Addy And The Smart Guy (Big Girl Panties #3) (15 page)

Grey became way too disgusted with himself so that by ten o'clock—way too late to be lying around in bed—he flung his legs over the edge and forced himself to his feet. He dragged those feet, weighted down by sadness like lead shoes, into the bathroom and forced himself to shave. He was not going to be one of those unshaven wallowers in self-pity. No, if he was going to wallow in self-pity, he was going to look his best, dammit.

The t-shirt was slung over his shoulder as he rinsed his smooth face and toweled it off. He looked at the shower and decided it was too much effort. In the kitchen he turned on the coffee pot and stood there watching it drip full. Oddly, he found the moment comforting, letting his mind go blank as the coffee pot gurgled and steamed.
 

He poured himself a cup and sat at the kitchen table with his laptop. There were papers to be graded, forum posts to be checked, emails to be answered. He opened his email program first and scrolled through the new messages until he saw one from Dean Richter, marked URGENT. He opened the email and felt the coffee burning his stomach lining.

Greyson, have you seen this?

www.gwenmorrisspeaksout.com
 

I think we should meet. Be at my office at one this afternoon.
 

Erika Richter

With a sinking dread in his gut, he clicked the link. The header had a photo of perky Gwen Morris. The content made Grey sick. She went on at length accusing him of attempting to get her to sleep with him for a grade. Then she posted an "update" informing her audience of Addison's relationship with Grey. She ended by inviting other girls to come forward, so that Grey was relying on the hope that he hadn't pissed off any other vengeful, teenage girls in recent years.

He wasn't shocked. After Tuesday, it had only been a matter of time before it got around that he'd kissed Addison. At the moment, Gwen was painting Addison as a victim, which was at least some relief. It would go over better for Addison with the thesis committee if it looked as though she was coerced rather than complicit. She might be able to muster enough sympathy to get her thesis accepted.

Grey sat back and blew out a breath. This was it, then. There was no avoiding disaster. Gwen had made Youtube videos that had thousands of views. Her Facebook page was loaded with hundreds upon hundreds of comments. Grey had no doubt that the school was being inundated with phone calls by concerned parents.
 

"Shit," he muttered. He clutched the t-shirt to his chest. He felt sick. Dirty. The thing with Addison was supposed to be beautiful. Now it would be tainted by one vindictive little bitch.
 

He went back to his room for his phone, intending to call Addison. He ended up holding it in his hand and staring at it. Perhaps he should wait until after the meeting with the dean. He needed to find out how serious this was. Besides, she was having a fun weekend with her friends. He didn't want to ruin it.

Saturday morning dawned way too bright and early. Addy dragged a pillow over her face. Her head felt stuffed with cotton. There was a leg on her leg and someone was asleep on her hair, so that when she tried to turn over, she was jerked back with a sharp pain.

"One of you was s'posed to sleep on the couch," she groaned.

"Your bed's so big," Maya sighed.

"I'm not on the couch?" Zoey asked.

"Maybe we had too much wine." Addy would have stayed in bed forever if she didn't have to visit the bathroom.
 

She climbed over Zoey and went to the bathroom. She splashed water on her face and brushed her teeth before going to the kitchen to drink about a gallon of water. She revved up the coffee pot, throwing in an extra scoop.

"Hey, you guys wanna go out for breakfast!" she shouted. As she turned back toward the bedroom she ran into Zoey whose hands were over her ears.

"Jesus fuck, what the hell, Addy?"

"Sorry, I thought you were back in bed."

"God. Out of my way, bitch, I need water."

Addy shoved past her, and fell onto the sofa to await the coffee. Maya came in, perky and refreshed. She grabbed a glass of water and plopped down on the sofa.

"How are you not hung over?" Addy asked, as she propped her feet in Maya's lap.

"I didn't drink."

"What? Why?"

Maya just shrugged.

With a sigh, Addy let her eyes drift shut. "Anyway, thank you guys for staying over. I really needed that."

"You're welcome," Maya said.
 

"There's a cute little café a few blocks away," Addy said. "I'll take ya'll out to breakfast if you want."

"I want," Maya said.
 

Zoey curled up in an armchair. "Yeah. But coffee first, or someone might die. Probably Maya because she looks way too cute right now."

Maya flipped her off, which caused Zoey to gape in astonishment.

They had their coffee, dressed, and found the café, where they sat down with yet more coffee accompanied by pastries. Addy tore off a piece of a very delicate croissant.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw 'mom' on the screen. "Not now, Mom," she said, pocketing the phone. It rang once more, but nothing after that.

"Hey, how are we getting back home?" Maya asked.

Addy snorted. "Honestly, I'm surprised Jayce didn't spend the night outside the apartment door."

"Me, too," Maya said.

"I'll take you home," Addy said. "Maybe I'll stay the weekend. I'm kind of over St. Louis, right now."

"Great," Maya said. "Because there's something I need to tell you guys, and…and it would be really great to get to be together for a while."

Addy and Zoey looked at each other.

"What is it, babe?" Zoey asked, having taken up Jayce's name for her.

"Yeah, babe, what is it?" Addy asked.

She slugged them both in the shoulder. "It's nothing. I don't think. I'm just…I'm two days late."

Addy and Zoey gasped.

Maya held her hands up in a 'calm-down' gesture. "It's not unusual. I mean, it hasn't happened in a while, but still, two days isn't that bad. I'd just feel better taking a pregnancy test, so maybe we can stop by a drugstore—"

"We'll go now," Zoey said, standing and gathering her plate. "Come on."

"Relax," Addy said. "We're going to finish our breakfast, then go back to my place so I can pack an overnight bag. Then we'll stop by a drugstore on the way back to Maya's, okay?"

Zoey wore a pouty face, but she managed to calm down. They did exactly as Addy suggested. Maya grabbed a three-pack of pregnancy tests at a little drug store in St. Claire. They went back to Maya's house, which used to be Zoey's house before she moved in with Kellen.

Addy had made one, slight miscalculation. She'd forgotten that Jayce, whose job didn't start until three o'clock, would be there with the kids. He'd built a sheet fort with them in the living room. Addy's chest tightened at the sight. Such wholesome fun for them, but she had a much less wholesome memory linked to a sheet fort.
 

Last week seemed like years ago. Grey had been a different person in that place. He'd touched her and taken her as though he owned her space. He'd been unapologetic and demanding. She'd been equally so. How had they managed to cut themselves off so easily? The love was still there, but except for one near-death kissing incident, they'd kept their hands to themselves.

"Hey, ladies," Jayce said, crawling out of the sheet fort.
 

Maya held her arms open to him, the paper bag from the drug store in one hand. She hugged and kissed him. "When did you get the kids back?"

"This morning. I took Kellen with me. Lois hates letting me have them back if he's not there."
 

"She'll get used to it."

Jayce stepped back and held her wrist up, with the paper bag dangling from her hand. "What's this? You sick?"

"No, it's nothing," she said.

His expression immediately went blank. He didn't like being put off. "You okay, babe?"

"I'm wonderful. Perfectly healthy. Just girl stuff."

His eyes narrowed slightly, and he turned his penetrating gaze to Zoey and Addy. Zoey lifted her chin defiantly. Addy looked around her, trying to find something of interest to change the subject with.

"Come on, girls," Maya said, and led them back to the master bedroom which had its own bathroom.

"Maya," Jayce called after her, "if that's a pregnancy test, I've got a right to know."

Maya froze and turned to face him. "It's a pregnancy test. But it's just to confirm that I'm not pregnant, okay? Nothing to get excited about."

His eyebrows were up, his eyes intent on her.
 

"Yeah," Zoey said. "I'm going to take one, too. It's fun. An adrenaline rush like Russian roulette or something."

Jayce didn't look convinced. "I need you to know I'll take care of you no matter what. I want this with you someday, and if that day is nine months from now, I'm ready. Okay?"

Maya sighed. "Jayce, I know. I trust you. I love you. But I just didn't want to tell you because I don't want you to be disappointed."

"You think I'd be disappointed to have a baby with you?"

"No, I think you'll be disappointed to find out I'm not pregnant."

He didn't say anything to this, since it was likely true. Maya turned and led them back to the bedroom, shutting the door behind them.
 

With shaking hands, she ripped open the package and stared at it. "God, I'm not ready for this."

"Knowing's better than not. I'll go first," Zoey said, grabbing a stick and taking it into the bathroom.

"She's crazy," Maya said.

"She's right, though," Addy said. "Just the thought of peeing on one of those things and waiting three minutes for the results makes my heart-rate skyrocket."

Maya handed one to her. Addy put her hands in the air. "No way," she said.

"Come on," Maya said. "Solidarity. Do it for me."

Addy gave her a look, but then sighed. "Okay. You got a marker or something, so we can label these with our initials?"

There was a small desk in the corner. Maya picked up a Sharpie and wrote an 'M' on the cap of her test. Addy wrote her initial on hers. Zoey came out, breezy as could be, like she hadn't just done something utterly terrifying.

"Go on, Maya," Addy said.

Maya took a breath and entered the bathroom. Zoey hopped on the bed and grabbed a magazine off the nightstand. "Not concerned at all, are you?" Addy asked.

"She'll be fine. Honestly, how much do you want to see Jayce as a daddy?"

Addy found herself smiling. "I do, but not at Maya's expense. She needs this time to find herself. We forget that Damon was only three months ago. She's still got a long ways to go."

Maya came out, looking pale. "Your turn," she said.

Addy rolled her eyes and went in. There were two, used pregnancy tests on the counter, side-by-side. By the time Addy finished, Zoey's would be ready to read. Addy wanted to sneak a peek, but she forced herself not to.

She peed on the stick, capped it, and sat it next to Maya's. After washing her hands, she opened the door. "Zoey, you're up."

Zoey hopped off the bed, leaned over her stick, and shrugged. "Negative. No bun in the oven. Maya?"

"I've still got a minute left on mine," Maya said. She was hovering on the far wall, as far as she could get from the bathroom.
 

"Poor baby," Addy said, going to her and taking her in her arms. "Come on." She slowly walked her over to the bathroom. "Don't forget to breathe, I don't want you passing out."

Maya finally made it to the bathroom and leaned over the sticks. Addy stood back and waited. Maya gasped and gripped the doorframe for support. "Oh, my God."

Addy exhaled. "Maya, you've got a good man who will love and support—"

"I'm not pregnant," Maya said. Then she turned and stared in horror at Addy.
 

"What is it?" Addy asked.

Zoey rushed past them both into the bathroom. Then she barked an incredulous laugh. "Oh, my God."

"What?" Addy shrieked. She shoved Zoey aside and stared in horror at the little pink plus sign on her stick. It was faint, but it was there. "No," Addy whispered. "No, that's not possible. Must be a faulty test."

"Do you have any idea how rare that is?" Zoey asked.

"You have to take another one," Maya said.

Addy was shaking her head. "No. No, I'm not pregnant. It's not possible. Besides, I'm five days from my period…it couldn't pick up the hormones that soon."

"Maybe that's why it's so faint," Zoey said.

"I'll send Jayce out for another test," Maya said.

Addy stared at the test, stunned into silence. She listened as Maya delivered the news to a definitely disappointed Jayce and then sent him to the drugstore for another test. Zoey went to the kitchen and came back with a glass of water for Addy, who downed it not because she needed to get ready for another test, but because her throat was suddenly parched.

Fifteen minutes later, Jayce arrived. Addy was huddled on the bed between her friends. She took the test from Jayce, the moment utterly surreal. She went back into the bathroom to try again. This time she stayed in the bathroom with the door closed and watched the second hand on her watch tick by. After three minutes, she looked at the stick.
 

Positive.

She gripped the counter, dropped her head, and said, "Fuck." It took her a couple minutes to get herself composed, and then she went back out. Three faces turned to her. "Positive," she said.
 

She didn't realize her legs had given up until Jayce lunged toward her and caught her under her arms. He lifted her, carrying her to the bed. She was dizzy and nauseous, but it had nothing to do with the physical pregnancy. She simply couldn't wrap her mind around a reality in which she'd been knocked up during an illicit affair with her professor who didn't love her.

"God, why?" she groaned. "I do one bad thing. Why couldn't I get away with one bad thing?"

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Grey walked into Erika Richter's office with his head held as high as he could possibly manage it. He was dressed casually, in jeans and that t-shirt, because he'd lost track of time and hadn't had time to change.