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Автор книги: Kelly Elliott

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CHAPTER NINE

ARI

I woke up from a terrible nightmare. Fuck a duck! If I had one more dream about Jeff and Rebecca, I swore that I would never go to sleep again. I looked over at the clock. It was 6:30. Jeff must already be up and out for a run.

I picked up my cell phone and called Amanda.

“Hey sweets. What’s up?” Amanda said. She sounded like she couldn’t breathe.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Oh god! Are you having sex?”

Amanda laughed. “No! I’m at the gym, running on the treadmill. It’s something you should be doing, Ari.”

“Yeah, whatever, bitch. I need you today. Are you free?”

“Yep, Brad is helping his dad out, so I’m free the whole day. Why? What’s up?”

I took a deep breath and then started to tell Amanda about my plan.

“Holy hell, Ari! Are you fucking nuts?”

“No, I’m not nuts. I really don’t think this baby is Jeff’s. I have to see her, Amanda. I have to find out why she picked now to tell him that she’s pregnant. I need to see her with my own eyes. Manda…please do this for me,” I begged.

“Gesh, Ari. Damn it. Okay. What do I need to do?”

“Meet me at Haylcyon in thirty minutes. I found out yesterday that Crysti is working this morning. Then, you and I are having lunch at Hula Hut today.”

“Oh shit. I have a bad feeling, Ari, a very bad feeling about this.”

“Just shut up, and get your ass over to the coffee shop. Parking is a bitch, so just pay to park.”

I hung up with Amanda and started to get dressed. I didn’t have time for a shower, so I just threw my hair up in a ponytail and tried to make myself look somewhat presentable. Thank God I kept clothes over at Jeff’s. I picked out a pair of black capri pants, a light blue tank top, and flip flops. Now, I was ready to get to the bottom of this Rebecca mess.

Just as I was walking into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, Jeff came through the front door.

“Hey, baby! What are you doing up this early? I thought that maybe we could continue with what we started last night,” Jeff said as he walked up and wrapped his arms around me.

Even sweaty and stinky, he smelled like heaven. The warmth from his arms relaxed me immediately. He would freak out if he knew what I was going to do today.

I let out a small laugh. I had to catch my breath. Damn, he’s so handsome. I reached up on my toes and gave him a kiss, filling it with as much passion as I could. I wished we could just go back in time and admit how we really felt about one another instead of acting so stupid. Rebecca wouldn’t even be a second thought right now.

“Wow. What did I do to deserve that?” Jeff asked kissing the tip of my nose.

My heart was breaking. Please, God. Please don’t let this baby be his.

“Nothing.I just wanted to kiss you. Do I need a reason to kiss you now?”

Jeff threw his head back and laughed. “Nope! Feel free to kiss me anytime or anywhere you’d like baby.”

I giggled and reached for my purse. “I have to go. I’m meeting Amanda for breakfast, and then I think we’re going shopping.”

Jeff’s smile disappeared as he ran his hands through his hair. I knew he was so torn about meeting Rebecca on his own, and I couldn’t be mad at him. He needed to meet with the bitch to get this over with. My hands started to shake.

“Ari, I really don’t want to meet with her today. You believe that, don’t you?”

Holy hell. I wanted to throw up just thinking about him seeing her again.

“Of course, I know you don’t want to meet with her, but….but you have to. You have to do this and just get it over with. I’m sure that it’s gonna be okay. Just meet with her, hear her out, and then we’ll take it from there. If she’s seven months now, then she’s due around the middle of August. We just have to wait until the baby is born, and then we can find out for sure.”

Jeff looked like he wanted to say something, but he stopped himself. I was sure that he was about to ask what would happen if the baby was his. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, please don’t even say it, Jeff, or I’ll puke. I tried to smile, but I was sure that it was a bad attempt at looking happy.

“I love you, Ari. I love you and only you. I always have, and no matter what happens, I always will. We’re moving out to the property in a few weeks, so it’ll just be you and me, baby. You and me.”

He pulled me into him, and I did everything I could not to cry. I pulled away, smiling, I reached up to kiss him again.

“It’s going to be alright, Jeff. Don’t worry. I really have to run. I love you. Try to have a good day and…well, good luck with your lunch.”

Jeff kissed me with such sweetness that it was all I could do to get out the front door. I jumped into my Jeep and backed out of the driveway as fast as I could.

After I got a block away, I pulled over and cried my eyes out. I had a very bad feeling that things were not going to turn out how I so desperately wanted them to.

After I dried my tears, I head over Halcyon.

***

As I was walking up to the coffee shop, I saw Amanda was waiting outside for me.

We hugged, and Amanda held me tightly for just a few more seconds than usual.

Then, she whispered in my ear,

“Don’t worry. We’ll kick her fucking ass the moment the baby is out.”

I had to laugh. I missed Ellie. My heart started to ache from thinking about it all. All this shit was going on, and my best friend was thousands of miles away. She called last night, but I acted like everything was perfect. Perfect engagement, perfect life, perfect everything. Pesh.

The moment we walked through the door, my eyes caught Crysti’s. Her smile faded instantly, and I felt a bit of excitement, knowing that I was the last person she expected to see this morning. My morning was working for me, she was working the counter. Amanda and I walked up to her, and I acted surprised to see her. She seemed much more shocked to see me, and I noticed when she looked down at my engagement ring.

“Crysti right? You’re Rebecca’s friend, aren’t you?” Amanda asked.

Crysti pulled her eyes away from me. She smiled at Amanda nodding her head.

“Ah, yeah. You’re, um, Jeff and Gunner’s friends right?”

Oh Jesus. I wanted to laugh at that one.

“Well, I’m a friend of both yes, Ari’s engaged to Jeff,” Amanda said smiling as big as she could.

“Engaged? Didn’t you get married this weekend?” Crysti asked, clearly confused.

This just got very interesting.

“What made you think that I was getting married this weekend?” I asked.

“Oh, well… I mean one of the guys from the football team was here last week, and he mentioned a wedding. I heard your name and Jeff’s, so I guess I just assumed y’all were getting married.”

I was so going to have fun with this. “Nope, that was Gunner and Ellie who got married. Jeff asked me to marry him Saturday night after the wedding.” Ah! Chew on that, you little stupid blonde bitch.

“Wait. What? Gunner got married? Oh, wow… I mean, I guess I just never thought he was the kind to settle down.”

“Yep, well, when you meet the love of your life, you tend to change your ways,” Amanda said. “By the way, can I get a salted caramel mocha frapp?”

Yeah… well, I guess so. Wait a minute. Did you say that Jeff asked you to marry him on Saturday night? Even after he knew about the baby, he still…” Crysti trailed off, no finishing her though.

Oh. My. God. That lying bitch. Rebecca thought Jeff was getting married, so she decided to pull out the last-ditch attempt.

I always thought that Crysti wasn’t the brightest one of the group, and she certainly didn’t let me down. Unfortunately, she realized her mistake before she finished telling us about Rebecca and the baby.

Amanda looked back over to Crysti while I held my breath.

“So, was that why she called Jeff last week? She was making some last-ditch effort to get him back? I would think that she would’ve told him about the baby as soon as she found out,” Amanda said.

Crysti looked around and then back at me. “Listen, I don’t know why Rebecca waited so long to tell Jeff. The baby is his though. She knows that for a fact. She was, um…she was just scared. She was really scared when she found out, and she was waiting for the right way to tell him. She thought that he should know before he got married, but, looks like he isn’t married yet. Now, is he?”

Amanda stepped between Crysti and me. It was a damn good thing she did because I was ready to leap across that counter to knock the shit out of this girl.

“Listen here, Crysti. You tell your friend, Rebecca, that there is no way in hell she is ever going to keep Jeff and Ari apart. If you were smart, you would probably refrain from saying shit like that around Ari. There’s a reason your crazy-ass friend put a restraining order out against her,” Amanda said.

Moving around Amanda, I glared at Crysti with a smile. “I don’t think we’ll be staying for coffee. Thanks Sweets. You’ve been very helpful this morning.”

I turned and started to head out the door. Why do I feel like I’m about to cry? This was a whole new game now. So, that bitch wants Jeff? Well, she’s going to have a goddamn fight on her hands.

Amanda was pissed. “Jesus H. Christ Ari I wanted to knock the shit out of her. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“That crazy-ass Rebecca panicked when she heard Jeff was getting married? Yep, I’m thinking the same thing, Manda. Come on, let’s go shopping for a few hours. I have a lunch date that I can’t be late for.”

***

Amanda and I spent the next few hours shopping at Barton Creek Square, and then we headed over to Hula Hut. I bought a hat to hide my hair, in hoping that neither Jeff nor Rebecca would see me.

Jeff and the bitch should be there by now.

Amanda walked in first and asked the hostess about a pregnant girl who was suppose to meet someone here. The hostess knew who Amanda was talking about and remembered that she and her boyfriend were sitting outside. I so wanted to scream that he was not her boyfriend. Knowing me so well, Amanda gave me the look, and I just smiled instead. We asked to sit close to them but not where they could see us because we wanted to surprise them. We explained he just came into town, so we didn’t want to interrupt their reunion until after they were done eating. After that long bullshit story– it was true…kind of. The hostess finally sat us near them. We were still inside the restaurant, but we had a clear view of where they sat outside.

“Okay, so what’s your plan now?” Amanda asked before she took a sip of her tea.

I looked over and saw Rebecca smiling. After she said something, I watched Jeff put his hand on her stomach. The smile that spread across his face gutted me. I was going to throw up. Motherfucker.

“Oh, that bitch is good, isn’t she? Ari…look at me.”

I pulled my eyes away from Jeff and turned to look at Amanda. “Oh my god, what if it really is his baby Amanda? Oh. My. God. I can’t do this. I think I’m gonna be sick.”

“Ari, look at me. You and I both know that’s not his baby. Reach down in yourself and pull out that bullshit your mother’s always feeding you. You’re going to beat this bitch at her own game.”

“How, Amanda? Should I get pregnant?” Actually, the idea was not far from my mind. With everything that has happened in the last few days, I had forgotten to take my birth control pills again. The last time I took them was on Thursday. I started adding up the days in my head. Four days with no pill? Shit!

“No, I’m not telling you to do that.” Amanda tilted her head and looked at me.

“Holy hell, Ari! Please tell me you didn’t.”

“I didn’t what?”

“Did you do something to get yourself pregnant?”

Some friend she is. “Bitch you know me better than that! Gesh, Amanda. I do have a small problem.”

“And what is it?”

“I haven’t taken my birth control pills since Thursday. I just remembered this morning.”

Amanda’s mouth dropped open. “What the hell, Ari!”

“I know, Amanda, I know. I’m making an appointment with my doctor for…” I paused as an idea hit me. I looked back over to where Rebecca and Jeff were sitting, and I saw Rececca’s iPhone sitting on the table. Perfect!

“Amanda! I need you to go over and say hi to them.”

Amanda looked at me like I just asked her to take a piss in front of everyone at the restaurant.

“Excuse me? What did you just say?” she asked, clearly confused.

“Okay, listen. I need you to go over say hi, place your napkin on the table over her phone. Then, pick up the napkin with her phone when you leave.”

“Oh. My. God. Are you fucking crazy, Ari? Ellie is getting back soon ‘cause I can’t handle you alone.”

I glanced over to their table again and saw Jeff laughing. Yeah, he really hated this lunch. Bastard! I looked back at Amanda and sat up straighter.

“Amanda, I need her phone. I need to see if she has any appointments in there. I need to find out who her OB is. Please do this for me. Please?”

When Amanda peeked back at their table, she saw Jeff smiling at something the bitch was saying. Amanda shook her head and turned back to face me. Fire was burning in her eyes. God how I love my friends!

“Okay. I’m only doing this because somehow that witch is getting him to laugh, and he looks too goddamn comfortable sitting there with her. Bastard!”

Yep, I love my friends. I watched as Amanda went through the door, heading outside to their table. As soon as she walked up to their table Rebecca’s smile faded while Jeff sat up straighter and looked around. Yeah, you better look around at who’s watching you. Jerk.

Amanda put her napkin over Rebecca’s phone as she leaned over to say something to Jeff. They talked for about another minute before Amanda turned to Rebecca to say something to her. Rebecca smiled and nodded her head. Bending down a little, Amanda touched Rebecca’s stomach while she used her other hand to scoop up the napkin and phone.

Yes! I almost jumped up and shouted. I did a small fist pump and smiled at Amanda as she walked back in with a shit-eatin’ grin on her face. She avoided out table and went straight to the other side of the restaurant. Damn, she’s good!

I looked back toward Jeff and Rebecca’s table, and sure enough, he was watching Amanda walk back in. Turning, he looked at the bitch as she just smiled at him. I watched them talk while I waited for Amanda to get her ass back to the table. It sure did look like they were having a cozy little conversation. Then, their conversation seemed to shift. Jeff didn’t seem to be smiling or laughing, and Rebecca’s face turned white as a ghost. Shit! I wish I could hear what they are saying.

“Hey, sorry about that,” Amanda said, finally returning to the table.

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph you bitch! You scared me half to death, Amanda,” I yelled, trying to catch my breath.

Amanda just shook her head and handed me the phone. “Here. I can’t believe that I just did that! Oh man, it felt so damn good being so bad. I really should get into private investigation. I think I would kick ass at it. Wait until I tell Heather and Ellie what I did. They won’t believe it!”

“Well, expect both of them to give your ass a lecture. Okay, let’s see what this bitch has down on her calendar.”

Amanda was trying to lean over the table to see what I was looking at and it was really annoying.

“What the hell, Mand? Do you mind?”

Amanda sat back down, and I started to look at Rebecca’s appointments.

“Oh. My. God! She goes to the same doctor as me,” I said looking atat Amanda’s shocked face.

“No way, Ari. No freakin’ way. When is her next appointment?”

“Almost two weeks. This is perfect. I know exactly what we have to do.”

“Oh dear god. Do I even want to know, Ari?”

Smiling at Amanda, I handed her the phone. The next thing on my list was to make that appointment I kept putting off with Dr. Wyatt.

“And how do you purpose I give her back the phone?”

“Just simply say that you picked it up by accident.”

The waiter came with our bill, and I paid in cash, telling him to keep the change. Amanda got up and walked back outside. I stood over by the door and watched. Rebecca looked pissed off when Amanda handed over her phone. I had to let out a laugh when Amanda just shrugged her shoulders before she turned to walk away.

Rebecca’s eyes followed Amanda as she headed straight toward me. Immediately, Rebecca spotted me, and I did the only thing that came to my mind. I took off my hat, let my hair fall down, and I held up a middle finger. I smiled sweetly at the bitch before turning around to leave.

By the time I made it out to the parking lot, Amanda had caught up to me. I knew we only had a few minutes before Jeff would be coming after me. I had no doubt in my mind that Rebecca would tell him I was there.

“Ari! Jeff yelled.

Yep, stupid bitch is playing right into my hands. I turned around and smiled as Jeff jogged up to me.

“What in the hell are you doing here, Ari?”

“I was having lunch,” I said as giving him an innocent smile.

Jeff looked over at Amanda and then back at me.

“Oh my god. Y’all took her phone on purpose, didn’t you? What’s your game, Ari?”

What? He did not just say that to me.

“What’s my game, Jeff? My game? What’s yours? For someone who can’t stand that girl, you two sure did have a nice little lunch. You were all laughing and smiling and touchin’ on her stomach. Did you enjoy yourself, dickwad?”

“Ari, I can’t believe you were spying on me, and the worst of it is that you might have made Rebecca upset.”

“Holy hell,” Amanda said as she took two steps away from Jeff.

“I might have made Rebecca upset? Are you kidding me, Jeff? You’re an asshole.” Turning away from him, I started to walk off.

He reached for my arm and spun me around.

“That’s not what I meant, Ari. It’s just that she said she can’t get upset. It’ssomething about being at high risk for going into labor early. That’s why I was trying to be nice and not jump down her throat. Listen, can we just talk about this later when I get back home?”

I could not believe how fucking stupid he was. She couldn’t get upset. Lying bitch. She was setting the whole thing up, so she could have the baby early.

“Let go of me, you stupid fucking-twatwaffling dickwad.”

“Ari, please wait.”

I jerked my arm out from his. I couldn’t believe how stupid he was being. “You know what, Jeff? You can believe whatever that lying bitch wants to tell you. I thought that you were smarter than that. Did you ever think that she came up with whole “high risk” bullshit so that you would play nice with her? Why don’t you ask to go to her next doctor’s appointment with her? How about that? Now that Daddy is in the picture, I’m sure she wants you to go to all the appointments with her.”

I was so upset that I started shaking.

Amanda walked up and took my hand in hers. As she glared at Jeff, she said, “Really, Jeff, I can’t even believe you. Let’s go, Ari.”

“Ari, please wait, baby.”

I stopped dead in my tracks closed my eyes, and took several deep breaths. Opening my eyes again, I slowly turned around to look at him.

“Baby, can we talk about this when I get home?” Jeff’s voice almost sounded like he was pleading.

“Why don’t you stop by my place on your way home? I’ll be staying there tonight. I need time to be alone and think.”

The look in Jeff’s eyes about gutted me, but all I had to do was remember his smile as he touched Rebecca’s stomach.

“Sure… yeah… okay, Ari. I’ll stop by your place. Are you going straight home now?”

“No, I have a few errands to run, and then I’m taking Amanda back to her car. I’ll be home in a few hours. You better get back in there. You wouldn’t want to upset the baby mama.”

***

As Amanda and I started to walk up the hill to the parking lot, I felt my legs getting weaker. Amanda pulled me up and kept me walking.

“Just wait until we get in the car, Ari. Then, you can let go.”

The moment I sat in the car and shut the door, I let out a scream so loud that I thought Amanda was going to jump out of the car.

“Better, sweets?” Amanda asked after unplugging her ears.

“If only a scream could make it better, Amanda. Did you see how big she is? There’s no way she’s only seven months pregnant.”

As I looked over at my friend, I let the tears fall.

The last time I had felt this sick to my stomach was when Jeff and I had first kissed at the ranch, and he’d told me it was all a mistake.

“Ari, don’t give up now. The fight has only just begun.”

I smiled at Amanda and wiped the tears from my eyes. I picked up my cell phone and scheduled an appointment with Dr. Wyatt for next Monday at 2 p.m.

I was not giving up. Jeff was mine. I would not let some lying bitch take him from me, even if I thought that lying bitch might actually be telling the truth.