Replace Me (Kin #2)(9)
Author: Jennifer Foor

I rolled my eyes and finally turned to face her. “We went for a ride. That’s it. Nothing else happened.”

“You’re talking about Joey. I mean, I love my boyfriend, but you have to admit that Joey is equally hot. You can tell he’s part Cooper, that’s for sure.”

“I’m not even going there. You heard how rude he was. He’s a fool if he thinks I’d even consider being with someone like that.”

I thought about how blatant he had been with me and it pissed me off again.

“I hear you saying the words, but I don’t believe you. You went for a ride with the guy, alone and in the dark. How did it feel when your arms wrapped around him on that bike?”

She was sitting Indian style on my bed, waiting for some juicy details that I really didn’t have. “Seriously? The ride was exciting. He never asked for a thing and brought me back here. It wasn’t a big deal.”

Sky laughed at me. “Well, even if you aren’t going to tell me everything, I just want you to know that Ford says he’s a real ladies man. He’d be good to help you forget, but don’t count on it ever being more.”

As she stood up and walked toward the door, I had to reiterate. “Nothing is happening anyway. I’m not interested in him at all.”

She laughed again and closed the door behind her. I knew she didn’t believe me and it made me crazy. I was certain that he was a total douche. Why would she even think I’d want someone that could potentially treat me worse than Shayne?

Just thinking of him made me feel sad. I loathed admitting it, but I missed him. I missed his sweet smile and his bright blue eyes. I missed the way his hands glided against my skin and gave my chills.

I was pathetic for not being able to get over a liar like he was.

Once I got up and made it out into the living room, I noticed that Ford wasn’t around. “Is he working on a weekend again?”

Sky sipped at her coffee before answering. “Yeah. He and my dad are working on some new contract for a French company.”

“Wow, I can’t believe he was just a shitty mechanic when you met him. Isn’t it weird, almost like he’s someone different now?”

She shrugged. “Not really. He’s the same guy. I mean, sure, he’s determined and has goals, but I’m proud of him for wanting to succeed. He strives for it and my parents adore him, almost as much as I do.”

I held up my hand for her to stop. “Please, save me the details. I heard how much you adore each other last night through these thin ass walls. I don’t need the visuals too.”

“We really didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Whatever!”

Sky got quiet as I sat down across from her. She looked down and then back up at me. I knew that look she was giving me and I didn’t want her two-cents, but she was giving it to me anyway. “You know, I heard that Shayne really misses you.”

“I know you didn’t hear that from Ford.” Ever since the big lie, Ford hadn’t been speaking to his cousin.

“I heard it from Peyton. She came over to beg us to buy her alcohol one night. You know, it’s crazy the things we do for a six-pack when we’re her age. She literally drove a good thirty-minutes for a chance of getting beer.”

“Peyton exaggerates, not to mention that Shayne still lied. We didn’t break up because I fell out of love with him. I miss him like crazy, but I refuse to be with someone who can’t commit, and can’t be honest. End of story.”

She dropped the subject, probably noticing my animosity. It was a good thing, because I was trying my hardest to forget about Shayne. I didn’t need reminders that would linger in my mind. I needed distractions with hot guys that wore leather jackets and rode motorcycles. As long as I didn’t have to put out, I knew Joey would be a great distraction. Maybe he was just what the doctor ordered.

No strings.

No heartbreak.

The perfect medicine.

Chapter 6

Shayne

After breakfast, my parents decided to go sightseeing and give us ‘kids’ time to hang out. I knew it was going to be the time where I told Parker about the pregnancy. He needed to know the truth.

It would have been so easy to just have come out and say it, but I hesitated when I saw him loving on his girlfriend. It wasn’t just the way he held her, or the fact that they seemed so genuinely happy. I felt that emptiness in the pit of my stomach and knew that I’d had the chance at that kind of feeling and f**ked it up. That saying, where they say something like you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, well it’s the truth.

Parker was going to have to walk away from something he cared about too, all because of something he could have never imagined happening.

Knowing that this could be something real for him, I hated that one night could change everything for him.

The boy had a chance, not just with love, but with a career in sports and a future of success.

Peyton made it easier for me to get our brother alone. She saw some hot guy that the girl knew and drug her over to introduce them. Parker crossed his arms and leaned against a cinderblock wall. “What do you think? She’s great ain’t she? I tell ya, I never imagined meeting someone like her, so soon in my life, but I swear to ya, she’s the one. I just know it. I can feel it in every inch of my body, bro.” He brought his hand up to my shoulder and looked over where his girlfriend and Peyton stood. “I’m not messin’ this up. She’s too good to lose.”

“There’s somethin’ I need to tell you.”

He gave me a weird look. “I think Peyton beat you to it. Look, man, Dad can’t find out. My life will be over. I don’t want a kid right now and I especially don’t want one with her. It was a mistake, Shayne; a mistake that I never wanted to get out. Now this shit happened.”

What was I supposed to say to my brother? “When did she tell you?”

“A couple weeks ago, when she talked to Lacey. Apparently she called her and asked why you guys broke up. Lacey told her that Ford wasn’t the father. I didn’t tell Peyton that it was mine. She doesn’t have a clue that I slept with Ashley that night.”

“Damn. Why didn’t you call me? I’m the one person who knew about it.”

“Because I’m f**kin’ scared to death. How would you feel if you had the opportunity to make your dreams come true and then somethin’ like this happens? I don’t want a f**kin’ kid.” Parker had tears in his eyes and I could tell he was petrified. He looked over to make sure the girls weren’t walking in our direction yet. “What am I goin’ to do?”