An Ace Of Hearts (Book #1) (Completed)

Chapter 07: A Moment?! No Way!

AHVI TAKEDA

My head reeled from the information Jace had just dumped on us. I got up from the armchair quietly and walked toward the kitchen. I felt Eman and Jace's eyes on me but didn't dare to look at them. Kiara was pregnant. Oh, this was bad.

I opened the refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of beer and a can of soda. Walking back into the living room, I tossed one at Jace who caught it easily, smiling gratefully at me. I slumped on the couch beside him, leaning forward to hand Eman her soda.

She quietly took it from my hand, popping it open. The fizzing of the carbonated drink was the only sound in the living room as she took a drink.

I opened the beer bottle with my teeth before taking a long drink. If I needed a drink to process this information, I couldn't fathom what Jace was going through.

"Why tell us at all?" I asked after a moment as the question occurred to me. I could easily tell Ren about it and Eman had a loose tongue. She blurted the most unfortunate things at the most unfortunate of times. She wasn't stupid. She just got carried away sometimes, especially when she was angry or excited.

"Honestly, I came here to make up some bullshit excuse and feed it to you and ask you to shut up." Jace replied, sighing as he laid his head back on the couch. "But then I saw you and I was like fuck it. It's been easier for me to talk to you since we were kids and you know it." He tilted his head to the side to look at me.

I nodded as a warm, fuzzy feeling built in my stomach at his words. Jace and I had always found great company in each other no matter how much of an ass he was. It was easier to talk to him than the other guys and I think our closeness was the reason I fell for him all those years ago. I still felt the side effects of my crush to this day and thus the butterflies taking flight.

"I realized that I need someone to know. I can't tell the guys because they are very stressed about the business already so..." He shrugged as he brought the beer bottle to his lips and took a drink. I stared at him, watching as he stared up at the ceiling, the absence of the permanent grin on his face and my heart ached in my chest. It had been years since it had done that.

Someone cleared their throat and I looked away, glancing at Eman. She got up from her chair and jabbed a thumb down the hall.

"I need to use the restroom." She began walking down the hall. Jace straightened, frowning at her.

"You're going to the restroom with the can of soda?" He asked and she glanced at the drink in her hand then back at him. A beat later, she spoke up, no hesitation in her voice.

"I might get thirsty in there. Duh, Jace." Before either of us could respond, she turned and hurried down the hall. My bedroom door opened and closed behind her as Eman promptly left the two of us alone.

"So, what are you going to do about the situation?" I asked as I shook my head at my best friend.

"I don't know. I'm still processing it, I guess," Jace said. "I can't walk away from the situation, you know." He added.

"Because of what happened with your dad?" I immediately regretted it as soon as the words left my mouth. Jace didn't like to talk about his father. At all. "I'm sorry I-"

"Does it matter?" He cut me off, glancing at me. "Does it matter why I can't walk away from the situation? The child is mine. I have to be there for it one way or the other."

"You could always choose not to be in its life." I pointed out. Jace shook his head, leaning his elbows against his knees.

"I can't do that." He stared off into space and I felt a pang of sympathy for him.