She sighed, the tears finally falling. “I sent a super-bitchy email to Ask Me Anything,” she said through the cries. “I blamed her for this.” She pointed to her stomach. “Told her it was her fault that my life was ruined. Called her some horrible things.” Her face fell in her hands, her shoulders shaking. “It’s not true. None of it. Yes, I asked a question, but Colt and I had already…” She shook her head. “I was looking for validation for something I’d already done. I re-read the blog, Dean. It was solid advice.” She sniffled, wiping her face as she looked up at me. “This was my fault. Mine and Colt’s, but mainly mine. I messed up. I didn’t take my pill at the same time every day.” She shook her head. “I’m such a jerk.”

“Hey,” I chided. “Only I get to call you that.”

She smiled weakly, and I wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“You’re not a jerk,” I continued, hating that I knew exactly who she’d sent the email to. Hating it more because I knew Amber, and she would torture herself over this for God knows how long.

Yesterday I thought she deserved it. Yesterday I’d felt betrayed on so many levels that my warped mind had manifested so many scenarios where Amber was just using me for the blog content and hurting people without care.

That wasn’t her.

That was never her.

Stomach rolling, breath catching, I cursed myself.

I had the best girl in the world, and I somehow managed to ruin that in a day.

“What should I do?” Tessa asked.

“I don’t know,” I said, and that was the truth. I was so lost in this tangled web.

“Should I write her back? Apologize?”

“Maybe?” I shrugged. “I highly doubt anyone would ever blame your reaction, Tess. You’re kind of going through something major.”

She sighed. “That’s an understatement.”

“I know, but I’m here. I’m going to be here every step of the way. And,” I said before grinding my teeth, “I know Colt will be, too. He’s a good kid.”

Her mouth dropped. “Seriously?”

“What?”

“It takes me getting…” She glanced down at her tummy before looking back at me. “For you to finally admit he’s a good guy?”

I shrugged. “I didn’t say I liked him.”

She rolled her eyes before blowing out a huge breath. “So,” she said. “Amber.”

Her name hit me with like a sledgehammer. Guilt gnawed at my insides.

“She’ll never forgive me. Not after the things I said.” Not after what I’d done—practically handed her over to Tanner. Not directly. It was an accident. Sheer bad timing when he walked in on me, but it didn’t matter. She blamed me. And why shouldn’t she? After the things I said to her in anger…

“That’s bullshit,” Tessa snapped.