I trailed behind Scarlett and Ryan, shooting off messages to Hannah as I walked.
Hannah: [I did this for you. Shouldn't you thank me?]
I was totally baffled. What was she talking about? Did she set this up on purpose?
I quickly replied: [What do you mean? Getting Scarlett to sleep with me and have a baby?]
She shot back: [Yep, exactly. I mean, what hospital would give such crazy advice? But no need to thank me too much, just consider it a little gift for tonight.]
It seemed like Hannah saw me as her plaything.
She continued: [Your brother's wife is stunning, and she's got a killer body. If she only ever sleeps with your brother, that's just sad. She'll never be truly satisfied.]
I texted: [What if they go for IVF instead?]
Hannah: [Nah, they won't. Trust me. He loves her too much to put her through daily injections.]
[Alright, I'll take your word for it.] I sent the last message, pocketed my phone, and hurried to catch up with Scarlett and Ryan.
We hopped in the car, and they just assumed I was coming over for dinner. Without a word, they drove me home.
The whole time, Scarlett and Ryan were silent, and I just sat there quietly.
Scarlett started cooking, while Ryan sat on the couch, lost in thought, probably mulling over Hannah's suggestion.
Dinner was served, but Ryan just ate in a daze.
Even after Scarlett finished the dishes, Ryan was still zoned out.
When Scarlett went to shower, Ryan sat alone in the study, doing nothing, saying nothing.
I was getting impatient. What was his deal?
Would he agree or not to Scarlett and me having a baby?
He needed to say something so I could figure out my next move!
Since Hannah had pushed this far, I had to back her up to increase the chances of Ryan picking the first option.
So, I decided to make a move. I walked to the study door, quietly opened it, and stood by Ryan.
I put my arm around his shoulder and said, "Ryan, maybe we should just drop it. Even if a kid brings joy, they'll grow up eventually. A kid, no matter how cute, isn't the same as your own."
"But Scarlett really loves kids. If having one makes her happy, I'm all for it," he said, still unsure.
Why was he still hesitating? Just tell me if he's okay with Scarlett and me having sex!
I was so frustrated I wanted to scream my thoughts at him.
"And I'm worried Scarlett won't go for it. Even though she talks about having a kid with another guy sometimes, I know she's still resistant. She's a good, conservative woman," he added.
Ryan wasn't wrong. Scarlett was a good, conservative woman, or she wouldn't have made me wait this long.
But in front of Ryan, I couldn't just say Scarlett was actually willing to have sex with me.
After all, he was my brother, the guy I grew up with.
"Even I can't stomach the idea. Sleeping with my brother's wife? I'd rather die," I said, playing the opposite card.
I made a face, showing how grossed out I was, really laying it on thick.
Ryan stared at me for a bit before saying, "Alright, let me talk to Scarlett first. Whatever happens, I'll need you to go along with it."
"No problem," I nodded, acting all cool about it.
Then, Ryan left the study and headed to the master bedroom.
I waited for almost an hour, and they still didn't come out. I couldn't hear a thing, even with my ear pressed against the door.
I had no choice but to head to my part-time job at the bar.
I had about thirty minutes before my shift started. If I went back to the rental to meet up with John and Emily, I'd definitely be late.
So, I texted John to let them go ahead without me, and I walked to the bar alone.
I got there with three minutes to spare, and they were already there.
That day, my work uniform had finally arrived.
Just after clocking in, Fiona came over with two clothing bags. "David, your uniforms are here. Come with me."
"On it." I followed Fiona to the dressing room.
She had already taken the clothes out and laid the top out for me. "Try it on. The custom fit should be better."
I nodded, took the clothes, and headed to the men's dressing room, leaving the door slightly ajar.
I poked my head out and asked, "Ms. Larson, the top fits great, but I didn't grab the pants. Can you get them for me?"
"Sure," she replied. The sound of her high heels echoed, and soon, a hand reached through the door crack.
When I took the pants, my fingers brushed against Fiona's hand.
She jerked back like she'd been shocked, quickly pulling her hand away. She stammered, "Once you're dressed, come out... let me... let me see if it fits."
She hurried off, her heels clicking, and I heard the door close.
What was that about? Asking me to show her and then bolting.
I shrugged it off, took my time getting dressed, and then stepped out of the dressing room.
Just as I was looking for Fiona at the front desk, I heard the sound of a wine bottle smashing upstairs.
Something was definitely wrong! I sprinted upstairs and found the source of the noise—a fancy private room.
I pushed the door open and quickly scanned the room. Besides Fiona and Emily, there were five other people—three men and two women.
The two women were sitting in the middle of the sofa, while two men were on the edges.
Emily looked a mess, being held down by a young guy, while Fiona was between two older men, trying to calm things down.
The older guy on the left was overweight, with a big round belly that made him look pregnant.