Taking Chances (Taking Chances #1)(78)

“I didn't think they could kick that hard yet.”

I tilted my head and smiled at him, I wasn't sure how he knew that it was still early. “Yeah, well the Doctor said it isn't incredibly common for the baby to move this much yet, but she figured since he's still so healthy and a little on the big side already that it was fine, and he would most likely come early. How did you know that though?”

He smiled sheepishly and ducked his head, it was such a strange thing to see on a man that looked like him, “I've been looking it up.”

My heart warmed, “How did you even know how far along I was though?”

“I overheard Chase talking to Brad about your due date.” His face fell at the same time my little gummy bear started in on a string of softer kicks.

“Oh there he goes again!” I grabbed Brandon's hand and put it on my stomach.

I don't know why I did it, that wasn't fair to do to him. I was silently cursing myself for unintentionally hurting Brandon even more, but his face lit up as he whispered he could feel them. We stood like that for a couple minutes until I remembered Chase was waiting for me, and might walk in on this. He didn't care when the guys he lived with or worked with would rub my belly, but I'm sure he would throw a fit if he saw Brandon do it. I stepped away, but kept smiling at him so I wouldn't come across as rude.

“So um, why are you up so early?”

He blinked and looked up from my stomach before going back to retrieve his mug, “Couldn't sleep last night, so I went surfing this morning.”

“Good waves?”

“They were decent.” He shrugged, “Why are you here this early? I thought Chase left for his parent's last night.”

“No, he stayed. He texted me not too long ago asking me to come over. Speaking of, I should probably go let him know I'm here.” Brandon and I hadn't shared more than a handful of words since our breakup, and I honestly would have loved to sit on the couch and talk to him for hours, there was so much I wanted to say to him.

Brandon nodded slowly and flashed a quick smile, “It was good to see you Harper.”

“You too.” I walked to the hallway entrance and turned back to find him watching me with a sad expression, the same one he'd worn every time I'd seen him in the last few months. “I never meant to hurt you Brandon, I hope you know that.”

I hurried down the hall and turned the knob to Chase's room. It was locked so I knocked and stood there for a few seconds, pressing my ear to the door to hear if there was movement. There wasn’t, he probably fell back asleep since it took me so long to get here. With a sigh I turned back and walked into the kitchen where Brandon was rinsing out his mug. He turned to leave and started when he saw me.

“I thought you were going...?”

“His door is locked, he probably fell asleep again.”

“Oh.” He looked towards the hall on the opposite side of the living room that would lead to his room, then back to me, “I could make you breakfast? I don't have anything going on today.”

“Don't worry about it, I already ate. I'm probably going to –”

A door opened down the hall and my jaw dropped to the floor when I saw Trish walk out in nothing but underwear and Chase's favorite concert shirt. She rubbed her eyes and stretched, causing the shirt to rise up farther.

“Was someone knocking?” She asked groggily.

Oh. My. Word. No effing way she just walked out of Chase's room. I spared a quick glance to Brandon whose face was getting red with anger and staring at the hall, then pushed past Trish to walk into Chase's room that now had the door wide open. Chase was asleep in bed in only his boxers, his arm stretched out where I guess Trish's body had just been. All the air left my lungs and I had to grab the door frame with one hand and the knob with the other to keep myself standing.

“Harper?” Brandon breathed behind me.

I turned and tears started streaming down my face when I saw him. I'd hurt him so badly, cheated on him and crushed him though he'd never once done anything but love me. Now here I am looking at my boyfriend and the father of my unborn child after a night with another woman. I would expect Brandon to smirk, say that karma's a bitch, and I deserved this. Instead his face was worried when he looked at me, and downright murderous when he glanced at Chase. I stumbled away from both of them and down the hall, stopping short when I saw Bree. She was standing across the living room from me with Konrad, both looking like they just woke up and didn't understand why Trish was in the kitchen. Bree did a double take when she saw me, Brandon now behind me again, and her eyes went wide as her head slowly turned back to the kitchen.

“YOU BITCH!” She screeched and lunged towards Trish, Konrad barely caught her arms and slammed her back to his chest. “You whore! He's about to have a baby!”

A painful sob broke out of my chest when Trish simply smirked at me, then Breanna. “I ha – I have to – I have to go.” I grabbed for my keys in my purse and dropped them, before I could bend down to get them, Brandon grabbed them and ushered me toward the front door.

He walked me to my car and opened the passenger door, “Get in, I'm not going to let you drive.”

“Harper!” Bree yelled as she ran down the driveway, “Harper, are you okay?”

“Why would I be okay?! I thought you were watching them!”