Seducing Simon(62)

“Toni hasn’t been home since your little argument,” he said derisively. “If you’d quit feeling so sorry for yourself you might have noticed that fact.”

Simon glared at his friend. But a twinge of concern tightened his chest. He swore softly. He didn’t want to feel concern. She was a big girl.

She could take care of herself.

He didn’t want to think about the phone call and how much courage it had taken for her to call him. He’d shoved it back in her face.

Matt looked up from his perch on the bench in front of the lockers.

“She’s still not home?”

A.J. all but snarled, surprising Simon with his ferocity. “I can’t believe you, Matt. What’s Toni done to you? This has nothing to do with you. Don’t you give a crap that she’s been gone for two days?”

“I’m a little pissed at her,” Matt muttered.

“Well, get over it,” A.J. growled. “Right now I’d say it’s more important to find out where the hell she is. A freaking ice storm is supposed to hit, and we don’t know if she’s out on the road somewhere or what.” Simon’s stomach clenched. Despite his anger, the thought of Toni out alone somewhere, hurt or scared, frightened the hell out of him. And their child. Christ. His child.

“You’ll excuse my interruption, but you guys are complete dumbasses,” Mike said as he rounded the corner. His eyes glittered angrily as he stared them down.

“Back off, Sanders,” Simon said menacingly. “You don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I? Let’s see. You’re not sulking because Toni didn’t tell you she was pregnant with your child, and you’re not sulking because your little pride is hurt,” he said sarcastically.

“What do you know about the situation?” Matt demanded, standing to his full height.

“I know you people are pathetic,” he sneered. “Did I hear you right, A.J.? Is Toni missing?”

A.J. shrugged. “I wish I knew. She’s not answering her phone, and this is the second day she’s missed work.”

“How is it you know so much about Toni’s situation?” Simon asked, his voice deceptively soft. He was working to keep a tight rein on his anger, and Sander’s smug expression was wearing his patience thin.

“You’re an idiot, Simon. She is so in love with you it isn’t even funny.

She’s agonized for months over how to tell you. Wondering if you’d hate her. Worried that if she told you, she’d never know if you really loved her or hooked up with her just for the baby.”

“That’s no excuse,” he began, though his argument sounded hollow even to his own ears.

“I see, and what was she supposed to tell you, Simon? That on the night you broke up with your girlfriend, you stumbled home to Toni and took comfort in her arms? That after you took her virginity you humiliated her by calling her Starla? Somehow I don’t see her lining up to admit what happened.”

Simon felt the color drain from his face then close behind, a dull flush worked its way over his cheeks. “How do you know this? Did she tell you this?” Christ, had he really called her Starla?

“Uh, no, Simon. I was in the bedroom while you two made it.” His heavy sarcasm was enough.

Simon bolted over and grabbed Mike by the collar, slamming him against the locker. “Shut the hell up, Sanders. I don’t know why Toni confided in you, but shut your filthy mouth up.”

“Could it be she had no one else?” Mike asked pointedly, not at all intimidated by Simon’s strangle hold on him.

Simon slowly released him and he slid down the locker.

“You’re a damn fool, Simon. I bet you’ve spent the last few months secretly wishing the baby was yours so you and Toni could be one big happy family. And now that your wish has been granted, you’re doing your best to screw it up. Makes a hell of a lot of sense.”

“As much as I hate to agree with pretty boy Sanders, he has a very good point,” A.J. spoke up.

Simon turned to glare at A.J. who was leaning casually against the locker, anger still written on his face.

“Really, Simon. What’s your problem? Don’t you have everything you ever wanted? Didn’t you say the other night that things would be such much simpler if it were your baby she carried?” A.J. asked.

“She should have told me,” Simon whispered. “I had the right to know.”

“Yeah well I don’t think anyone’s going to argue that with you. But it’s a moot point. So are you going to hold it against her forever, or are you going to take care of the girl who loves you and raise your child together?” Mike stood defiantly a few inches from Simon’s face as he laid down the challenge. “Personally, I don’t think you deserve her, but for whatever reason, she chose you. She’s never betrayed you, never even looked at another guy. How many women can you say that about?

Certainly no one in your past,” he said derisively.

“Enough already,” Matt said, holding up a hand and inserting himself between Simon and Mike. “We’ve got work to do. Toni’s a smart girl.

She’s probably off working this out on her own like Simon’s doing. Back off and leave them to it.”

“You screw this up, Simon, and I’ll make damn sure you don’t get another chance with her,” Mike said as he stalked off.