Leaning forward, Kiera gave me a quick kiss. “I’m gonna brush my teeth and get ready for bed. I’ll be right back.” She sat up, a slight frown on her face. “You won’t leave, right?”

Knowing she was worried that I was still mad, I smiled and shook my head. “I’ll be here, Kiera.” Struggling to find the words to finally tell you what’s going on with me.

She grinned, then stood up and put on her pajamas. I watched her the entire time she got ready, the entire time she left, but my mind was spinning, and my stomach was churning. I didn’t want to tell her. I wanted to take this secret to my grave. But I didn’t want to lose her, so it was time for me to fucking man up.

With a sigh, I sat up. I glanced at the clothes tossed around her floor. I wanted to be dressed for this, since it was an important conversation—a fucking monumental conversation—but I really didn’t want to put on my grimy concert/travel clothes. Then I remembered my drawer here, and I grinned again. Fresh clothes. That was just what I needed to…barely make it through this conversation.

Rolling my eyes at myself, I walked over to her dresser. Stop being so fucking melodramatic. It’s not like you’re going to tell her you slipped up and cheated on her. This wouldn’t even really hurt her, just me. It shouldn’t be so difficult. It shouldn’t, but fuck…it was. My stomach was dangerously close to emptying.

Annoyed at myself, I yanked open my dresser drawer. My hand paused over the opening as I stared at something inside that didn’t belong. A brown paper bag. Weird. Had Kiera left me a surprise? Like the ones I’d left for her? I looked over to the open door, a small grin on my face. I could hear Kiera in the bathroom, hear the water running; she was probably brushing her teeth. Smiling wider, I picked up the bag. I wonder what she left for me? Opening the bag, I peeked inside, then frowned. What…are these? Reaching in, I pulled out a plastic stick looking thing. Once it was in the light coming from the hallway, it was easy to tell what it was. The giant word staring at me gave it away too: Pregnant. It was a pregnancy test, and the result screen was saying…yes.