s eyes widen and she chases after Willa. “What? He’s in jail? He had River with him.”

And that leaves me alone with Scarlet, a place I haven’t been too often. I know very little about her, other than she parties just as hard as the Sawyer brothers and can go toe to toe with all their attitudes. But this side, her crying and looking like she’s going to vomit all over her beautiful dress, I don’t know what to do with her.

So, I pat her head and watch the door, praying Willa returns.

Scarlet reaches for my hand and holds it in hers, her soft blue eyes watering. “Do you think he wants to marry me?”

Sighing, I kneel next to her. “I’ve known Shade since he was thirteen. He analyzes everything in his life. Including what cereal he eats,” I continue, her face twisting impatiently. “He asked you, didn’t he?”

She holds up the rock of a diamond on her finger. “Yeah.”

“Well, then, he wants to marry you.”

She continues to cry. Closing my eyes, I remember feeling this way when Roan first started showing interest in me. I thought no matter what I did, he’d never feel the way I felt about him. Even now, with the clout these guys carry around, the way they’re worshipped, it’s easy to feel inferior around them. And what happens if they change their mind and decide they want the next hottest thing to flash their tits at them?

It’s a paralyzing thought, one that paints the sides of your heart and leaves you helpless.

Scarlet’s face pales further, her eyes on her dress. She slips the dark fabric between her fingertips. “I’ve been in love with that sunglass-wearing son of a bitch since the day I laid eyes on him, and then to find out he feels the same way about me, and now wants to marry me, I guess I’m just overwhelmed and nervous. What if he changes his mind? What if we get to the wedding and he says, sorry, I can’t?”

I swallow over the lump in my throat and think about Agustin. I close my eyes and picture his face, the sadness, the pain. I put myself in his shoes and how I’d feel if he had done that to me? What if Roan had decided right before the wedding, he didn’t want me?

And now we’re both crying, holding each other.

“I’m sorry,” Scarlet says, her hair practically strangling me as I lay my head on her shoulder. “I didn’t mean to make you cry too. I’m just a fucking mess and so emotional lately.”

“It’s okay.”

Willa returns with Amberly. They look at us like we’ve lost our minds and the lady who owns the wedding boutique surfaces. “I’m gonna need you to get out of the dress if you want me to take the chest in.”

We laugh, because poor Scarlet really wants boobies as she puts it, but the moment she stands up to remove the dress, she vomits in a trash can.

“Are you pregnant?” Willa asks, concern etched in her face.

“That’s crazy,” Amberly says. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”

Look at Scarlet’s face. It’s similar to someone who just realized they’re pregnant. “I… don’t think I’m pregnant? Willa, how’d you feel when you found out you were pregnant?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like, how’d you feel?”

“I missed my period. When was your last period?”

Scarlet taps her finger to her chin. “Um, oh, I remember. Night of the JUMPs weekend.”

“That was two months ago, Scar. Come on.” Willa yanks her up. “I’ll get you a test.”

“What if I am?” Scarlet’s eyes tear up. “That’s like, not good, guys.”

“I don’t care if you are or aren’t.”

“You’re a being a dick, Willz.” Scarlet tosses her hair to the side, slapping Amberly in the face who’s glued to her cell phone.

“I’m sorry, but my job was to get them to eighteen without illegitimate babies running around. After that, it’s on them. And you.”

That does nothing to calm her down, but we eventually get Scarlet out of the dress, some water, and head to the nearest Walgreens to find out if there will be a little sunglass-wearing baby on the way.

Meanwhile, my ovaries want to explode at the idea of having a baby with Roan.

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