Adam turned green. "Shit! That's right. But still, it's not mine."
"Well, it sure as hell isn't mine," Shade said. "I already have one!"
"That doesn't matter. Having one does not decrease your odds of having another," Gabe said.
Owen looked at Gabe. His last hope.
"I only came in her mouth," Gabe said. "Adam and Tex were taking turns and she was sucking me and … Wait … I was drunk. Don't remember everything I did. But I always wear protection. Always." Gabe blinked hard and turned his green-eyed gaze to the floor. "It's not mine."
"Was Tex wearing a condom?"
"Yes, we all used protection, Owen," Shade said, "so it must be yours. Or Kellen's."
"Kellen didn't even penetrate her. And I know I was protected. I didn't even drink that night, so I clearly remember everything I did."
"This is the worst episode of Jerry Springer ever," Adam said.
Owen laughed so he wouldn't start crying.
"You were all careful," Lindsey said. "Condoms are not one hundred percent fail proof, you know."
"Seriously?" Owen asked. She must have poked holes in their condoms hoping to get pregnant and make herself some bank off a group of idiotic rock stars just having a good time one Christmas Eve. They'd joked about it how many times? And now it had come to fruition.
"You don't think I wanted to get pregnant, do you?" Lindsey said, emotions going from distress to anger like a switch had been flipped. "I had plans for my life! Now I'm knocked up, homeless, and considered a whore by my entire family. I wouldn't have even come to ask for help if I had a choice."
Owen looked imploringly at each member of the band and realized that even if the baby wasn't his, he was going to be the one who took care of this. Why? Because he was a sucker. Or nice. Or something.
"She's not coming on tour with us," Shade said. "Put her in a hotel until after our show tomorrow night and then we'll figure out something more permanent."
Their driver, Tex, announced his arrival on the bus with a loud belch. "Y'all ready to hit the road? Where's Kellen?"
"Kellen will meet us in Beaumont tomorrow night," Owen said. "And no, we're not quite ready to go. We have a bit of a problem."
Owen shifted his position so he wasn't blocking Lindsey from Tex's view. Tex smiled when he recognized her. "Oh hey, honey, back for some more Texas-sized lovin'?" He wriggled his eyebrows and adjusted himself in the crotch of his pants.
Lindsey burst into tears again.
"What?" Tex said. "Hey, now, you didn't complain the last time. Begged for more."
Owen cringed and shook his head, hoping to get Tex to shut his big mouth.
"Did you remember to use protection that night, Tex?" Shade asked.
"What? 'Course I did. Don't know where these loose groupie girls have been, you know? Gotta protect Big Hoss. Wouldn't want him to catch nuthin'."
Lindsey swayed sideways, and Owen grabbed her before she collapsed. "You okay?" he asked.
She leaned heavily on him, clinging to his arm for balance. "I think so. I feel a little dizzy."
And who could blame her? He felt a little dizzy too.
"What's this all about?" Tex asked. "Y'all are acting kinda strange."
"You're going to be a father, Tex," Adam said. "Well, one of you are. It isn't mine."
"We'll figure out who the father is when the time comes," Gabe said. "Just shut up about it for now. You shouldn't get a pregnant woman emotionally upset. It can harm the baby. Owen, help her sit down."
But if she sat down, that meant she'd be staying.
"What?" Tex said. "She's pregnant?"
"Just over six months pregnant," Owen said. "Which correlates to-"
"The Christmas Eve fuck-fest!" Tex interrupted. His eyes widened as one and one made three. "I swear it isn't mine."
Lindsey flinched as if someone had slapped her. Now that his initial shock had receded a bit, Owen started to imagine what it must feel like to be her. To become pregnant while having a bit of sexy fun-which he did all the time, so he couldn't judge her for it-and not know who had fathered the child. How would it feel to be ostracized by your family for making a mistake and have no one to turn to? He wouldn't want to be in her shoes. But he could help her. Even if the baby wasn't his. And he prayed to God it wasn't his. He didn't want to be a father but at the same time, he didn't want harm to come to the child. It wasn't the baby's fault that no one wanted him.