Series: Webs We Weave Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 167
Estimated words: 162520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 813(@200wpm)___ 650(@250wpm)___ 542(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 813(@200wpm)___ 650(@250wpm)___ 542(@300wpm)
“The Wolfes own the bookstore,” I remind him. “We not only have a problem accessing the footage, but he also could’ve deleted it.”
“I know the store clerk. I can buy the footage,” Jake assures. “We’ll see if he thought that far ahead to delete it.”
I pray he did not.
“Phoebe,” Oliver pipes in. “Polar bear?”
She’s staring off at the wildflowers on the wall. “I think…platypus.”
“Hang in there. It’ll be okay,” he reassures. “Rocky, you’re staying with her?”
“I’m not going anywhere.” I grind my jaw, unable to look away from my girlfri—my wife. She’s my wife. I told her I wanted to marry her again tonight.
Phoebe hangs up after we all confirm we’ll keep in touch. She takes a ragged breath. “How long do you think my dad has known we’ve been together?”
“Your mom insinuated it was a while.”
Her face contorts in fury but also hurt. “It’s my fault Hailey is pregnant—”
“We don’t know that yet, and it would never be your fault. You didn’t know they were defective condoms. If you did, you never would’ve given them to her.” We’re both burning at such a hot temperature, I wait to near her.
Her features twist in more pain. “What if he did this to my mom, too? What if this is all happening all over again? Everything is repeating itself, and we can’t escape it.”
“I don’t believe that.”
She looks up at me like she wants to wield the same belief.
“If we are stuck in a cycle, Phebs, that means nothing is in our control, and I refuse to believe that. I refuse to believe we can’t get out. We’re getting out. You are not your mom. You’ve already proven that by giving up the role she won’t let go.”
Her eyes redden with emotion.
“Hailey isn’t Addison,” I say just as strongly. “She’s proven that by choosing to protect you and Oliver over the job. We’re going to dictate how this ends. We already have been. It’s not over.”
Phoebe nods, but her face breaks apart at a thought. “We can’t control if I’m pregnant or not.”
I rub a hand across my mouth, glancing at her body. These are conversations we’ve been avoiding. The future. Our future. Kids.
I feel like I’m being run over by a semi.
“Should I take Plan B?” she asks me.
“Is that what you want?” I ask her.
“Is that what you want?” she volleys back.
Jesus Christ. I scrub my face two times, then let my hands fall. “How about we start with a pregnancy test? I don’t know how long I’ve been fucking you with damaged condoms.”
She nods quickly. “Yeah…yeah.” She’s frozen in fear.
I go grab my wallet off the dresser. I flip open the leather and pull out a gold ring from the pocket.
I slip it on my wedding finger.
Coming back to Phoebe, I hold out that same hand. She gets emotional seeing the ring, and I tell her, “I don’t need to be engaged to you. I don’t even need to have another wedding to know you’re my wife, Phoebe Graves. I’m devoted to you under any name, in any place, and whatever happens next, that will never change.”
She takes a deeper breath, then clasps my hand tight. “Where are we going?”
“The 24-hour drugstore is open. We’re getting a pregnancy test.”
THIRTY-NINE
Phoebe
“This goes in my top ten,” I tell Rocky quietly in a bathroom that has to be violating at least four health codes. The tub is cracked. The showerhead is leaking, the sink dripping. And I’m fairly certain black mold is creeping out of the air vents.
“Top ten what?” Rocky reaches into the plastic drugstore bag.
My arms are tightly crossed. “Top Ten Most Unexpected Nights.” I did not think Rocky would get down on one knee or that I’d need to buy a pregnancy test or that we’d end the night in a run-down, crappy motel two hours from Victoria. “Did it make yours?”
“Top five, for sure.” He holds out a blue box to me.
I cringe at the pregnancy test, then peer back at the door. “Who do you think will make it here first?” Our siblings, plus Jake, are meeting us at the motel. Room 102. A staggered arrival. It lessens the chance that the Michael Myers wannabe will suspect that we know he’s a literal disgusting creep.
Rocky isn’t answering me.
I stare at the scuffed doorknob. “My money’s on Nova.”
“Betting your pocket change on your most overprotective brother.”
I glance back at him. “Who would you bet on?”
Rocky rips the box open while staring at me. “Nova.” He flashes a dry smile.
I force one back, then my eyes fall to the test and my grimace re-forms.
“It doesn’t have cooties,” he states.
I scowl. “Did I say it did?”
“You’re staring at it like it’s going to leap out and lick your face.”
Rotating to face him fully, I avoid elbowing the stained sink. “Great, maybe you should take it then.”