It took a minute to get through the fatigue, but Gabe’s eyes widened and he asked, “What? You and Chloe?”
“Not confirmed by a doc yet, but we’ll be doing that soon.”
“Holy shit!” he exclaimed, crossing to me with his arms out, “That’s terrific.”
I stood to give him a hug.
“That means our kids would be about the same difference as you and I. How cool,” Gabe said, stepping back with a huge smile on his face. Then he scrunched it up and surmised, “That would mean Chris has two half siblings, who are also half cousins…”
“Let’s not focus on that weird shit,” Dillon said, standing to join our little huddle. “Instead, cheers to Gabe’s beautiful little Evie, and here’s hoping that Reardon is next in line to be a daddy.”
He raised his glass and we both drank, then Gabe grabbed mine and knocked it back in celebration.
“Sorry to run out on you, but I gotta get back. Keep me posted, yeah?”
“I will, and Gabe, I don’t think Chloe’s told anyone yet. She’s a little freaked…”
“Freaked?” he asked, his face full of concern.
“I’ll fill you in later,” I promised. “Go.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight ~ Chloe
“Hey,” I said softly as I walked into the hospital room. “How are you?”
I’d spent the night tossing and turning as I replayed my outburst, Reardon’s reaction, and his final words. I felt guilty for unleashing on him the way I had, and flattered, yet saddened by his words.
“Good morning,” Zoey said, her eyes tired, but her face happy.
“Where are Evie and Gabe?”
“Oh, he’s giving her a bath in the nursery.”
I nodded and pulled u
p the seat next to her bed.
“Actually, I asked him to give us a few minutes so we could talk.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked, panic filling me at the thought of something being wrong with her or Evie.
“That’s what I want to know,” Zoey said, and her big brown eyes that were a reflection of my own pinned me with their gaze.
“What did he say?” I asked, anger filling me once again at the thought of Reardon telling my sister about the pregnancy before I had a chance to.
“Nothing,” she assured me. “But, Reardon told Gabe, who told me, that you were upset. I knew you’d used me having Evie as an excuse not to burden me with whatever is going on, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. Now, tell me.”
Unable to keep it from my sister any longer, I blurted, “I think I’m pregnant.”
Zoey’s mouth turned into an O and she shifted in her bed excitedly. I knew she’d jump up and down if she could.
“No,” I begged before she could start squealing, “don’t. I don’t know what I’m feeling yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, first I was scared, then angry, and now, I’m just embarrassed.”
“Embarrassed about what? You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”