All Of Me

Chapter 35

Tripp's POV

"Take me home." She said flatly as we neared the cafe, so I kept driving. I couldn't really blame her for not wanting to go back there today, that had to be humiliating for her.

The silence was worst than anything she could have said to me. I could only imagine what was going through her mind as she stared out the window on the way back to her house. I would rather her scream at her, or cry while she told me I had ruined her life. Something, anything, so I could know what was going on in that beautiful head of hers.

After fifteen more minutes of silent driving, I pulled up and parked outside the apartments.

I shut the truck off and ran my hand over the back of my neck, trying to get rid of some of the tension building.

"I didn't think things could get any worse." She finally spoke, laughing as she spoke the words. I wanted to reach over and hold her hand, or put an arm around her shoulders, but I squeezed the steering wheel tighter to refrain. She would reject it, and from the looks of her belly, I had done more than enough touching.

I must have went downstairs to the couch after we...were intimate. It made sense now. I remembered kissing someone, something happening, being touched. But I didn't think it could have been Brooke. And of course no one would have told me they saw me go up there. They knew I would. To check on her. I felt nauseous at the thought of Chelsea seeing Brooke and I be intimate together, but at the same time, I was glad she had. Because now we knew, even if it wasn't the way we wanted to find out.

I looked over at Brooke just as a tear rolled down her cheek and she continued to stare. I glanced down at her belly, and the reality tried to push it's way through my jumbled thoughts, that I was Luke's dad. I, somehow, in my drunken state, had gone upstairs that night, and Brooke and I slept together.

From what Chelsea said, and since Brooke said she never felt any discomfort afterward, it was obviously consensual. I was so relieved that I hadn't taken advantage of her. She probably came to just enough to act, but too drunk to remember.

I got out of the truck and walked around to the other side. She had already opened her door, so I just took her purse and walked up the stairs to her apartment. I heard her shut the truck door, and follow me up the stairs as I fished the keys from her purse and unlocked the door.

I let her walk past me into the apartment, and then stepped inside, shutting the door. She kept one arm folded over her chest as she opened the refrigerator and pulled out a canned soda.

I took time to notice, as I sat her purse down on couch, how her face gets red and splotchy when she cries. How she subconsciously pats her belly when she does things, such as how she was standing against the counter drinking her soda, one hand rubbing and lightly patting her tummy, as if touching Luke directly.

I shook my head. I had changed so much since that senior party, and I hadn't noticed it until now. I'll admit I cared more about myself then than I did about Brooke. I got drunk, knowing she was passed out upstairs.

If I had been the responsible adult I should have been, I would have put Brooke in the truck and taken her straight home. She wouldn't be pregnant, and our friendship, and Brooke's reputation, wouldn't be in jeopardy.

Funny thing was, all of the friends I used to hit those parties with all the time, hadn't spoken to me since graduation. Some friends they were. Josh had only spoken to me when I had gone to him first. Only to interrogate him about something. He stayed too high to operate a phone or vehicle.

She finally caught me looking and shrugged. I gave her a small smile and I took a chance, crossing the room toward her.

I couldn't forget how it had been to kiss her at Uncle Todd's house. That had felt so perfect. So unbelievably right. I wanted to kiss her again, as selfish as it seemed, maybe it would help me to better understand how she was feeling right now.

She placed her drink down on the counter, snaked her arms around my waist and rested her head against my chest. I wrapped her small body in my arms and that's how we stood for the longest. I lost track of time. She finally stepped back, and I took the opportunity to lean in toward her perfectly shaped pink lips.

She abruptly turned her head and tucked her lips inside her mouth. "I'm sorry." She pulled her arms away and took a step back. I took a deep breath and shook my head, trying to press down the growing irritation.

Brooke's POV

"I thought this would make things easier. I'm his father." Tripp looked confused, and honestly, so was I. But Luke deserved better than this. He deserved two parents that loved each other, not two friends that got plastered and slept together at a random party. He deserved better than this town. And quite frankly, so did I.

Tripp deserved to go on and find a girl that truly loved him, I was only attached. No matter how much it felt like love, it was only attachment. A very, very intense attachment.

"You should go." I took another step back.

I was trying hard to do what I felt to be best for Luke and I, and even for Tripp, even though it hurt. He started to argue, but stopped. He dropped his hands and walked out the door, closing it behind him.

I felt the pain start to rise in my chest, finding myself somewhat disappointed that he hadn't at least tried to argue with me. I let out a few deep breaths, willing myself away from tears as best as I could. Giving it my best shot as I strolled into Luke's unfinished nursery and looked around.

I would just have to avoid Tripp. He would have to be part of mine and Luke's life indefinitely because of his...role. But that didn't mean I wanted to see him right now.

As if things weren't bad enough, I'd have to have Tripp snatched away from me too. Because things would never be the same again.