Page 8 of Shameless

My brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“They’re trying to get you laid.”

I threw my head back and groaned. “Yeah. We’re here to celebrate my divorce.”

He stopped walking. “Oh wow. You just got divorced?”

I halted too. “Yep. Just finalized last week.”

“I would buy you a drink, but they’re free.” Blake winked.

“That they are.” I snorted, and we started walking again. “So are you going to tell me why you’re here alone?”

“Well …” He paused for a moment and blew out a breath. “Got stood up at the altar yesterday.”

5

Stacey

Night of Blake& Stacey’s Wedding

Eddie letme into his condo, and as I sat on his couch, still in my wedding dress, I felt as though I was going to throw up. My stomach was doing somersaults, and I was on the verge of passing out. He went to his kitchen and returned with a glass of water, handing it to me before sitting in the chair across from me.

I took a nervous sip. “So, I was going to get married today.”

He grunted a laugh. “You don’t say.”

“But I didn’t,” I clarified, even though I had to assume it was obvious.

“Why not?”

I looked down at my lap and whispered, “Because I’m pregnant.”

There were a few moments of silence before Eddie asked, “Okay? Why wouldn’t you marry the father of your child?”

My head snapped up. “Because it’s your baby.”

Eddie balked. “My baby? What the fuck do you mean, my baby?”

“From the 4thof July.”

“You haven’t slept with your fiancé since?” he challenged.

My brow furrowed. “No, I have.”

He stood. “Then why couldn’t it be his?”

“I … We use protection.”

He looked up at the vaulted ceiling. “Do you need a sex ed lesson, Stace? Nothing is 100 percent effective except not having sex.”

“I know that.”

“Then how do you know it’s mine?”

I opened and closed my mouth, trying to come up with more of a reason than he and I had unprotected sex, but that was all I had. “I guess I won’t know for sure until I get a paternity test.”

He scrubbed his hands down his face. “I can’t believe you showed up here fucking pregnant and in a wedding dress.”