And pregnant, she’s fucking pregnant . . . like, she’s carrying my baby.
A baby.
There is going to be a baby in my life.
Holy shit, I’m going to be a dad.
Slowly, I sink back into my chair and grip my hair tightly as all of this finally pierces through my thick skull.
Penny is pregnant, and I’m the father. I’m going to be in charge of another human.
There is no way in hell I’m ready for that.
That’s commitment.
That’s the type of responsibility I don’t think I ever wanted to take on.
“You know, before we make promises that we might not be able to keep, why don’t we just all take this information in, and then we can talk later,” Penny says softly.
“No,” Pacey says while righting his chair that he knocked over. “We’re going to sit down, and we’re going to talk about every goddamn thing Hornsby is going to do for you.”
“Uh, can I ask a question?” Posey says, holding his finger in the air. “Why exactly am I here, and do I have to stay? Because frankly, this is a really uncomfortable and awkward situation for me.”
“I’m so sorry,” Penny says. “I knew Pacey was going to react the way he did—”
“Because my best friend had sex with my sister when I specifically told him not to.”
“I didn’t do it out of spite,” I say. “I’ve fucking liked her for a while.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” he asks.
“I thought it would. She wasn’t some random to me.”
Pacey folds his arms now and turns toward me. “So you’re telling me you want to date my sister?”
Bile rises in my throat from the mere thought of dating someone. “No, I mean . . .” I look at Penny, who now is curling in on herself, which feels like a knife to my stomach. “Not that she isn’t great because you are,” I say to her now. “You’re amazing, and I’ve thought about that night so goddamn much—”
“I’m going to murder you,” Pacey says, lurching forward, but Posey saves me just in time, grabbing Pacey by the shoulders and settling him back in his chair.
“I think I’ll stay a bit longer,” Posey says quietly.
I let out a deep breath. “What I’m trying to say is that I enjoyed the night”—Pacey growls—“and, Jesus, calm down. I’m trying to tell her she’s not like other girls, but I’m just not into the dating and commitment thing.”
“Well, you better get used to it,” Pacey snaps at me. “You’re married to her now.”
“Married?” I say, my mouth turning dry.
“Pacey, we’re not getting married. I barely know him,” Penny defends. Thank God, she’s on the same wavelength as I am.
“The fuck I want you two to get married. What I mean is that you’re metaphorically married. You’re attached at the hip now. What you go through, he goes through.”
“That’s not necessary,” Penny says with a shaky voice. “I know how Hornsby wants to live his life, and I don’t want to disturb that.”
“And your life isn’t disturbed?” Pacey asks. “Why does he get to have a life, and you don’t?” Pacey shakes his head now. “Fuck no, he has zero life now. All he’s allowed to do is play hockey and be at your beck and call.”
“You can’t control my life,” I say out of pure habit, honestly not thinking at this point.
“Test me,” Pacey replies, his voice dripping with venom.
“Stop, both of you. This is getting absurd. This is why I didn’t want to say anything and just hide the pregnancy.” Penny crosses her arms and sits on her desk. My eyes go to her legs because, apparently, I want to be a dead man.
“You wouldn’t have been able to hide a pregnancy from me,” Pacey says.
“I hid the fact that I slept with your best friend from you,” Penny shoots back with some fire, and hell, it’s sexy seeing her all fired up. “You didn’t suspect a thing.”
“Are you trying to make me angrier?”
“You know what, Pacey?” She hops off the desk and goes back to her chair, some fight sparking in her. “You are being a bad brother.”
“How the fuck do you see that?”
“Because you’re getting angry when you should be asking me if I’m okay and how you can help. I’ve been fretting over telling you and truly considered not telling you at all, but I thought you deserved to know.” She looks at me. “You as well, Hornsby. But if you two are just going to act like children, then don’t even bother. I can do this myself.”