Sin City Baby

CHAPTER 28

SAM

“Hey! This is Lauren. Leave a message. Unless you’ve already called. In which case, leave me alone. I’ll call you back when I’m ready.”

A voice message that always used to make me laugh now had me worried. Lauren wasn’t answering my calls or returning my text messages. I saw the irony of it all. Me avoiding the guys that way only for my best friend to turn around and do the same damn thing. And it sucked. It was why I’d agreed to stop doing it to the guys.

I missed my best friend.

I wanted to know how her honeymoon was going.

Hell, I wanted to know if we were still friends.

I closed my eyes and let silent tears trickle down my face. Lauren was the person who was there for me through everything. Through middle school and braces. Through high school and failed crushes. She was the first person I called when I was kissed. The person I called when I lost my virginity. The person I talked to at three in the morning if I couldn’t sleep. Hell, she was there when I found out I was pregnant.

And now she wouldn't even talk to me.

My arm curled around my stomach, and the tears stopped. Even though I couldn’t feel anything yet, I knew it was there. My baby. Growing within me and receiving nourishment. With as much chaos as Vegas had brought into my life, I would never regret it. I knew Lauren wanted to hear that. Hear me grovel and beg her for forgiveness. She wanted me to tell her how big of a mistake I’d made and how it would never happen again. But she would never get that.

Because it wasn’t true.

I could never regret what happened because this child was conceived out of l

ove. Even though I had no idea who the father was, I cared for all of the Anderson men. I respected them. Cherished their friendship and the memories we’d all made together over the years. I’d enjoyed our time together in Vegas, and I’d enjoyed that night that changed everything. And I enjoyed the time I spent alone with each of them.

Sex or no sex. As ashamed as I’d been in the beginning, I now saw that it couldn’t really have been any other way.

I rolled over onto my side and closed my eyes. I’d seen new sides to each of them I’d never known before. With the news of my being pregnant, all of them had been revealing parts of their personality I would’ve never thought existed. Levi with his distant protection and Liam with his constant reassurance. Logan with his fierce passion and Luke with his gentle, caring nature that still held strength that I’d seen when Lauren barged into the hotel room.

All of it, different.

And all of it, somehow matching each of them perfectly.

I love them.

I’d known it for a while now, but finally really letting it sink in and reveling in it changed everything.

Tears crested the rims of my eyes and a smile broke across my face. I was in love with each and every one of the Anderson brothers. And oh, the happiness that coursed through my veins.

But before I could process my admission and how it made me feel, my phone rang. A familiar ringtone I hadn’t heard in almost two weeks. I rushed to my phone and picked it up, my heart slamming against my chest.

“Lauren?” I asked.

“I’m back,” she said.

I swallowed thickly as my hand settled back onto my stomach.

“Could we meet up?” I asked. “You know, get some coffee.”

“You can’t have coffee,” she said.

“Come on Lauren,” I pleaded.

Lauren sighed into the phone, and I braced myself for the rejection.

“Sure,” she said. “When?”

“Are you free now?” I asked.