43

Becca ’s fingers trembled as she gripped the tablet, her mind racing. Every answer felt like a ticking clock, each question dragging her deeper into a spiral of uncertainty. She had never been regular with her periods, but now, as she sat in the clinic, the absence of one seemed like a glaring sign she couldn’t ignore. The thought of being pregnant, of having a child—of her life changing forever—felt suffocating.

She was on birth control. She had always been careful. But there was that nagging doubt that wouldn’t go away. What if she was wrong? What if it didn’t work as well as she thought? What if this was real?

She finally finished the form and handed it back to the receptionist, forcing herself to offer a strained smile. She didn’t even feel like herself anymore. The woman behind the desk smiled politely and directed her to a seat to wait for the nurse.

The room seemed to close in around her, the walls pressing in with the weight of her thoughts. Each second felt like an eternity. She couldn’t help but picture what it would be like. The baby. The responsibility. The idea of becoming a mother terrified her—more than she cared to admit. She wasn’t ready for any of this. Not with everything else going on in her life. Not with Dave, Evan , Cole, and the mess they’d created together.

She couldn’t even picture herself holding a baby. The thought was so foreign, so far out of reach. She wasn’t that kind of person, was she?

Her leg bounced nervously under the chair, her palms clammy. The room was too quiet, the air too thick with her anxiety. Just when she thought she might lose it, the nurse called her name.

Becca  stood and followed the woman into the back, trying to control her racing heart. “Becca ?” the nurse asked as she led her to an exam room, her voice soft and calm.

“Yeah,” Becca  managed to croak, her throat dry.

“Go ahead and take a seat,” the nurse said, gesturing to the exam chair. “We’ll take a quick urine sample to confirm the results.”

Becca  nodded, too numb to respond. The nurse left the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts once again. She wanted to scream, to get up and run out of the clinic, but instead, she sat there, hands clasped tightly together, her mind in turmoil.

What if Silvy was right? What if she really was pregnant? What would she do then?

Dave’s voice was quiet but firm on the other end of the line. “Why? What’s going on, Becca ?”

The tension in my stomach tightened even further. I could feel the weight of the words hanging in the air, but I wasn’t ready to drop them just yet. “I just… need you to hold off. Please.”

Silence. Then a soft sigh. “Okay. I won’t talk to her.” His voice softened, and for a brief moment, I could hear the concern in his tone. “But you’re scaring me. What’s going on?”

I pressed my lips together, my mind racing, my heart pounding. I wasn’t ready to share the truth. Not yet. There were too many questions, too many things that didn’t make sense. And there was no easy way to tell him about the baby.

“I’ll explain soon, Dave. I promise,” I finally muttered, trying to sound convincing. “Just—just trust me on this.”

Another heavy pause on his end before he answered, his voice calmer, but I could sense the worry still lurking beneath. “Alright. I’ll trust you. But you’ve got to tell me what’s really going on. Soon.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “I will. Thank you.”

After a brief exchange of goodbyes, I ended the call and let the silence envelop me. I felt both lighter and heavier at the same time. Lighter, because Dave had agreed to give me the space I needed. He hadn’t pushed me for answers. But heavier, because I had no idea how to navigate what was coming. What would I say when I finally had to face him—and the others?

I leaned back in the seat, staring out through the windshield, but I didn’t really see anything. My thoughts were a blur.

Carrie had been the one who had been so insistent on making things right. But now, with everything that had happened between us, with the revelation about her involvement in all the mess with Falcon, things had gotten way more complicated. It was no longer just about the guys and me, but now I was carrying a piece of them with me. A baby.

How could I even think about telling them? Would they even want to be a part of this? Would they feel trapped or pressured? Could we even do this, all of us together?

I shook my head, trying to clear the haze of doubt clouding my thoughts. No matter how much I didn’t want to face the reality of it all, I had no choice.

The baby wasn’t going away, and neither were my feelings for the three men who had somehow woven themselves into my life. Whether I was ready for it or not, it was time to start figuring out how to make this work.

I glanced at my phone again, Dave’s name still on the screen, and sighed. How was I supposed to tell them this? How would they react?