Part 27 (1/2)

”I can't.” I press my lips together, not wanting to give my secret away. ”I'm trying to stay off alcohol.”

Lily's eyes narrow and she studies me for a long, nerve-wracking time. ”Why?” she asks skeptically.

”Because it's bad for your skin.” I shrug.

”Honey, if that's the case where you're concerned, I'd recommend you chug a bottle of the stuff because your skin looks terrible right now. You're so pale, and you have dark circles here.” She runs her finger below one eye, then the other. ”And here.”

I bat her hand away. ”I don't want to talk about it.”

”Why not?” She rests her hands on her hips, her expression one of pure skepticism. She doesn't believe anything I'm saying and I can't really blame her. I'm a terrible liar.

More than anything, I don't want to lie to Lily. I want to tell her the truth. Then I won't feel so alone anymore.

Turning away from her, I start for the door. ”I'd better get out there. I'm sure Daddy needs my help with ... something.”

”He'll survive.” She follows after me, I can hear the click of her heels, but I don't look back. I exit the bathroom and start for the door that leads back out to the party but she grabs my arm, stopping me from leaving her.

”Tell me what's going on, Rosie. Spill.” I try to pull out of her hold, but she won't let me go. ”And if you don't tell me, I'm going straight to Dad and telling him something's up with you.”

”You wouldn't.” I glare.

She raises a brow. ”Try me.”

d.a.m.n it. She will. Lily plays dirty. She always has. Glancing around, I step closer to her, lowering my voice almost to a whisper. ”You have to promise you won't tell anyone. Not even Violet.”

Her brows go up. I've surprised her. ”So Violet doesn't know your deep, dark secret?”

”This is not a laughing matter. Promise me, Lily.”

”Fine. I get it. I promise.”

I haven't uttered these words out loud yet and suddenly I'm scared. What if Lily breaks her promise? G.o.d, what if she runs off and tells our father? I will flip the f.u.c.k out. ”I'm ...” I take a deep breath and close my eyes, exhaling shakily before I open them and force the words out. ”I'm pregnant.”

Lily's eyes are so wide I swear they're going to bug out of her head. ”Are you serious?”

”No, I made it up. April fool's.” I roll my eyes. ”Yes, I'm serious. I'm almost nine weeks along.”

She covers her mouth with her hand, slowly shaking her head again and again. ”Ah, Rosie. How did this happen? When exactly are you due? Who's the father?” Realization dawns at the exact moment she says that and I know she knows.

I start to open my mouth but clamp my lips shut. There's no use explaining or arguing. What's done is done.

Lily snaps her fingers. ”This doesn't have anything to do with that guy Violet asked me about a couple months ago? The one you were messing around with in London?” I must give myself away because she starts shaking her head. ”You're pregnant with Caden Kingsley's baby? Oh, my G.o.d!”

”Sshh.” I glance around, thankful no one's near. At least we're having this conversation near the bathrooms. Why does everything seem to happen by the bathrooms? ”Say it a little louder so everyone outside can hear you. G.o.d.”

”Rose! This is crazy. Does he know? You have to tell him. Make that sc.u.mbag pay, because he owes you.”

”Stop it. He's not a sc.u.mbag and he doesn't owe me anything. I'm the one who owes him-an explanation. I haven't told him because I don't know where he is.”

”He can't be that hard to find,” she says drolly. ”I've heard his mom is in Miami. Maybe we need to start there.”

Miami? I frown. Caden never mentioned Miami to me ever.

”And no one else knows? Daddy is going to lose it when he finds out.”

I really don't need the reminder. I want to enjoy this pregnancy. I do. But it's so hard when I'm feeling so awful and Caden is not around. I miss him. I want him back. He deserves to know he's going to be a father.

He will also probably freak the f.u.c.k out when he finds out he's going to be a father.

”Have you considered having a ...” Lily flicks her chin, looking uncomfortable. ”An abortion?”

”No,” I say vehemently. ”I'm not against them. They have their place. But ... I can't do it. I know it'll be hard being a single mom, but I want this baby.”

”You're just so young. I don't know what I would do if I found out I was having a baby. I'd be the worst mother ever.” Lily laughs, but it doesn't sound sincere. More like it sounds sad.

”You don't know that, Lily. And you can test out your mothering skills on your future niece or nephew.”

She slaps her hand over her mouth again, tears springing to her eyes just before she hauls me into her arms and hugs me tight. ”If you need me, I'm here for you,” she whispers. ”Whatever you want, I'll come over whenever. You can't go through this alone. And you need to tell Violet.”

Violet will kill me. She will hit me with I told you so and all of those other annoying statements I don't want to hear at the moment. I'm beating myself up quite well on my own, thank you very much. ”Not yet,” I tell Lily. ”Give me time to work up to it.”

”Lily Fowler, is that you?” A booming, gravelly male voice asks and my sister and I spring away from each other, Lily hurriedly wiping away the tears from her cheeks. Of course, she looks beautiful while crying, her hazel eyes this brilliant color, while I'm a red-nosed freak. Sometimes I really hate my sister.

But right now, I love her more than anyone else I know. She wants to help me. And I need her. More than I want to admit.

”Cash, is that you? Oh my G.o.d!” Lily squeals as she runs and throws herself into a man's arms and he clasps them tight around her waist, picking her up off her feet as he spins her around. He's older, much older, with very tan skin and very white hair and wearing a pair of thick-rimmed black gla.s.ses that somehow look good on him.

”Baby girl, it has been far too long since I've seen your pretty face. How have you been?” He squeezes her again and I a.s.sess his age as at least seventy. Possibly older. I really, really hope this isn't one of Lily's ex-boyfriends. I wouldn't put it past her, but if she messed around with this guy?

Ick. He's probably older than our dad.

”I'm doing well,” she says as he sets her back on her feet and she releases her hold on him. ”How about you? You look great, Cash.”

They make small talk and I try to sneak past them, but Lily's having none of it. ”Have you met my baby sister, Rose?” She snags my hand and stops me so I'm standing right next to her. ”Rose, this is Cash. We've known each other, oh, what? Since forever?” She laughs, her gaze meeting mine. ”An old boyfriend of mine introduced us a few years ago when we were out in Miami. We've stayed in loose contact ever since, huh, Cash?”

Miami again. Weird coincidence.

”Why, no, I haven't had the good fortune to meet your sister yet. Though I've heard plenty about her.” He turns toward me, his smile wide, his teeth blindingly white. He's a good-looking man, if a bit plastic, as if he's been well preserved. But his warmth is genuine and I take his offered hand, which he shakes vigorously. ”A pleasure. And aren't you a pretty little thing? All you Fowler girls are beautiful, almost as beautiful as that pretty necklace you've got around your neck, Rose.”

I reach up, touching the stones absently. I regret wearing it. All I can think of is Caden.

Of course, I think of him always, necklace or not.

”Oh, stop trying to flatter us, you big flirt,” Lily teases good-naturedly.