Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
“Thanks, Shan.” I rest my head on her shoulder, a tear escaping my left eye. But this time, it’s a happy tear. “I’m so scared. The father doesn’t want to acknowledge the baby. I must consider how I will raise a child alone.”
“You have me. And your family.” She smiles so wide it reaches her big, blue eyes. “You’ll have our sisters who will love spoiling the baby growing in your belly. We have your back, girl. You might feel alone right now because of how Trent reacted, but you will never be alone. And I can promise you Trent will come around. He’s in a state of shock. Give him a few days to process everything, and I bet he will apologize for being a jerk.”
“Yeah.” I sigh. “I’m sure he will. But it would have been nice to get a better reaction from him. I know he’s scared, but so am I, and I can’t do this without him. Our child needs a father.”
Shannon hooks her arm through mine and leads me down the block toward my dormitory on the other side of Broad Street. “He will be there for you. Don’t worry. And if he doesn’t, I will kick his ass into next year.” Shannon chuckles. “So will Jamie and all of his friends.”
“Please don’t tell Jamie,” I interject. “I’d rather keep this information to a few people for now.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. But Trent probably told his teammates by now.” I frown, and she adds, “Don’t worry. They keep things in the family. And now you’re part of their weird-ass family.”
I laugh. “Not quite.”
“You will be. So will your baby. They might act like dicks most of the time, but they’re good guys. Your baby will never want for another thing ever again.”
“I don’t need money,” I admit. “At least not from Trent and his family.”
“Right. I forgot you’re a rich girl.” Shannon chuckles. “But you and Jordan never act like it.”
I shrug. “It’s my dad’s money, not mine.”
“Have you told your family yet?”
“Only Jordan. I’m not looking forward to telling my dad I’m pregnant. The news will break his heart.”
We cross the street at the light, passing a group of frat guys I met at one of the Delta Sig parties. Shannon waves to them, and I nod.
Shannon lowers her voice to an almost whisper so no one can overhear our conversation. “It might feel like the end of the world to you, but trust me, everything will work out. Your dad will not turn you away because you’re pregnant. And Trent will beg you to take him back in no time.”
I snort. “He better grovel when he does.”
As if his ears were ringing, Trent stumbles out the front door. Relief washes over his handsome face when his eyes meet mine. “Jem,” he breathes. “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean anything I said.”
“It took you long enough,” Shannon interjects.
“Stay out of this, Shannon,” he snaps. “This is between Jemma and me.”
“Trent,” I groan.
“Sorry, Shannon, but can I have a few minutes alone with my girlfriend?”
Shannon looks to me for confirmation, and I nod in answer. She squeezes my shoulder and heads into the house.
Trent closes the distance between us, his hand extended. I slip my fingers between his, and he molds my body against his. “I love you,” he says against my lips. “I wasn’t planning to tell you right after… this. But that’s how I feel. I love you, Jemma with a J. You’ve had me wrapped around your finger from the second we met. No matter what happens, I’m here for you, okay? We’ll get through this together.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “I love you, too.”
“Again, I’m sorry, baby. I couldn’t process what you were telling me. It was like I had a concussion and couldn’t concentrate. Nothing you said made any sense to me… except for you and me. We make sense. And I can’t lose you.”
I stand on my tiptoes to kiss his lips. “You have me… and this baby.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jemma
Trent walks with me to the health center on campus. He grips my hand tighter as we walk down the long hallway. We haven’t spoken more than a few words, both of us so nervous we can’t think straight.
He opens the doctor’s door, and I suck in a deep breath.
This is it.
The moment of truth.
A few days ago, Trent sat beside me while the nurse drew my blood. The smell and sight of my blood turned my stomach. My sense of smell and taste is so heightened I feel like I’m a vampire. Except for the vomiting, which I seem to do a lot lately.
“After you,” Trent says as he holds open the door for me.
I step into the crowded clinic. Most of the chairs are occupied by students, some of whom look like they’ve been to hell and back again. Snotty tissues are on the table before a blond girl with blotchy cheeks and puffy eyes. A boy a few chairs over from her sneezes uncontrollably into his hands.