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I look around, noticing a tiny enclave of trees.
“Yes,” I say, turning around and heading towards the place. My head buzzes as I push past the press. This is the first time I’ve been able to summon something other than complete rage in the past few weeks.
I don’t feel angry or even excited about seeing her again.
This feels different.
Because I know Georgina enough to know that this visit is not about her looking for an apology.
We get to the enclave, and for a fraction of a second, I entertain the idea that she’s come all this way because she misses me. That thought brings the first half-smile my face has had in weeks.
I look at Gigi. She looks almost…anxious.
I dig my fists into my pockets, my mood improving. Making Gigi anxious is a win, and I’ll take it as that.
“You’re here because…” I start.
She does not let me lead the conversation for long. “I’m pregnant with your baby, Bran,” she says. “And I need us to figure this out.”
CHAPTER17
GIGI
“So…” Hayley says, staring at me with eyes full of concern. “Do you feel better now?”
I force a tremulous smile on my lips.
As I consider my situation, I can't help but think,I'm pregnant by a guy I had a fling with, the same guy I convinced my colleagues to write awful stories about. And if things weren't bad enough, he's now ghosted me, refusing to say a word after I told him about our baby. So, yeah, I’m peachy.
“I’m great,” I say, pulling my chin up. “I had PMS that day.” I put a lot of emphasis on my last sentence because it’s not so much extra information as it is a warning, something I hope Hayley interprets as:The next time someone asks me how I’m doing, I’m going to punch them in the face.
Hayley gives a short nod, and I can tell my message has been received. “Well, okay,” she says. “I just needed to give you an update on our discussion.”
My stomach cramps up with a bout of anxiety. It has been three weeks since I tracked Bran down and told him my big news. Since then, he’d not so much as said a word, and I’d been trying my hardest to stay away from any news that involved him. I cannot do that if Hayley is about to tell me more about the Stawarskis.
But I can’t exactly say no, not when everyone already thinks I’m a big wussy. “Sure,” I say, forcing a mirthless smile.
“Good,” Hayley says, clapping her hands together. “I asked Danielle to write some articles about the Stawarskis, but she didn’t get your style.”
I nod, hardly surprised. Danielle does not quite know how to be overly critical of anything or anyone, even in her writing.
“But…” Hayley says, drawing my attention. “One of her articles did catch my attention. She tracked down Brandon Stawarski’s ex-girlfriend and tried to do a little stint where she made fun of how they met and how they broke up. But…”
But you were hoping I’d like to scour the internet for news of the guy who recently impregnated me along with the other women he’s been with in the past?
“Sure,” I say. Somehow, I would rather look through articles about Bran and his ex-partners than stand here with Hayley looking at me as though worried I’ll burst into tears. Also, digging into a different pit of despair might keep me distracted for a while.
I turn around and march out of her office before she can ask me again if I’m sure I’m feeling any better. There’s a sudden hush when I step back into the row of cubicles, and everyone is concentrating too fixedly on their job.
I suppress the urge to stand on one of the tables and scream, “STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE I'M CRAZY! I CRIED ONCE, GET OVER IT!” Instead, I hold my head high and stride towards my cubicle. It won't be long before my coworkers get over the fact that I'm capable of shedding tears.
However, my other problem isn't so easily resolved. A wave of despair washes over me as I look down at my still-flat stomach. With each passing day without any word from Bran, my anxiety grows into a tight knot in my chest. This is the first time in my life that I've been completely unsure of what to do, and I have no one to turn to for help. I'm certain Andrea would come to my defense if I confided in her, but I hesitate to do so.
I can’t let her know I had sex with Bran and had been stupid enough not to use protection. I can’t watch Andrea put things together in that maddening way she always does and realize that Imighthave feelings for Bran. I also can’t stand her trying to get me to admit my feelings to myself.
Despite everything that transpired between Brandon and me, I'm still grappling with how I feel about him. I'm torn between hating him and relying on him, as he's the only person in my life who has a direct stake in this and understands the potential fallout. However, I can't help but wish he had the decency to reach out to me.
My laptop interrupts my thoughts with an email from Hayley. “This is Danielle's article,” it reads. “See if you can fine-tune it or something.” I click on the article, feeling my despair intensify. There are bound to be numerous women on this list, but I'm convinced none of them were foolish enough to get pregnant by Bran. Furthermore, they must have actually dated him, not just had sex with him a few times and ended things abruptly.
