Cherrie Lynn - Take Me On

“I want to know who the father is.”

“I told you it’s not anyone you know. But he knows I’m here. So…we’ll see if he comes.”

“I’d had such hopes, I guess, that once you went back to Dallas, you and Mark might patch things up.”

What the fuck? Gabby had to squelch a screech. “The man who dumped me at the altar ? I can’t believe that would even cross your mind.” Let alone that it would cross Gabby’s own, even for a second. But it had, during a weak moment when she was craving the stability of her former life. That had all been an illusion, though, hadn’t it? Maybe her whole fucking life had been an illusion.

“I know it was a terrible thing to do. I simply thought you two were so good together.”

Yeah, she’d thought so too. Enough to accept his proposal and prepare to walk down the aisle to vow it in front of God and everyone. “It’s over,” she said.

“Indeed it is.”

Slowly, the room began to empty as people were called back, but it wasn’t long before any empty seats were filled with new patients. Her mother let it drop for a while, but Gabby had known her reprieve was temporary.

“Tell me about him,” Gianna said.

Gabby started to play stupid and ask, “Who?” But that was pointless. None of this was her mom’s fault; she should stop giving her grief.

“Brian knows him.” She didn’t have to look at her to know her feelings. The tension that crept into the air between them was palpable.

“The one who gave you the tattoo, I suppose.”

“Ding-ding-ding.” Gabby mimicked a prize-winning bell.

“You must’ve gone out with him that night. You didn’t come home.”

Good God, she hadn’t expected her to take that much of an interest. “Yep.”

“So you’re two months along.”

“Roughly.”

“And I take it he knows, if you told him you’re here. So let me ask this. Does he care?”

Why had two of the people closest to her jumped to the immediate conclusion that she’d hooked up with some deadbeat asshole who was going to drop her like a bad habit? She’d been drawn to Ian partly because he’d been so kind to her through a difficult time. Granted, you couldn’t base a person’s entire character on one chivalrous act, but it was a pretty good indication he had a heart. “He knows, and he cares. If anyone is holding back, Mom, it’s me. He’s younger than me, he lives here , and apparently he plans to stay here, so…I’m not sure how it’s going to turn out. We’re still figuring things out. Part of the reason I hadn’t told you and Dad is because I don’t have any answers for you yet.” Her gaze strayed toward the double doors leading back to the treatment rooms. “And who knows if we need them anymore.”

“Well, let’s think positively,” Gianna said. “If you want this, fine. You know we’ll support you no matter what. But it seems to me you don’t know what you want, Gabriella. If you cared about the path you were on, I’d have thought you’d be a little more careful about not sabotaging it.”

“Just so you know,” she said coldly, “we took precautions. They simply failed.” Gabby wanted to throw in that she could ask her two sons about that, but God, she didn’t even know about Brian yet. “Please stop stressing me out.”

“Fine, fine.” Gianna wiggled her foot impatiently, staring at the TV mounted in the corner. “I wish they’d hurry. This is ridiculous. You could hemorrhage to death out here and no one would care.”

“I doubt it. I’m going to the bathroom.” Carefully, Gabby stood. Her mom started to rise with her, but Gabby waved her back down. “I’m fine. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Once alone, she checked her pale reflection in the mirror. A wave of nausea took her over, and she struggled not to throw up, hoping she could find a vending machine with some crackers or something. An empty stomach seemed to make it worse, and she hadn’t eaten all day. Her bleeding wasn’t any worse, so that was a good sign. Idly, she checked her cell phone even though she knew she hadn’t heard it alert her to a call or message.

God, Ian. Where was he? Her mother’s question echoed in her head. Does he care? He seemed to. She’d love it if he swooped in here and put everyone’s fears to rest, including her own, but that was romantic tripe.

She stalled at the mirror because she didn’t want to go back out there to her mom’s questions and opinions. A moment later, though, the door opened, and Gianna stuck her head in. “They called you back.”

Taking a deep breath, Gabby tossed her phone in her purse and followed her out to the waiting area.

The door closed behind the exiting client Ian had been working on for the past two hours, and he allowed himself a nice, long stretch to work out the kinks in his muscles. There had been a steady stream of business today, and they’d had to start putting people on a waiting list or set appointments for later, but right now there were no pressing matters, so he headed back to the break room. Brian was in there pouring the fifth cup of coffee Ian had seen him drink today, even though it was late afternoon.

“Doing all right, brother?” Ian asked, going to the fridge to get an energy drink. He needed his own jolt.

“Ah, God, dude. I need an IV,” Brian said, replacing the carafe with one hand and gulping the black coffee with the other.

“Jesus. I’d say so.”

“She wanted watermelon Oreos last night. I didn’t know they even fucking made watermelon Oreos. But three o’clock in the fucking morning, I’m out looking for them.” Candace’s intense cravings had been a source of amusement for everyone at the studio.

Not for the first time, guilt ate into him for the secret he was keeping from his boss and good friend. But when was the best time to tell your boss/friend you’d knocked up his sister? Certainly not when he was half-dead on his feet because of his own pregnant girlfriend’s midnight cravings.

“And you know, I’m not complaining,” he clarified. “She doesn’t ask me to do this stuff, she just has to say, ‘Some watermelon Oreos would be awesome’, and I’m gone. Really, I can’t wait for what she wants next. It’s pretty damn funny.”

“That’s good.” Ian cranked the tab on his can and drank in lieu of saying more. Had Gabby had any wild cravings? He wouldn’t know. He’d do the same for her, though, if she stayed with him. But that would never fucking happen. Dr. Asshole no doubt had a mansion on a hill, and Ian expected her to shack up with him in his one-bedroom apartment? What a laugh.

As he lowered the can from his lips, he noticed his cell phone sitting on the counter next to the microwave. He must’ve forgotten it there when he’d heated up a pizza pocket before they got so busy.

Stepping around Brian, he retrieved it and checked the waiting text message.

And felt his knees almost give out. “Jesus. Oh, fucking hell.”

“Hey, what is it?” Brian asked.

Ian looked the guy in the face and couldn’t lie to him anymore. Not now. Not about this. “Your sister is at the hospital.”

“Wait. What? ”

Ignoring him, Ian checked his watch. “Fuck, that was almost three hours ago. Brian, man, there’s a lot of shit I need to tell you but—I gotta go.”

Brian caught his arm as he bolted toward the door. “Hold up just one goddamn minute. Why is she at the hospital, and why is she telling you before she tells me?”

He needed to come clean, but there wasn’t time to get into it now. She’d told him she was headed to the ER but hadn’t let him know any results. God only knew what she was going through or what was happening. He had to get there now , and he would go through the guy if he had to. Ian yanked away, looking Brian straight in his blue eyes. There was no way of sugarcoating it. “Your sister is pregnant. It’s mine. And she’s having complications. I need to be there.”