Believing Lies (29 page)

“I need you to pick me up and drive me to my parents.”

“What? Why?”

I repeated the strange conversation to her. I knew my mother well enough to know that we needed to get there, and fast. Sophie fully agreed and said she was on her way.

My mind was still reeling when I felt strong arms coil around me from behind. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I just didn’t like that you referred to me as your friend to your mom.”

I laid my head back against his chest. “I’m sorry too. They just don’t know I’m seeing anyone. My mother’s still a little sour with me for breaking off the engagement, so I don’t think right now is the best time to tell them.”

He uncoiled his arms. “Oh. I see.” He walked to the fridge and pulled out a second beer.

I went on the defense. “What did you want me to say, Adam? Did you want me to tell her that I’m at my new boyfriend’s house? As soon as they know, they’ll want to meet you. Do you want to meet my parents?” The volume of my voice rose with each question I asked.

“No.” He hadn’t even hesitated, and that stung. My features must have shown as much. “I . . . I . . . Shit. Don’t be upset. I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“I’m not upset,” I replied with no inflection whatsoever.

“I just don’t think we’re at the whole ‘meet the parents’ stage.”
No, we’re at the “going to become parents” stage
. “I just didn’t realize you wouldn’t let them know that you’re seeing someone.”

“Did you tell your parents?”

This time he did hesitate, and his hesitation answered for him.

“Didn’t think so,” I snapped.

He placed his beer on the counter and put his hands in the air in surrender. “Let’s drop this. I don’t want to fight with you.”

“Whatever, Adam. You’re upset that I didn’t tell my parents, but neither did you.”

I spun on my heels and left the kitchen. I grabbed my shoes and purse and went outside to wait for Sophie. He didn’t follow me.

Time dragged as I sat on his front step. Every second that I was outside, yet he remained inside, tore me up. How had our night together changed from something so wonderful to this? Unshed tears burned behind my eyelids. I was determined not to cry in case he came outside. He never did, and the tears poured out as soon as I got in Sophie’s Jeep.

Chapter Twenty-Three

I gave Sophie the short version of why I was crying, blaming it mostly on hormones. We spent the rest of the drive to my parent’s house speculating what could be going on that warranted the phone call from my mother. We came up blank, so we walked into the sitting room totally unprepared for the firing squad awaiting us.

My dad was the first to speak. “Sit. Both of you.”

Neither of us questioned him. We just did as we were told, instantly planting our butts on the leather sofa. My dad, who hardly ever drank, was holding a glass of brandy. My mother was sitting in a chair and looked like she’d been crying. She hardly ever cried because she thought it showed weakness.

I was about to open my mouth when my dad dropped the bomb. “I looked at your chart today.” In my head, I heard a low whistle followed by a deafening BOOM. I was speechless. I wondered what else could be piled on me today before I crushed under the weight.

Sophie jumped out of her seat. “That’s illegal,” she accused.

“The receptionist you spoke to is Martha’s sister. Imagine my shock when my receptionist pulled me aside to let me know that her sister spoke to my niece today, and was bullied into making an appointment for my daughter by using our last name and status within the hospital to pull strings.”

Well that explains a lot
. Sophie sat back down and took my hand in hers.

My dad continued, “At first I was mad that you girls would use our name to get preferential treatment. But then the real question hit me: Why? What could be so important that my daughter needed to see her gynecologist immediately? What was so important that Sophie would be pushing her way through the scheduling process to get you in so fast? I knew Dr. Bradley wouldn’t tell me, so I checked the chart. I’m sure you know what I found in it.”

My dad slumped down into his favorite leather chair, and my Mother took the reins. To my utter amazement, she didn’t seem to be that mad anymore. “Your father said the chart indicated you were planning on keeping the baby. Is that true?”

“Yes.”

“Thank goodness. I was so worried.”
Huh?
Not what I was expecting at all. “Sienna, why didn’t you tell us that you and Trenton were back together? I know that this isn’t ideal timing, but the wedding can still happen before you show.”

My dad jumped back in before I could say a word. “You and I just went over this, Clarice. Trenton’s a cheating son of a bitch! Just because he got her pregnant does NOT mean she should marry him.”

I squared my shoulders and took a deep breath. I was an adult, and I needed to start acting like one. “It’s not Trenton’s baby.” My mother burst into tears, and my dad looked too shocked for words. “His name is Adam. He’s my boyfriend . . . It’s kind of new.”

“I want to meet him,” Dad demanded.

“He’s not ready to meet you yet.” My mother looked affronted, and my dad looked furious. Time to drop my own bomb. “He doesn’t even know I’m pregnant.” Long, low whistle . . . BOOM!

“Oh Sienna, I’m so disappointed in you.”
Wow, Mother, what’s new?
That probably should have hurt, but it didn’t. I was used to disappointing her. “How could you be so stupid? Why didn’t you take precautions?”

Trying to keep some shred of calmness in my voice, I said, “We did. It didn’t work.”

“What do you mean?” My mother looked genuinely confused.

Sophie stood up. “Does she have to draw you a diagram? They used a condom. It didn’t work. Now get off her case!”

I stood up too. Sophie didn’t need to fight all my battles. “I’m sorry I’ve disappointed you. I truly am. But you’re my parents, and you need to decide what that means to you. Right now, I need support, not condemnation. You’re sitting here all high and mighty, but do you really think I planned this? Do you think I’m not scared? Because I’m scared shitless. The last thing I need right now is for you two to be against me.” I took a deep breath and forcibly calmed myself before continuing. “You are going to be grandparents. Has that occurred to you? You’re acting like I ruined my life, but I’ve always wanted to have children. It’s just happening earlier than I planned. Is my life altered? Yes. Ruined? No.” When neither of my parents said a word, I turned to Sophie, and said, “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

Dad started to silently cry. Seeing my strong father cry broke me down to my soul. He stood up and grabbed me into a hug, holding me tight.

“I’m sorry, Pumpkin. You’re right. We’ll be here for you.” He released me from the hug, and we all sat back down. I looked to Sophie. She was smiling. I looked to my mother. She was crying.

Mother wiped her tears and went to the bar and poured herself a drink out of my dad’s brandy decanter—she hated brandy. “Of course we’re behind you. You’re our daughter, and now you’re carrying our grandchild.” She lifted the glass to her lips and finished the brown alcohol in only a few gulps. “Had your father not found out, would you have told us?”

“Not until after I told Adam . . . and I’m not telling him until I’m showing.”

“Why?”

“It’s just not the right time. I don’t think he’s ready to know yet.”

My mother poured another drink and again downed it quickly. “Do you love him?”

My dad’s eyes widened. It was as if this question had never occurred to him.

“I love him very much.” I may be pissed off at Adam right now, but that didn’t change my answer. I honestly did love him—even when he was driving me up a wall.

***

Adam never called me after I left his house, and I was too stubborn to call him. Now I wished I had. Watching Sophie get ready for Zach’s party only further sent me into a spiral of insecurity over how I left things with him last night. Sophie tried to talk me into coming with, but Adam hadn’t invited me. With how we left things last night, I wasn’t going to just show up.

Eight o’clock was early to get ready for bed, but I felt like being comfortable, so I put on my favorite worn-out Aerosmith T-shirt and pulled on a pair of boxers covered in little hearts. I threw my hair in a messy bun and made my way back to the kitchen, where there was a carton of blue moon ice cream in the freezer with my name on it. As soon as I took the lid off, the intercom buzzed. I could hear Sophie’s hairdryer, so I set down my spoon and begrudgingly walked away from my ice cream.

I pressed the intercom button. “Hello?”

“It’s Conner.”

“I’ll unlock our door, so no need to knock when you get up here.”

I buzzed him in, and went back to sit at the island. Sophie didn’t like blue moon ice cream, so I was free to eat directly out of the carton. I took a bite and cooed. It was like a blue taste of heaven.

I heard the door open and close, and yelled down the hall to Conner that Sophie was still getting ready and to make himself at home. He yelled back a thanks, and I heard the TV turn on a moment later.

I’d just placed another delicious frosty bite in my mouth when I felt warm breath tickle my ear. I froze, as stiff as a board, with my spoon still hanging out of my mouth. Adam’s quiet chuckle was unmistakable, causing my muscles to relax.

He whispered silkily into my ear, “Are you going to be greedy, Princess, or do I get a bite too?” I felt the brush of his hot tongue draw the lobe of my ear into his mouth. As if to punctuate his statement, he bit down slightly. He gave my ear one last tug before coming around and leaning directly in front of me on the island.

I was so stunned that I completely forgot I was still holding my spoon in my mouth until Adam stole it from me. He scooped out a spoonful of ice-cream and placed it in his mouth. He then proceeded to pull the spoon out oh-so-very slowly, his eyes trained on mine the entire time.

“Mmm . . . Delicious, but I think you taste better.”

I wobbled and had to right myself to stay on the stool. My blush went root deep, and my whole body warmed. Everything that man did was so insanely erotic. The cocky gleam in his eyes and the smirk on his lips told me that he was enjoying every second of the reaction I gifted him. As if he had not just turned my internal dial to the Super Horny setting, he sat on the stool next to me and began to casually eat my ice cream with my spoon.

“Um . . . Can I have my spoon back?” I asked, attempting to break the spell he had me under.

He held out my spoon to me, and I snatched it back quickly. The instant the spoon was back in my hand, he placed his now freed hand on my leg. His fingers grazed my skin, starting with my knee and moving all the way up my thigh. He stopped at the edge of my boxers and gave the fabric a tiny tug.

“Not that I don’t love the whole boxer and T-shirt look, but I think you might be underdressed for the party.”

That brought me back to the present. I replaced my lustful thoughts with a cool demeanor. “I wasn’t invited.”

“Yes you were.”

“I think I would remember you asking me to go.”

He gave me an irritated look. “Don’t be dramatic. I thought you knew it was implied.” His tone was curt. “Would I have talked about the party in front of you otherwise? Why would I be here to pick you up if I didn’t want you with me?”

“You can’t just assume things are
implied
.” The words slipped out quick and rigid. “If you wanted me to come with you, you should have invited me . . . And after last night, what was I supposed to think?”

He stood up, pushing back his stool abruptly. I hated that I felt small under his gaze. “I’m sorry that I didn’t make it clear that I wanted you to come to the party.” He may have said he was sorry, but his tone was unapologetic. “As for last night, that was a little disagreement. I’m over it. I hoped you would be too. Are you really going to blow this out of proportion?” He ran his hand through his hair, briefly grabbing the ends. “When did you become
that
girl?”

The way I figured it, I had three options:

Number one: Cry. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately anyway.

Number two: Get really mad. I was already halfway there, so it was a viable option.

Number three: Just move past whatever this was and salvage the rest of the night.

Although I wanted to choose number three, I went for number two.

“Go to Hell, Adam,” I hissed, throwing my spoon down on the island before stomping out of the room. I slammed my bedroom door as hard as I could and sat on my bed.
Why was I acting like this?
I mentally chastised myself.
Oh no! I really have become
that
girl
.

Adam stormed in like a hurricane, ripping open the door and then shutting it loudly behind him. He stood there, brooding for what felt like an eternity. The air was tense and palatable.

There was a light knock on my door. “Everything ok?” I could hear Conner ask from behind the closed door.

“Go away,” Adam growled.

Conner disregarded him. “Sienna?”

“We’re fine. Thanks though,” I called out.

“If you say so. Sophie and I are leaving in five minutes, with or without you two.” I heard his faint footsteps as he walked away.

I inhaled and exhaled loudly, partly to calm myself, partly for show. “You heard him. You better get going,” I said snottily.
Why can’t I shut off Bitch Mode?
I was pressing the button to override, but it was malfunctioning.

“You can’t always run off whenever things aren’t the way you want!” he yelled. “Is that your default reaction, to always run? Cause if it is, I’m getting pretty sick of being expected to always chase after you.”

I didn’t know how to reply. Deep down, I knew he was kind of right.

“Are you trying to push me away?” He looked to the ceiling. I knew what that meant, and I was worried. Whatever he said next was going to pivotal. He brought his gaze back to mine, pinning me with the intensity of his stare. “I don’t know what to do anymore,” he said, exasperatedly. “I don’t know what you want from me. If you were any other girl, I’d be out of here. And I mean ANY other girl!” He threw his hands up in the air. “Maybe this was all a huge mistake. I should’ve known better than to even allow it to get this far.”