Chasing Destiny (16 page)

“Cry baby,” I muttered under my breath, so only Hayes could hear.

“Bitch ass,” he mumbled back before turning around, a huge smile on his face.

I chuckled lightly, then let my eyes trail over to Kristin. She was absolutely breathtaking and I hoped that one day it would be her and I up there getting married.
Where the hell did that come from?
Too soon and I wasn’t sure I’d ever get married anyway.

She smiled and I reciprocated before turning my attention back to the bride and groom.

“You may kiss the bride.”

Hayes grabbed Mackenzie’s hip and pulled her closer before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Grinning, I took Harley out of his arms, and he took the opportunity, dipping Mackenzie back in a very public display of affection.

After the pastor announced Mr. and Mrs. Hayes Morgan, I took Miranda’s arm and followed them down the aisle.

“You look happy,” Miranda remarked.

“I am.” I wasn’t sure what else she wanted me to say. “Would the detective get mad if I grabbed your ass? He does know we aren’t really cousins, right?”

She laughed. “You may work out a lot, but Brad could whip your butt in a second.”

“I guess I’ll just reserve my ass grabbing for Kristin then.”

And I did. I grabbed her ass and more as I snuck her into an empty bedroom and had my way with her.

Kristin

After the reception, Carson and I stayed at his parents’ house into the next day. I made him show me his skills on the drums, which were pretty impressive. It absolutely floored me how sexy Carson looked while playing an instrument. Well, it wasn’t exactly the fact that he was sexy, it was more the fact that he was mine.

We lounged around over spring break, binging on Netflix and making love. He only left the apartment to work and I only left to shop. I had been feeling tired, so I was happy to lay around in my pajamas all day and watch TV while eating junk food.

“Hey,” I heard from behind me as I turned a corner, leaving my last class of the day. I whirled around to see Miranda.

“Hi,” I said. “How are you?”

“Okay.” She nodded. “I’m just ready for the summer. I feel so burned out.”

“Me, too.” It was true. I was more than ready for the semester to end and enjoy summer break. I didn’t have any plans, maybe a trip to Destin with Carson, but nothing was finalized.

We began walking toward the exit. “So, what did you and Carson do over spring break?”

“Not a lot. You?”

“Brad worked.” She rolled her eyes. “But we did spend a couple days in Dallas.”

“Shopping?”

Miranda laughed. “Um, no. Brad doesn’t shop. He’s like an old man trapped in a very sexy twenty-nine year old’s body.”

“I can see that.” I pushed the outside door open and we began walking down the sidewalk. “What class are you headed to?”

“I’m done for the day. I’m heading to work.” She pulled a face.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m headed off to my yearly exam.”

“Oh, gosh. Yeah, I’ll take work and tip money over that.” We both laughed and said goodbye as we went in different directions.

After getting to my car, I drove across town to my gynecologist’s office. Health benefits were offered to students, but thankfully, I was still included on my parents’ account and could choose my doctor. Dr. Eison was an older man, maybe in his fifties, but had great bedside manner and made me feel comfortable. Well, as comfortable as I could be with him poking and prodding in me.

I checked in and grabbed a magazine before I sat down in one of the waiting room chairs. I was the only non-pregnant woman there. I glanced to my left and I wanted to cry for the lady sitting two chairs down. She looked very pregnant, probably around nine months, and very uncomfortable. It was only late March, almost April, and she was sweating as if it were July.

Of course I wanted kids, but it wasn’t something I ever really thought about—something that may or may not happen in the very distant future. Well, after looking at this woman, I was thinking maybe never.

“Kristin,” the nurse called after opening the door.

Smiling, I grabbed my bag off the floor and stood. I followed her into the hallway where she directed me to a scale. I inwardly cringed. I’d had a lot to eat over spring break. My boyfriend might watch what he eats, but I didn’t. I liked brownies—a lot.

Once I had been weighed, the nurse directed me to a room. I dropped my bag and climbed on the table. We exchanged pleasantries, she took my blood pressure, and then sat down in a chair.

“Okay,” she said, staring at my chart. “Date of your last period.”

My mind went blank.

Think, Kristin. When was the last time you had a period?

My mind scrambled as I tried to remember. I couldn’t come up with anything.

“Um,” I mumbled, still trying to think. I swallowed hard, my breathing became shallow, and I was starting to sweat. “The last period I can remember was the beginning of January.”

“Oh.” She turned her attention back to the chart and began scribbling.

“I mean, I could be wrong. I’m sure I’m wrong.”
I have to be; I’m on birth control.

She smiled reassuringly before walking over to a cabinet and grabbing a box from inside. “Let’s just have you take this test. Just in case.” She handed it to me.

I looked at the box, then her, then back to the box. After a minute, I finally took the test from her hand. “Okay,” I whispered.

She exited the room and I was left sitting on the exam table, dumbstruck. My stomach felt like I was going to puke at any moment and my heart was pounding out of my chest. I was beginning to think I was about to have a heart attack. I finally took a deep breath and dropped my feet to the floor.

This can’t be fucking happening.

I’d be sick in the mornings if I were pregnant, right?

But even though I was thinking and praying it wouldn’t be positive, I knew it would be. I hadn’t had a period since January! It was practically April.

After peeing on the stick in the adjoining bathroom, I walked back to the exam table and closed my eyes, silently praying—silently praying because I had slept with
two
men.

A few minutes later, a knock sounded on the door, and I yelled, “Come in.” The nurse smiled sweetly and walked into the bathroom.

She walked out and my stomach was in a queasy mess. “Congratulations. You’re pregnant.”

“Wh-wha-what?” I stammered.

“You’re pregnant. Since we don’t have an actual date for your period, we’ll do an ultrasound and base the date on the size of the baby.”

“Um.” What the hell could I say or ask? I was pretty positive I knew how it had happened.

“The doctor will go ahead and do an exam today, but first I’ll measure your stomach and we’ll listen to the heartbeat.”

After having me lay back, she took measurements, then placed some cold gel on my stomach. A moment later, static filled the air followed by a thumping sound.

I think my heart completely stopped. “Is that the heartbeat?”

“Yes,” she replied, grinning. “It’s very good.”

“Can I listen a minute longer?”

“Sure.” She kept the Doppler in place as I stared at the ceiling, captivated by the sound.
My baby’s heartbeat
! I actually had a living thing inside me. Tears pricked my eyes as I absorbed that bit of knowledge.

The nurse finally removed the equipment and went to get the doctor. My thoughts were still scattered. I was scared to death, worried, and sick.

The doctor came in a few minutes later followed by the nurse and completed my exam. After he left, the nurse brought in the ultrasound machine.

“Lay back again.” I complied. “I’m going to apply more gel. I’m sorry, but this way I can take some measurements of the baby and try to determine exactly how many weeks along you are.”

“It’s okay.”

She began the process and started messing with the computer as she moved the wand. I heard the thumping of the heart and snapped my eyes to the screen. “That right there,” she said, pointing with her other hand, “is your baby.”

She began clicking buttons and doing different things, but all I could do was stare at the blob on the screen. I had no idea how that could be a baby, but apparently it was.

“It looks like you are about eleven weeks according to the measurements.”

A sob burst out of my chest, cracking the air in the room. Adam. The baby was Adam’s. There was absolutely no way the baby was Carson’s. Not that I thought he was ready for a baby, but I would have liked the idea a lot better than Adam.

“Oh my gosh,” I cried.

“I’m sorry, sweetie.” She handed me a couple ultrasound pictures. “I’ll give you some time. Whenever you get dressed, you are free to leave. Just make sure to make an appointment with the receptionist.” The doctor had already told me all the dos and don’ts, along with giving me a pamphlet.

“Thanks.”

***

Once I stopped crying, I walked to my car in a daze. As soon as I sat down in the seat, the waterworks started again. I couldn’t help it. It was a shock to find out I was pregnant, especially eleven weeks, but I could have accepted the news better had I known it was Carson’s. It would have had his amazing personality. Instead, my baby was going to share DNA with a douchebag who wanted me to be his friend with benefits.

I cried harder, letting my head fall onto the steering wheel. I had to tell Carson. Or did I need to tell Adam first? I had no idea. I had never imagined myself in this situation. I felt like a slut. I knew I wasn’t, but it still felt that way.

I wiped my tears away and put the car in drive. I had no idea where I was going, or what I was going to do, but I began driving anyway.

After an hour of driving aimlessly around town, I found myself outside Adam’s, banging on his door.

A few minutes later, he opened the door, looking disheveled. Great, I’d interrupted him with a girl. “Hey, Kristin.” He looked back toward the bedroom. “What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk.
Now
.” I still felt sick, but knew I had to tell him sooner rather than later.

“Okay.” A smile grew on his face. “Just let me, um…”

“Either kick the girl out or tell her it’ll be a while.” I walked inside and flopped down on the couch, crossing my arms.

“Okay.” Adam walked into the bedroom and shut the door. I glanced around the apartment at the different paintings leaning against the walls. They all looked cheesy to me, but I didn’t know much about art.

The bedroom door opened and a leggy blonde walked out carrying her red stilettos. I smiled and she scowled in my direction before walking out the door.

“Sorry about that,” Adam said, coming into the living room. “Can I get you something to drink?”

I really wasn’t planning to be here long, but my nerves had dried my throat. “Water, please.”

He nodded and turned for the kitchen, coming back a moment later. I grabbed the glass from his hand and downed it, the water alleviating the dryness. Once I had drained the glass, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

“You okay?” Adam asked, watching me with pinched brows.

I sighed. “We need to talk, Adam.”

“Have you been thinking about my proposal?”

“No,” I said, scrunching my nose in disgust. “I have a boyfriend.”

He placed one knee on the cushion and turned to face me. “Then what is it?”

Shit. It was now or never.
Fuck!
“I’m, uh…I’m pregnant.”

“O-kay,” he said slowly. “What does that have to do with me?”

I eyed him, dubious. He couldn’t be that stupid, could he? He didn’t know I hadn’t had a period in months, but why the fuck else would I come to him announcing my pregnancy? “You’re the dad, Adam,” I said, just as slow.

“What?” He stood. “What do you mean, I’m the dad?” He began pulling at his hair.

“I mean just that. You are the dad. The baby is yours.” I didn’t know how else to say it. I mean, how many ways were there really? I think I nailed it. Couldn’t get any plainer than that.

“I can’t be the baby’s dad. We haven’t been together in…”

“Since January.”

“Yeah. See, I can’t be the baby’s dad,” he scoffed before placing his hands on his hips.

Cocking my head to the side, I said, “I’m eleven weeks. That means the baby was conceived in January. I’m sorry, Adam.”

“Get rid of it!” he stated, anger and finality lacing his tone.

Taken aback by his statement, I whispered, “Excuse me?”

He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. “I said get rid of it. I can’t tell my parents I knocked you up. They already think I’m a screw up. If I tell them this, they’ll really cut me off.”

“And if I don’t?”

He shrugged. “Do whatever you want. I don’t want it.”

My eyes narrowed and anger began pumping through my veins. How dare he! He was a fucking loser. “You know what, Adam?” I rose to my feet and walked closer to him. “You’re right to disown your baby and not tell your parents. They would cut you off.” I forced the tears back and looked around the room. When I knew I’d be able to control my voice again, I turned back to face him. “And looking at all these shitty paintings, you’ll never make it and always need them and their money. I’m glad my child will never know just how pathetic you are.” And with that, I walked to the door, banged it open, and left.

“Kristin!” he shouted, but I kept walking.

I flung my car door open and turned to face him. “Go to hell, Adam!” I sank down in my seat and cranked the engine. My hand moved the gearshift into drive as my foot hit the accelerator and I left him and our relationship behind me.

I felt like my world was crashing down around me. I was now going to be a mother, Adam had bailed on the situation, and I still needed to tell Carson.

How the hell was I supposed to tell him I was pregnant with another guy’s baby? I wasn’t really showing yet, so I had some time to plan that conversation. I knew it was a shitty thing to do—hiding it from him—but some things needed to be said a little more delicately. My conversation with Adam had just proved that.

Carson would understand, though. The world wasn’t
that
cruel. But then again, why would he take on a baby with a girl he had just started dating? No guy would do that.