Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“He’ll be great,” I assure her. “Besides, you’re only a three-minute walk away.”
“That’s what I figured,” she says with a laugh and frowns when I clutch my stomach. “Hey, you okay?”
“I think I might throw up.” I cover my mouth with my hand and rush off for the bathroom. The yogurt I managed to choke down this morning comes back up, and I take a minute to breathe deeply and rinse my mouth before returning to the others.
But when I walk out of the restroom, not only is London waiting for me, but Summer, Millie, Abbi, Erin, and even Doctor Roni Masters are all frowning at me.
“Uh, guys, I’m fine.”
“Didn’t sound like it from here,” Millie says.
“How long have you been nauseated?” Roni asks.
“A few days.” I shrug a shoulder. “I probably have a little bug or something. I don’t have a fever, though, so I’m fine.”
“We’re going to go start the meeting,” Abbi says and reaches out to pat my shoulder. “Talk to Roni for a sec, just to be sure.”
“I’ll stay here,” London assures the others. “Go get started, and we’ll be right behind you.”
“They’re making a fuss about nothing,” I inform Roni as she touches my forehead. “See? No fever. I’m totally fine.”
“Let’s go back into the restroom, where there’s privacy,” Roni suggests, and the three of us move inside. Once the door is closed, she turns back to me, just as Summer slips inside with us.
“Bestie,” Summer says with a shrug. “Can’t stay away.”
London loops her arm around Summer’s shoulders, and they stay back, listening.
“I’m really okay,” I insist, feeling silly now that so much attention is being aimed my way. “It comes and goes.”
“Polly,” Roni says, “is it possible that you could be pregnant?”
“No.” My answer is immediate, and I shake my head emphatically. “I’m on the pill. I may be a forgetful person, but I always take my pill. I have an alarm set and everything, just to make sure.”
“While the pill is usually reliable, it’s not 100 percent. Are you sure you didn’t forget it?” Roni asks.
“No, I’m sure.” I shake my head, but Summer’s eyes narrow. “What?”
“What about in Paris?” she suggests. “Were you on schedule in Paris?”
“Yes. My alarm went off at nine p.m. every day.”
“Wait,” London holds up a hand. “There’s a time change, Polly. Did you account for that?”
I open my mouth and then close it again.
“And to be clear,” Roni adds, “you have it set as an alarm, not in your health app? The health app updates with the time differences.”
“I didn’t even know that I have a health app.” I blink at the three women, and my heart starts to thump hard in my chest. “Oh, Jesus. Oh, God.”
I have to lean back against the counter as Summer rushes over and puts an arm around me.
“It’s getting stuffy in here,” I say, struggling to breathe.
“I’ll get some water,” London volunteers, leaving the bathroom.
“Okay, I need you to take long, slow breaths. I don’t want you to pass out,” Roni says, breathing the way she wants me to, but my mind is whirling. Could I be pregnant? Oh, God, I’m not ready for that. Things are so good right now. I don’t want to mess it all up.
“It’s okay,” Summer assures me. “Polly, everything is okay. Whether you’re pregnant or not, you’ve got this.”
“Not part of the plan,” I mutter and hang my head in my hands. “It’s so new, Summer. It’s too soon.”
“Hey, Ryan cares about you.”
“I know that,” I reply as London walks in with water. “We already told each other we love each other, and he’s asked me to move in.”
“Congratulations,” London says with a wide smile as I sip the water. “That’s excellent news. Of course, anyone with eyeballs can see that he’s completely smitten with you.”
“But a baby? We just said the L word last week. It’s too new, you guys.”
“Whoa,” Roni says, “slow down. You’re sending yourself into a panic attack, and we don’t even know for sure if you are pregnant. I suggest you go take an at-home test. They’re very accurate, and if you’re having symptoms, you’ll get an accurate reading. Do that first and then take the next step.”
“She’s right,” Summer says. “Let’s go. We’ll take a test.”
“We have the meeting.”
“I’ll make your excuses,” London says. “It’ll be fine, and they’ll understand. I’ll just say that you’re under the weather and Summer left to help you. It’s really okay. You’ll go crazy if you wait to take the test.”
“She’s right,” Summer agrees.
And I know that I could never sit through this whole lunch with my mind whirling, wondering if I’m pregnant.
“Okay,” I agree. “I’ll swing through the pharmacy. Meet at my house?”
“Let’s do it,” Summer says with a nod.
Less than an hour later, I’m staring down at two lines on a white stick.