I watched them until they disappeared into the back of the building and then headed to search for the restrooms. I made my way through the crowd as game highlights were broadcasted on every TV screen. The crowd was erupting in screams and cheers. I could tell the party was about to turn up. As exciting as this was after Carson’s comment, I was ready to go home. There was no need to continue this date. I wasn’t about to let anyone downplay the career path that had changed my life.

Finally finding the restrooms in the back of the building, I walked inside and made a beeline for an empty stall. This baby was already on my bladder. I could barely go a whole hour without peeing. Hiking up my dress, I wiggled my panties down my thighs and relieved my bladder before fixing my clothes and exiting the stall. How was I going to get through nine months of this? I made my way to the sink to wash my hands and check my appearance. I decided to take a ride share home if Carson wasn’t ready to go. Drying my hands, I walked out of the bathroom. The party must have been really revving up because the noise had gone from a three to ten.

I peeked through the open double doors. There was no sign of Carson yet, and I wasn’t in a hurry to go back into the crowd. Looking around for a quiet place to wait, I noticed an empty staircase. This would have to do. Quickly, I ducked off and sat on the bottom of the stairs. I wanted to text Lo, but I’d bothered her enough today. Instead, I pulled up my calendar app and tried to pinpoint a possible due date for the baby growing inside of me. It had been over a month since I’d last slept with Reggie, but my period had been missing for months. I was just in denial of the truth. I sighed as the weight of being pregnant began to sink in. Sometime before the end of the year, I would be a mom. That was crazy. I stared at the calendar for I didn’t know how long, deep in thought of my and my baby’s future.

Suddenly, a tall, dark figure sat on the stairs next to me, pulling my attention from my phone. I didn’t even hear anyone walking down the stairs.

“Uh, excuse you,” I said, turning my head to stare at the stranger.

He didn’t say anything. He just made himself comfortable on the stairs next to me. His eyes stared at me with an intense gaze and presence that rendered me speechless. Out of the corner of my eye, I gazed over him. He was probably the most beautiful man I’d seen.