Secretly Hers (Sterling Canyon)(60)
Emma sat on the edge of Kelsey’s cushioned outdoor chaise. “That’s true. I ate everything you did yesterday and I feel great.”
“I’ll be fine with a little more water and some sun.” Kelsey chugged the rest of the water and stood up. “Let’s hit the pool before our spa appointments.”
“Sounds good to me.” Avery led them through the sliders and back inside the grand villa, with its stucco walls, oversize furnishings, and Mexican pottery. She grabbed the stack of plush beach towels provided by the hotel. “All set.”
Although eager to return to the tiered, infinity-edge pool overlooking the sea, another wave of nausea roiled in Kelsey’s stomach. “Hang on a second. I need to find my sunglasses.”
As Emma and Avery began gathering their beach bags and books, Kelsey trotted to her bathroom and fell to her knees in front of the toilet. She didn’t know which was worse, throwing up or suffering nausea without the relief of throwing up.
After a minute, she gave up and went to the vanity to grab sunscreen and sunglasses. As she fished through the drawer where she’d stashed all her toiletries, she came across her unopened box of tampons. Technically, she should’ve finished her period before this trip, but it still hadn’t started.
Her stomach gurgled again and, wide-eyed, she glanced at the toilet as if in slow motion.
Oh. No. Way.
No way!
The unopened blue box taunted her from inside the drawer. She wiped the thin line of perspiration from her forehead and retrieved the box. Grabbing her stomach in awe and wonder, her mind fought against the most reasonable explanation for her nausea and those unused tampons.
She and Trip had been careful—except when they hadn’t been. There had been that one spontaneous night when he’d come unprepared and then stayed until dawn. Twice they’d had sex without protection. But he’d been careful to pull out at the crucial moments. So how did this happen, if, in fact, this had happened?
Dazedly, she wandered into the bedroom and collapsed on the edge of her unmade bed, all the while staring at the tampon box.
Could she even get a pregnancy test down here? Maybe she should she wait until she got home. Yeah, right. Like she could wait another forty-eight hours to find out if she was pregnant. An involuntary shiver passed through her body.
Oh, God. She might be pregnant. A mother-to-be.
A dream come true, except not like this. Not before marriage. Not by a man who didn’t love her.
“Kelsey, is everything okay?” Avery called out from the living room.
Tears sprang to Kelsey’s eyes. How could she have let this happen? How would she tell her friends? And why on earth was some part of her thrilled by the idea even though she knew Trip would rather kiss his brother’s ass than become a father?
A light rap at the door startled her just before Emma popped her head in. “Let’s go!” Emma’s smile faded the instant she saw Kelsey. Her forehead creased and she rushed across the room. “What’s wrong, Kels?”
Words wouldn’t come out, so Kelsey held up the unopened box of tampons and wiped her eyes.
Emma studied the box and turned her confused expression on Kelsey. “I don’t get it. Why are you crying about a box of tampons?”
Avery wandered into the room at that point, eyeing them and listening.
“A box of unopened tampons,” Kelsey corrected, mumbling through her tears.
Emma remained perplexed, but Avery gasped. “Oh, no.”
Kelsey nodded, sniffling. “I might be pregnant.”
“Oh!” Emma dropped the box and covered her mouth with both hands.
“That damn idiot!” Avery barked. “First the big fight in town and now this?”
Kelsey held up her hand. “Stop, Ave. It takes two. Trip didn’t force me into anything I didn’t want to do.”
“You and Trip are having a baby?” Emma started pacing in small circles, muttering, “A baby.”
Avery walked over to sit beside Kelsey. She hesitated, then brushed Kelsey’s hair off her shoulder. “We don’t know anything for sure, yet.” She placed one hand on Kelsey’s thigh and gave a reassuring squeeze. “You’ve been under a lot of stress, which could delay your period. And you wouldn’t be the first person to get queasy in Mexico.”
Kelsey nodded, unsure which option she hoped was true. “You’re right. It could be both of those things.”
“Do you want to get a pregnancy test, or would you rather wait until you get back home?” Emma asked once she’d stopped pacing.