“I caught Levi and Ellie whispering about it and made them tell me.”
Anyone who’s known my brother longer than thirty seconds could guess this would be his reaction to the news, but I guess it was bound to come out eventually. I play it cool. “I thought you were on board with me having a baby?”
“I support you becoming a mom because that’s what you want. That motherfucker is taking advantage of you just so he can get you in bed.”
“It’s not like that,” I say.
Molly’s gaze ping-pongs between us, her eyebrows climbing higher with every exchange.
“This is exactly why I flipped out when I saw him in bed with you the other day,” Colton growls. “I knew you wanted a baby, and there he was, so conveniently.”
I roll my eyes. Molly looks half horrified and half fascinated. “He wasn’t in bed with me,” I explain. “He was sitting on the edge of my bed.”
“Not the most effective way to get a woman pregnant,” Molly mutters.
“I felt it in my gut when I saw him there,” Colton says. “I knew he was going to use your wish for a baby to get you in bed. You know he’s always wanted you, Ava.”
“That’s not true.” The pull of longing that thought brings with it makes me squeeze my eyes shut for a beat. I worked so hard to get my feelings for Jake in check. It hasn’t been an issue for years, but suddenly they’re flooding back like they never left. “Jake doesn’t want me. That’s not what this is about.”
For the first time since Colton walked in the door, Molly returns her gaze to the book she was reading.
“He’s just helping me,” I whisper. I don’t want to have this conversation in front of Molly. Hell, I don’t want to have it at all.
“Helping,” Colton says. “Meaning he screws you and then goes on about his business while you raise a baby alone?”
“He hasn’t screwed me at all, Colt,” I blurt, and for this I get another look from Molly. “He’s . . .” What? Taking it slow? What am I going to tell my brother? Don’t worry, bro. Jake is going to make sure I’m hot for him before he fucks me. I’m pretty sure this would only make Jake look worse in Colton’s eyes.
“But Ellie said—”
“Yeah, well, Ellie should have kept her mouth shut.” I take a breath. “Colton, relax. I’m not a little girl. Jake is helping me out. We’re giving this a shot before I spend my savings on fertility treatments.”
“Yeah, real selfless of him,” he mutters.
“You’re the one who told me I should go after what I want.”
He folds his arms. “I thought you were taking the more clinical approach. I don’t like this. It feels sleazy.”
I squeak in my exasperation. “If anything, I’m taking advantage of him.”
He threads his fingers through his hair. “Fuck.”
Convinced he’s no longer determined to bloody Jake’s face, I turn my attention to my stepsister. “Molly, please don’t say anything to Jill and Dad.”
“So you and Jake aren’t . . . together?”
I shake my head. “He really is just my friend.” My friend who sucked my fingers and whispered dirty words into my ear. My friend who put ideas so hot in my head that I was aching in my sheets last night.
“He’s going to get you pregnant,” she says slowly, measuring the words. “Like, as a favor?”
“It sounds stupid, but it’s not a big deal.”
“If he’s sleeping with you, it’s a big fucking deal,” Colton says.
“If you have a baby together, it’s a big deal,” Molly says, her words a little sharper than before.
“I don’t want to talk about this with you two.” My phone rings, clattering against the end table as it vibrates, and I’m so grateful for the interruption that I snatch it up. I recognize the Florida area code and swipe to accept the call. “Hello, this is Ava.”
“Ava! It’s Penelope. I’m sorry to bother you again. I wanted to let you know that I emailed over the paperwork with the job description and some details about the school. I hope you’ll look it over and let me know a good time for us to bring you down for an official interview.”