AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He fist-bumps the air with the childish glee that once made me fall in love with him. But I wince at the thought, realizing I feel nothing for him now. The closer I grow to Ethan, the more my anger for Ryan subsides. I know I have to take advantage of this opportunity to tell him.
“Did you have lunch yet?” I ask Ryan, feeling my core shake but trying to hide my nerves.
“No, I was just heading to a nearby café. Wanna join me?” he asks.
“Sure.” I force a smile.
The café is within walking distance. It’s packed, but we manage to get a table on the sidewalk and soon we’re sipping iced coffee with delicious croissants.
“I have something to tell you, Ryan.” My serious tone catches him off-guard, and he swallows down his food with coffee to avoid choking.
“How serious of a something?” he asks, giving me a curious stare.
I’m dating your brother and I’m pregnant with his baby.
That’s the first thought that bursts in my brain but luckily, I don’t say that.
“Ethan and I, Ryan…” I stall, stirring my coffee. “We’ve grown closer, and well, things evolved.”
That should be enough for the penny to drop, but Ryan continues to look at me with a clueless expression.
“We’re dating, Ryan,” I finally blurt out, a bit more aggressively than I meant to.
Ryan blinks rapidly, processing the news. A minute passes, and I wonder if he still hasn’t understood what I said.
“For how long?” He avoids my eyes and sips his coffee again.
“We decided to start seeing each other the day before the Timberwolves game,” I inform him. “So, about five weeks.”
Keeping his eyes down, Ryan shoves the last of his croissant into his mouth. With his mouth full, he asks, “It’s that serious that I need to know?”
“He thought it was, Ryan,” I reply, trying to sound calm.
“What do you think?” he asks, finishing his coffee without looking at me.
I sigh, my gaze wandering through the crowd surrounding us. “I really like him, Ryan.”
He goes quiet for a moment. Still not looking at me, he crosses his arms on the table before asking, “More than you liked me?”
I shake my head immediately. “Please stop comparing yourself to your brother. You always do that!”
Ryan flushes red but takes a deep breath and continues, “Let me pick up the bill. I have business to attend to now.”
“Sure,” I nod politely.
Between the waiter bringing the bill and us leaving, there is a long and awkward silence that leaves me exasperated and sad. Still, the deed is done. I’ve told Ryan about us.
Now I need to find a way to tell Ethan about the baby.
Ryan disappears inside the business center, and I decide to go to the lounge. Suddenly, I’m feeling overwhelmed. I sit at the bar, order a Shirley Temple, and start to cry.
What will I do if Ethan rejects me?
I make good money and can raise a child on my own, but my busy schedule leaves little room for a baby, and Ethan already made it clear he isn’t ready for another child anytime soon.
Everything is about to change.
There’s a group of women sitting right behind me, chatting loudly. I don’t pay them any mind until I hear Sarah’s voice through the crowd.
