I started to wonder why exactly Mia tried so hard to get me inside because she really didn’t appear happy about Della being there, so I knew it wasn’t some kind of set up. At least not a set up for me to run into Della. A set up for Mia to try to rape me, possibly.
“What are you doing here?” Della asked, directing her question toward me as I shoved my hands in my pockets, trying like hell to control the anger that was bubbling up at catching the two of them together. It wasn’t something that I liked to think about, much less see. Nash had what I wanted and would never get, and it pissed me the hell off. I wonder if he knew what his pregnant girlfriend had been up to recently, though. Maybe then he wouldn’t be looking so protective of her right now.
“What are you doing here, is the real question?” Mia spat out, stomping one heeled foot on the weathered wooden floor. “Your car’s not in the driveway. You’re supposed to be gone.”
“Well, I sort of live here, last time I checked. And I rode over with Nash. He’s parked on the street. Not that I need to explain myself to you or anything,” Della responded, the snappy attitude that I loved about her seeping through as she returned Mia’s glare.
“Whatever,” Mia huffed. “Let’s just get out of here, Justin.” She latched onto my elbow, yanking me toward the front door, but my head snapped back when I heard a nasally voice coming from the hallway.
“Ugh, Nash. I’m ready to go. My feet are killing me and I need to take a nap.” I’d only met her a few times, but I quickly recognized the dark-haired girl rubbing a hand over her large belly, reaching out the other one to Nash who laced his fingers with hers. Mariah. The two of them had broken up as far as I knew, but it sure didn’t seem that way anymore. Things were starting to make sense as I watched the two of them together. Yeah, Nash was going to be a dad, but it wasn’t Della who was having a baby. Thank God. I felt like doing a fucking cartwheel across the living room at the realization.
I looked at Della who was still staring at me, millions of questions in her eyes, but her lips were closed tightly. She was obviously pissed. Probably for lots of different reasons, and I felt like a complete asshole. I did all of that shit because I thought she was with Nash. And she wasn’t.
“Justin.” Mia tugged on my arm once again and I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t think it was exactly the best time to explain myself to Della. I knew I needed to give her some space to cool off, but in the same instant, I just wanted to scoop her into my arms and forget everything that had happened between us. “Is this the guy you’ve been talking about?” Della asked, finally breaking her silence, and Mia froze, her hand tensing around my upper arm. Della’s eyes darted back and forth between Mia and me. I straightened as she stood up from the couch and took a step closer. I started to think that maybe I should just leave. I could figure out how to get Della alone later. Things were just getting more uncomfortable by the second.
Mia shrugged one shoulder, giving Della a satisfied smile. “Maybe.”
“What exactly have you been saying about me, Mia?” I raised my eyebrows at her, and she at least had the decency to look a little bit guilty. She never mentioned whether she told Della that we were friends. I didn’t really care one way or another, but I had a feeling she was filling Della’s head with a whole lot more than what was actually going on.
“Nothing much,” she answered vaguely and I could tell by the incredulous expression Della shot her that it was a complete lie.
“So, you two are having a baby?” I tipped my head toward Nash, hoping to diffuse a little bit of the tension that was growing between Della and Mia.
Nash’s eyebrows bunched together before he nodded his head at me. “Well, yeah.” Like I was a dumbass for asking or something.
“And the two of you?” I motioned between Della and Nash, watching as Nash shifted on his feet, his shoulders tight with tension.
“And the two of us, what? Are we together? Is that what you told him, Mia?” Della’s lips formed a tight line as she turned on Mia, who was now grinning widely, but didn’t answer her. Mariah snorted loudly, mumbling something under her breath. I knew she wasn’t exactly a fan of Della’s, so all three of them here together was confusing the hell out of me. “No, we aren’t together. We’re just friends. He’s with Mariah, the mother of his child. Is that a good enough explanation for you? I certainly don’t owe you one. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
She was pissed.
I was trying my hardest to bite back the smirk that wanted to escape. She looked sexy as hell when she was mad. Her blue eyes were flaring, and her plump lips were pushed together in a scowl. It reminded me of something she used to do with those lips that I would give anything to feel right about now. Get your head out of the gutter, Justin.