Dance Around - Susi Hawke Page 0,26

will grow with you and probably last the entire gestation period. Once you've nested, you'll be back in your old wardrobe before you know it. Didn't it take Teddy like three days to shrink? I forget. I'll have to ask him."

Honestly, it was a wonder most of my brothers were alive. Especially this twat, who I'd obviously failed to punch hard enough.

"Are you kidding me, Edgar? You will ask Teddy no such thing because I'm not pregnant. My doctor himself told me my fertility could be in question after taking the vaccine for so long without allowing myself to experience a heat. If anything, I probably picked up a tapeworm on the blasted island. I told you my fish tasted off when we ordered room service, remember?"

Edgar yanked the pants I was about to try on out of my hands, tossing them over his shoulder and grabbing my hands. "You do not have a tapeworm. You. Are. Pregnant. You've already got a faint trace of the dark line that will run down from your navel at the end of your pregnancy. Even though it's light and fuzzy, you have double the facial hair than you normally do. The bacon supposedly responsible for your food poisoning yesterday? The rest of us ate it, and, aside from a few stinky burps, it didn't bother any of us."

Tears threatening to form, I blinked rapidly. Nope. Must stay strong. I couldn't help the trembling in my traitorous bottom lip, but I managed to hide it by biting down. Naturally, Edgar didn't miss a trick. Sighing to himself, he shook his head and tried again.

"Gil, whether you accept it or not, you'll see I'm right soon enough. And don't get me started on how emotional you've been. Or how your sense of smell has suddenly grown to bloodhound levels. I still don't know how you smelled the moldy plate someone had left in the third-floor bedroom on the east wing. My God, you were two stories down and on the opposite side of the manor when you got a disgusted look on your face and went hunting."

Dropping my chin to my chest, I stared down at the slight pooch hanging over the waistband of my boxer briefs. "Goddammit. I am pregnant, aren't I? Shit. Okay. Fuck. Next question. Should I sue or kill my idiot doctor?"

"How about we wait and see how you feel about it a month from now?" With a light chuckle, Edgar shook his head. "Look, let's get you the preggo pants we both know you'll hate and a few other things while we're at it. Then I'll run into the pharmacy next door and buy a pregnancy test. They won't think twice about it since I'm always there picking one up for some brother or cousin. I don't know why being your assistant made me everyone's gofer, but it will work in this case. And after we’re done, I'll take you to lunch. My treat."

As I slowly began to nod, my damn lip was trembling again. "Okay. I like your plan. Do I get ice cream?"

The impudent bastard tapped his chin as if he needed to consider it. "Depends. Are you going to talk to Dan?"

"Fuck it. I'll buy my own damn ice cream." I walked to the chair and sat down, crossing one leg over the other as I glared at the big jerk.

Palms held out, Edgar backed toward the door. "I know, I know. It's none of my business. I'm gonna go grab you some paternity clothes, so take a break." He started to open the door, then glanced back with a sad smile. "I'm going to back off for now. But Gilligan? You do have to tell him eventually. Please don't do your favorite procrastination of choice. It never works when you get stressed and put whatever you're avoiding off until you absolutely have to handle it. And in this case? It’ll blow up in your face and this time you’ll be the asshole in your history with Dan."

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and nodded. "I'll think about it tomorrow. Let me have today to get used to the idea myself."

"I couldn’t ask for more. As long as waiting until tomorrow doesn't turn into some Scarlett O'Hara bullshit where Dan doesn't find out until you show up ready to pop, I'll try to stay out of it. No promises. But I'll do my best."

I didn’t open my eyes until I heard the door close. Staring