Page 43 of Players Always Win

“Sleep,” I mutter. “I’m so tired.”

She helps me up from the floor, sliding her arm behind my back, and helps me into my bedroom. I sink to the mattress, relieved when my head hits the stack of pillows. Jordan climbs in beside me and wraps her arm around me.

Jordan plays with my hair and wipes the sweat from my forehead. “This is the second time you’ve gotten sick since we’ve been home on break.”

“Mom’s been forcing me to eat everything in sight.”

I laugh, and my stomach hurts again when I do.

“If I didn’t know any better,” she whispers, “I would think you’re pregnant.”

I dismiss her comment until I consider my last period, and silence passes over us.

Jordan props herself up on her elbow. “Please tell me you’re not pregnant, Jem?”

I roll onto my back and look up at her. “Um… I don’t think so.”

“When was your last period?”

I bite my cheek and stare at the ceiling, mulling over her question. “Before the Halloween party, I think.”

“It’s Christmas,” Jordan breathes.

“Uh-huh,” I mutter, now feeling an intense wave of nausea, this time for a different reason. “Maybe I’m just late. My period has never been what you would call a regular.”

“Yeah, but two months is a long time without getting it. Even for you.”

She’s right, and I would be stupid to ignore the fact that there’s a good chance I am pregnant. But how could this happen? I used a condom with Trent.

“We were safe,” I assure Jordan.

“Condoms can expire or break, Jem. Just because you used one doesn’t guarantee you won’t get pregnant.”

“There was this one time…”

Jordan cocks her head at me. “What happened?”

“The condom fell off inside me.”

Her eyes widen in surprise.

“He said he came in the condom. I saw it.”

“And you didn’t get a morning-after pill? What is wrong with you?”

“Stop it, Jordan. We don’t even know if I’m pregnant.”

“If you’re pregnant, you need to know.” Jordan sucks in a deep breath and blows it out. “You’re taking a home pregnancy test,” she says sternly. “I’ll drive you to Eden tomorrow so no one in town finds out.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Jemma

Jordan drove me to a pharmacy twenty minutes from home. She grabs a handful of pregnancy tests, dropping them onto the counter without a care. I’m too scared to function. The thought of having a baby with a man I barely know makes my stomach turn. Trent is a decent guy, but this is too sudden.

How did I let this happen?

Jordan pays for the tests, and we get back in the car. My heart hammers in my chest, pounding so hard it feels like it will explode.

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