~ooo000ooo~
My phone rang while I was getting ready for bed, and Casey's name popped up on the caller ID. My heart raced, and I answered right away, a little jolt of fear and adrenaline pumping through my veins. She wasn't one to call – especially not late. So, seeing that he was calling me made me think something had happened.
“Casey?” I asked. “What's wrong? Are you alright?”
“I'm fine,” she said. “I just hadn't heard from you since our little run-in yesterday.”
“Yeah, I'm sorry,” I said, collapsing on my bed, a feeling of relief washing through me.
I usually checked in with her every single day, asking her if she had any news and just generally making sure she was okay.
“I've had a lot going on here at home, unfortunately,” I said. “How are you?”
“I'm good,” she said. “I took a test this morning, even though it's probably too early.”
“And?” I sat up on the bed.
If I'd thought my heart was racing before, it was really going now. If she were pregnant and Danielle was telling me the truth, I'd have two babies on the way. In that moment, I started to freak out about caring for two kids when I wasn't even sure I was ready to be a father. Especially not a single father.
“It was still negative,” she sighed. “I just keep hoping and praying this works.”
“Yeah, about that, Casey,” I said. “If this doesn't work, I guess we can hold off on trying for a bit.”
“Really?” she asked, sounding surprised. “Don't you need to hurry things along?”
I was torn. Danielle could be lying to me. If she was actually pregnant, the baby might not even be mine. Though she had a point earlier, if it were Adam's – or any chance it might be his – then he wouldn't have just sat there and let her claim it was mine. Not with so much at stake. Still didn't mean it wasn't someone else's, but she went as far as offering to let me talk to the other man. Maybe I'd just needed to accept that this child could actually be mine.
Before I could answer though, there was a knock at my door.
“Casey, I'll call you later,” I said, voice hushed.
“Okay...” she said, her voice trailing off.
She'd sounded hurt, and I wanted to ask her what was wrong, but whoever was on the other side of my door knocked again. I couldn't risk them hearing my conversation.
I hung up the phone and stood up. Crossing the room, I swung the door open, expecting my mother. Instead, I came face-to-face with Adam.
“Give me one good reason not to slam this door in your face,” I growled.
“Easy, brother,” he said, hands up and in a defensive pose. “I'm just coming by to apologize. I shouldn't have mentioned Casey at dinner, not with Danielle pregnant and all. Which, by the way, I just found out about tonight. So, I guess I have no choice but to concede the company to you then, right?”
His voice sounded too cheerful for him to be conceding.
“Why are you really here?” I asked.
“Just wanted to congratulate my brother,” he said. “Is that so wrong?”
I stared at him, waiting for the punchline. Waiting for the truth. Adam smirked and rolled his eyes.
“Fine. I guess I shouldn't congratulate you just yet,” he said. “We'll wait until the baby is born, because you never know what might happen, right? Especially since you have a side chick and all.”
“I don't have a side chick,” I said, my voice rising. “Goodnight, Adam.”
I shut the door before he could say anything else. I had nothing else to say to him, or anyone for that matter. I finished getting ready for bed, even though it was earlier than usual, and laid in bed for a long time, staring up at the ceiling, my mind a battlefield of conflicting thoughts and emotions.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CASEY