Weekend Surrender (The Surrender Trilogy, #1)(42)

Rachel was pregnant. There was no denying the four over-the-counter pregnancy tests she had taken, or the doctor’s blood test, which assured her she would be having a baby next winter. Her worst nightmare had come true, and she didn’t know what to do now.

Her stomach twisted and turned, and she had been nauseous almost since the moment she walked out the door of the Brooks brothers house, so she hadn’t realized she had missed her period until just last week. All of her focus had been on avoiding facing any of the four brothers, but now she had to face the reality in front of her, and she had to tell them.

She had pleaded with the doctor to explain how her birth control had failed, only to get a shrug and, “Sometimes, these things just happen.” Now, just as she had feared, she had no idea which brother was the father.

There was no way they would want her now. Not when she had rejected them so soundly, and ignored all of their little gifts. She would be lucky if they even acknowledged she was breathing, much less that she carried one of their offspring.

The tinkling sound of her computer drew her back into the real world as her mother came online.

“Hi, sweetheart!”

“Hi, Mama.”

“Oh, baby girl, I’ve missed you.”

“I miss you too, Mama.”

“You look tired, are you working too hard down there? Maybe you should take a vacation and come up to Oklahoma to visit me.”

Rachel snorted out a laugh, “You know I wish I could, Mama, but if I don’t work, I don’t get paid. I do miss you like crazy though. I actually have some news.”

Her mother instantly looked suspicious, and her eyes narrowed. Rachel would have laughed if the situation weren’t so serious. “Is this about that Mitch ass-hole? Is he bothering you again?”

“No, I’ve told you before that Mitch and I are through. He seems very happy with Connie, and I’m very happy to let her have him. Actually, I haven’t spoken to him in a couple of months.”

“Okay, so if it’s not guy trouble—”

“I didn’t say it wasn’t guy trouble.”

“Aha! So there is a man in your life! I knew you were hiding something. You’ve been acting strangely ever since you and Mitch split up. Who is it?”

“Do you remember the Brooks family?”

“Brooks Pastures, of course I remember them. I went to school with Susan Brooks. It was terrible when she got sick and died, and then John died shortly after. They had four sons didn’t they? Which one are you seeing?”

Rachel set the can of soda down and stared at it, trying to figure out the right words.

“Rachel? What is it honey?”

“Mom, I actually have seen all four of them.”

To her surprise her mother laughed, “Good for you! I was worried about you after Mitch was such an ass-hole. I’m not sure I would have chosen to sneak around with four brothers though.”

“No, Mama, you don’t understand. I slept with all four of them, at once. It’s a long story, but they asked me out to their ranch for a weekend of wild and crazy sex, and I was lost and hurting after yet another shitty end to a shitty relationship, so I said yes, and it was amazing, but now…”

“But now?”

“I’m pregnant.”

Her mother’s face fell, and she froze in place. After a few seconds, Rachel actually tapped the computer mouse thinking that somehow the computer had frozen.

“Mama, did you hear me? I’m pregnant.”

“I heard. I just don’t know what to say. I want to congratulate you, because a baby is a blessing but, Rachel, sweetheart, you’re so young, and I’m so far away, and wait a second…whose baby is it?”

Rachel just shook her head as tears finally spilled down her cheeks. They were the first tears she had let loose since the day she left the four brothers behind, and they felt horribly good.

“Well this is quite a conundrum. What did they say when you told them?”

“I haven’t yet. I don’t know how.”

“Oh, baby, I wish I could be there to hold your hand and help you through it, but this is something only you can handle. If they were just a weekend fling and they don’t want any part of this baby’s life, then you will just pack up and move up here with me, and I’ll help you raise him or her.”

“I can’t do that, Mama. My career is here in Texas, and besides, they knew there was a chance when we realized we had forgotten the condom. No, I have to face the music and tell them. I just haven’t worked up the courage.”

Her mother was silent for several beats.

“Whatever you decide to do, baby, just know that I love you, and I will support you. If you need to come up here and lie low for a bit I have a spare bedroom.”

“Thank you, Mama. I love you, too.”

“I have to go, sweetheart, but call me as soon as you’ve told them. Okay?”

Rachel nodded, and waved at her mom before the video screen clicked off. The moment she was alone in the silence of her office she let the leaky dam burst and she cried all of her fear and shame out onto her desk.

Just like her mother, she was alone with a child and walked a precarious line of indecision. Her mother had known about her father’s affair for months before he admitted it. Firmly believing he would give up on the tramp he was seeing and come back to his family. When he didn’t, it ruined both her and her mother’s lives. If the guys decided they didn’t want anything to do with Rachel and the baby…well at the moment that was just unimaginable.