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Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Half Title Page
  3. Books by Katie Powner
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Dedication
  7. ONE
  8. TWO
  9. THREE
  10. FOUR
  11. FIVE
  12. SIX
  13. SEVEN
  14. EIGHT
  15. NINE
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. EIGHTEEN
  25. NINETEEN
  26. TWENTY
  27. TWENTY-ONE
  28. TWENTY-TWO
  29. TWENTY-THREE
  30. TWENTY-FOUR
  31. TWENTY-FIVE
  32. TWENTY-SIX
  33. TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. TWENTY-NINE
  36. THIRTY
  37. THIRTY-ONE
  38. THIRTY-TWO
  39. THIRTY-THREE
  40. THIRTY-FOUR
  41. THIRTY-FIVE
  42. THIRTY-SIX
  43. THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. THIRTY-EIGHT
  45. THIRTY-NINE
  46. FORTY
  47. FORTY-ONE
  48. FORTY-TWO
  49. FORTY-THREE
  50. FORTY-FOUR
  51. FORTY-FIVE
  52. FORTY-SIX
  53. FORTY-SEVEN
  54. FORTY-EIGHT
  55. FORTY-NINE
  56. FIFTY
  57. FIFTY-ONE
  58. FIFTY-TWO
  59. Acknowledgments
  60. About the Author
  61. Back Ads
  62. Back Cover

Moose Creek served up an ace, and the crowd shouted encouragement.

“Let’s do this, Spuds.”

“Comeback time.”

Bea frowned and nodded at the court. “Then let’s just watch the game. What’s the big deal?”

“The big deal”—Jeremy raised his voice to be heard over the crowd as they cheered for a miraculous dig—“is that I should be the one”—a collective gasp swept through the gym as Moose Creek’s star player fell to the ground, hitting her head with a thunk—“taking care of my own pregnant wife.”

Jeremy’s words spewed forth just as the entire crowd grew quiet, anxious over the fallen player’s fate. As his words reverberated throughout the abruptly silent gym, the entire home side of the bleachers turned to look up at them.

Mitch froze. Oh, great. Everyone was staring. Jeremy was making a fool of himself.

Hold on a minute.

Did he say pregnant?

FIFTEEN

ch-fig

Bea lay flat on her back in bed, her eyes clenched shut.

“I said I was sorry.” Jeremy covered her hand with his. “It was an accident.”

“Now the whole school knows. Which might as well be the whole town.” It was melodramatic, but she couldn’t help it. Couldn’t pull herself together. It was like she’d lost all control of her heart and her mind and her mouth. Like a tiny alien had invaded her body and taken over, which wasn’t far from the truth.

“I know. I’m sorry.” Jeremy kept his voice low. “I don’t know how many times I can say it. But they were all going to find out eventually.”

“That’s not the point.” She hated how whiny she sounded. Hated the tears springing from the corners of her eyes yet again. “I wanted to tell him myself. When I was ready.”

That was the worst part about the whole thing. She hadn’t had time to prepare herself for the look on Dad’s face. The one that held more than just hurt over learning such important news at the same time as everyone else. It had also been chock-full of disappointment.

“I’m sorry.” The regret in Jeremy’s voice matched the regret in her heart. But no amount of sorrys could take back what had happened. She sighed a heavy sigh and opened her eyes.

“Okay.” She rolled toward him. “But it’s not just that. The whole thing with the cake was—”

“I’m sorry.”

“Stop saying that.” Her sharp words struck Jeremy, and she could see the hurt take root on his face, yet her possessed mouth forged ahead. “Stop being sorry. And stop touching me.”

She pulled her hand out from under his and rolled away. A strained silence filled the room like the lingering fumes from Earl’s four-wheeler. Choking her. What a rotten night. She just wanted it to be over.