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“You’re already pregnant.”

Twenty-Eight

JULIANA

The journey was so much longer this time, so much less pleasant. There was a layover in Philadelphia. A delay on the tarmac. It turned out the rental car company had lost my reservation, so I spent an extra hour at Sky Harbor airport waiting to be shoehorned into a compact car.

It didn’t matter. I’d be returning the thing in a matter of hours.

The ride into the desert was bleak and cold, my tired eyes fixed on the long line of perfectly straight asphalt that stretched into the darkness. Two hours later I was standing before the house. All the same lights were on, but it looked so much less warm and inviting than it had the last time I was here.

The giant iron knocker felt cold and heavy as I took it in my hand. As I slammed it against the teak door, my whole body felt fifty pounds heavier.

“Holy SHIT! Jules!”

Gage’s smile was so genuine, so wholesome, it nearly broke me. He swept me into the biggest, most amazing bear-hug of my life, practically spinning me around the foyer as the others came rushing in from the back of the house.

Devyn went next, crushing me against his chest as I forced a smile. But my smile didn’t last long. It faded throughout the rest of the greeting, until Maverick had finished hugging me and was finally putting me back down on my feet.

“I can’t believe you’re here!” said Maverick. “I never would’ve imagined you’d surprise us like—”

“I’m pregnant.”

The words obliterated all smiles, all happiness and merriment. Not because they weren’t still happy or anything, but because all three men were stunned into complete and utter silence.

For a long moment, the only sound was the desert wind outside. It howled through the open atrium, like some strange but haunting song.

“P—Pregnant?” said Devyn.

“Yes.”

“You’re sure?”

I cocked my head and made a face.

“Okay, sorry,” he said apologetically. “Of course you’re sure.” His expression of shock turned into one of awkward hospitality. “Come in! Come in, please.”

I didn’t want to come in. I didn’t want to go anywhere. I only wanted what I’d come for, and what I’d come for would take all of three minutes.

“Listen, it’s not like I didn’t want this,” I began. “And I’m very happy about it. Trust me. The only, uh… small detail is—”

They were already halfway to the kitchen, herding me down the hallway as they had last time. I went reluctantly, and by the time I arrived Gage was already reaching for the wine glasses. Maverick shot him a dirty look, and he quickly offered me a bottle of water instead.

I waved the water away. Devyn pulled out a chair for me, and I refused that too.

“I need something from you,” I said, trying to be brave. “All of you.”

Gage glanced downward, his gaze settling upon my belly. “Seems like you already got something from us,” he smirked.

I ignored the joke. From my jacket pocket I pulled three long swabs in plastic tubes. Each was labeled with a different name.

The kitchen went even more silent than the foyer had.

“You need to know who the father is,” said Maverick plainly. “That’s why you’re here.”

I nodded, slowly. Their expressions went blank.

“It’s probably one of them,” Devyn said, jerking his chin at the others. “You spent a week here with them. You and I only spent a single night together.”