Ride Her Hard (The Hard Boys 1)

She chuckled. “You’re always giving me a pep talk. Have you noticed that?” she asked, looking back at him.

“I am?”

“Yeah, you have a lot of faith and belief in me. It’s nice and I really do love being with you, James. Thank you.” She kissed his lips and again, the moment was lost for him to tell her exactly what he felt.

****

Aunt Betty held Eliza’s hair back as she vomited in the toilet. At least it wasn’t on the shop floor. She was getting perfect aim now.

“It’s okay, honey.”

“Maybe the chicken was off. Or the coffee. I’m not sure. I don’t think you should eat it.”

“Honey, I think you need to realize that this isn’t down to the food or the coffee.”

Eliza splashed cold water on her face. Her aunt already was taking a step back and letting go of her hair.

“Then what is it?” she asked. She felt awful. Even worse than awful. The stomach bug hadn’t gone away but it didn’t linger either.

“You and I both know what it is.”

“Look, I thought I could be pregnant. I was late but I still had a period.”

“No, you had a bit of spotting. Even you told me that yourself. I think it’s time you realize you’ve got to go and take a test.”

A pregnancy test. She’d been planning on taking one when her period, her exceedingly light and unusually short period, started. She hated this. “I’m not pregnant.”

“Eliza, we’ve already had this talk. You said so yourself that you and James weren’t safe your first time. Now, I’m not mad, I’m not even disappointed, but you’ve got to be honest with me and with yourself.”

She pouted. “I’ve got to go and take the test, don’t I?”

“You do. And if you go and buy it, we can, you can know. I can call Lilly. We can take it all together.”

She nodded her head. “The pharmacy. They’ll tell everyone.”

“Eliza, just go and get a test and if you have to, tell them it’s for me.”

“Aunt Betty.”

“I’m still a woman in my prime. Don’t even think of starting with me right now.”

She rolled her eyes but left the shop, taking some cash as she walked down the street, heading toward the pharmacy sign. This was bad. Really, really, bad.

Her stomach was in knots. The fact she had to bring toothpaste and a brush to work was just … ridiculous because she was vomiting.

Entering the pharmacy, she ignored the people who were there. One was a mom, another an older woman. Only two people and already she felt like she was being judged in the worst possible way.

It’s just a pregnancy test.

There were so many to choose from.

Accuracy was really a big deal and as she looked over the prices, she really wanted to vomit again.

It’s fine. It’s all going to be fine.

Deep down, she knew it wasn’t going to be fine, not until she paid for a test and got this all over with.

Picking the one that promised the most accuracy, she took it to the counter.

“Is this good news or bad news?” the woman behind the counter asked.

Eliza merely stared at her. The truth was, she didn’t have the first freaking clue what kind of news it could possibly be. Was there even a chance this could be good news? Again, she didn’t know. She was royally fucked.

With the test in hand, she walked back toward the florist store, only to come to a stop when she caught Caleb climbing out of a bedroom window. His shirt open, and his jeans unzipped.

“This isn’t a good look for you,” she said as he came toward her.

“Just talk to me.”

“Why do you want to talk to me?”

“I needed to get out of there. I was too drunk to get home and I ended up at Cynthia’s place.”

“So?”

“You know Cynthia. She likes to think she’s in love with me. She removed all of my clothing, determined to wash it all.”

“Did you sleep with her?”

“Hell, no. I wouldn’t even give her the chance to think it was an option. I’m not a total fucking idiot.”

She raised her brow.

“Okay, so I do fuck up from time to time, but that’s like … I wouldn’t dream of even giving Cynthia the idea that we could be together. Okay?”

“That’s all on you. Not on me. You’re just upholding your Hard boy image. Don’t worry about me.”

“What’s this?” Caleb asked, grabbing her hand.

Of course she’d forgotten to get it in a bag. She hadn’t anticipated seeing Caleb.

“My aunt asked me to get it for her.” The lie spilled from her lips but it wasn’t easy. Nope. Her cheeks were on fire and she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole.

“Eliza?”

“Hey, Eliza, Aunt Betty called me,” Lilly said, coming toward them. During the night, she worked at the bar, and through the day, she helped out at the library. She kept herself busy, and Eliza had come to the conclusion that Lilly didn’t like to be lonely.