Page 9 of How to Lose at Love
“Or ask him what he wants and be done with it,” Dari piped in. Scott smiled.
“What’s the test say?” Maddox asked Arianna.
Arianna went to check the test in the bathroom. She took her a bit longer in the bathroom than expected, glasses were refilled, and bodies were leaning into the hallway when she finally remerged. “I’m going to have to go shopping,” she squealed. The group cheered and hugged.
“I getta come, right?” Scott asked. Everybody laughed.
Team Returns
49
TREY
Trey locked the door behind him as he dropped his bags just inside Arianna’s house. Early afternoon he knew she would not be home from school. He headed straight to the bathroom to shower. He stepped out and while drying off saw the pregnancy test packaging in the garbage. He reached down to grab it and when he stood up Arianna was standing in the doorway. “What...”
Arianna looked him up and down as she slipped her jacket off and slowly stepped out of her high heels.
“Wait, I know that look, but are you pregnant” Trey turned, putting the box on the counter, waiting with his hand on the towel around his waist.
Arianna nodded backing up against the wall, unbuttoning her shirt.
Trey yanked his towel off, stepped across the bathroom, grabbing up Arianna and taking her into the bedroom.
50
COWBOY
Dari stepped into the apartment and saw Cowboy’s bags.
“Babe, come on in. I got dinner.”
Dari walked into the kitchen, pizza and soda were on the small table. “What kind of pizza?” Dari flipped the top up on the box. Cowboy came down the stairs; leaned down, wrapping his arms around Dari and kissed her. “You got my favorite.”
“Obviously,” he grinned down at her. “I got a message from Gumby.”
Dari’s eyes met his. “Maddox and I ran into him at the store. Yeah, it was weird. Maddox’s father was with my mother.”
“What!” Cowboy looked honestly shocked.
“I never thought I would ever see her again and she was just there, after all this time. And then Maddox’s dad tried to threaten me--”
“What?”
“They were there together. He tried to get me to back off when I went after her. Maddox told him to lay off. Then Gumby was there. Maddox’s dad backed down. I told that woman to stay away from me and my family forever, period.”
Cowboy held her tightly, “Jeezuz, Dari, I’m sorry, I wasn’t there.”
Dari kept a tight hold on him, “It sucked. I’m glad you’re home.”
51
HAMMER
Hammer walked into the chaos of his apartment. Afternoon snacks were spread over the table, highchair was disassembled, laundry in piles on the couch, dishes all over the kitchen in various stages of complete, books and toys scattered. Cael was asleep in the pack’n’play; Brooke had taken Asher into the boys’ room laying him down for a nap.
