The Reluctant Romantics Box Set (The Fall, The Mind, The Heart)

“Dallas, why in the hell are you taking a pregnancy test?”

“Because I am one hundred and fifty percent confident in my birth control, Rose. Why in the hell do you think I’m taking one?” I deadpanned.

“Oh, my God, Dallas, you’re kidding me!”

I watched my sister hyperventilate as I grabbed the test and let out a long, loud breath. “Negative, thank God. No more sex, ever.”

Rose, who was my favorite person on the earth, hugged me with her whole being while I was still on the toilet. Only Rose, I mused and hugged her back. She pulled away and crossed her arms. “Why would you do this at Mom and Dad’s?”

“I was feeling sick earlier and I thought maybe…I don’t know. I had to know.” Keeping my head down, I washed my hands as she eyed me. I didn’t want to tell her how insanely terrified I was at the possibility of a baby.

“Would you have been happy if it had been positive?”

“No.” I was quick with my answer. It came easily. “I don’t even know if I want kids at all. That is so far away from now as far as I’m concerned. We are so close to starting our practice. It would have been a disaster.”

She glanced at me briefly as she tossed the test in the trash. “If it’d been positive, I would’ve started it. The practice will be ours, anyway,” she said confidently.

I felt a pang of anger at the thought. “Rose, I want to be the one to start it, you know that. Besides, you have years before you’ll be able to fully join me. It would delay everything.”

“Did Josh know you were taking the test?”

“No, and I won’t tell him. He has been pressuring me to move in, and now I’m even more convinced that I don’t want to set up house.” I sighed, holding my hands palms up in the air.

“Do you love him?” She looked up at me expectantly, and I couldn’t help but notice the subtle changes in her features. Rose had gone from a tall, gangly ginger into a gorgeous, auburn, classic beauty. With a heart-shaped face and beautiful green eyes, she was by far the prettier of the two of us, at least in my opinion. I weighed her words about my affection for Josh.

“Not like that. I mean, not yet. We’re good together. He’s so worth it and treats me so well.” It was the first time I had actually admitted it to myself. “Rose, we are so close to our dream and I almost screwed it up.” I exhaled in relief.

“The hell you did. Listen, Dallas, I really like Josh and I would’ve been thrilled to be an aunt. So while I’m relieved for you, I’m a bit disappointed,

as well. We’ve already given a ton of time and energy to our careers and they will be even more demanding when we open our practice. So enjoy your personal life too or before you know it we will be rich old maids with nothing to look forward to,” she warned. I raised my brow in response. “Says the girl who hasn’t dated in years.”

“I’m still in med school. There’s my excuse,” she offered quickly, dropping the subject and turning to walk out of the bathroom.

“Oh, no you don’t.” I tugged her arm, stopping her retreat so she was forced to face me. “You can’t keep hiding behind your books or school, either, Rose. David doesn’t deserve your faithfulness. It’s time you broke the seal.” David was Rose’s first and only love. She had dated him all through her first four years of college. Personally, I couldn’t stand him and told her every chance I got. It was no big surprise to me when he let her down in the worst way. Still, it was horrible watching her go through the break up.

“Drop it, Dallas. I’m fine,” she muttered, refusing to meet my eyes.

“He dates you for four years, doesn’t bother to put a ring on it, and then cheats and marries six months later. Yeah, I’ll drop it. I’m pretty sure your vagina’s mourning period was over long ago.”

“You are such a dude, Dallas,” she said, shaking her head back and forth with a grin.

“No, I think like one. It’s much easier, I promise,” I reminded her. “Come on, let’s quit this feelings fest. I’m starving.”

We hurried downstairs to find my parents in their usual kitchen standoff. They were both in their sixties and acted absolutely nothing like the little old people they were becoming. I think that was what I loved about them most.

“Seth, stop it, damn you! This is a pan seared fish, not flambé!” My mother shrieked as she shook her head at my father who was standing at the stove. She held out her hand for the spatula, which he refused to give. “Laura, I have got this! Go set the table or something.”

She glared at his back as she continued. “I bought the shit to make it. I planned this dinner. Our babies probably desperately need a home cooked meal and you are burning it!”

“Baby, I love you, but would you please shut the hell up?” He chuckled, digging the spatula in the pan as he tried desperately to hide the fact that he couldn’t separate the burnt fish from it enough to turn it over.

“Damn stubborn ass man, I swear I have never—” She spotted me at the foot of the stairs. “Dallas, come here, baby. Tell your father the fish is burnt!”

“Hey, Daddy.” I smiled at him as I walked over to glance over his shoulder at the fish he had so clearly burnt. “It’s okay, really. I like my fish extra crispy.”

“Hey, angel.” He greeted me with his usual bear hug then kissed my cheek. I had to rip myself out of his hug the way I always did. My mother grabbed a couple of casserole dishes, set them on the table, and ushered for us to sit.

“Anything new going on with you two?” she questioned, looking between Rose and me.