She nodded, but couldn’t make herself move her legs.
DJ came around and opened her door, reaching in to drag her out. “I didn’t take you for a coward.” DJ’s eyebrows rose behind her large shades. “There we go. There’s that attitude. In we go.”
Harper hooked her purse over her shoulder and wrapped her arms tight at her chest. They walked inside. Lights were insanely bright and all the aisles were perfectly marked. No need to ask for directions to the contraception and pregnancy test aisle. Did they do that on purpose? Hey…let’s give them a reminder if they don’t use condoms that an entirely different little box was in their future?
Why the hell didn’t she listen?
DJ walked ahead of her and stood in front of all the different ones. “Okay.” She tapped on three different brands. “These are the ones I’ve used.”
Harper’s eyes widened. “All of them?”
DJ lifted a shoulder. “I had one scare and I didn’t believe it. All three of them said yes.”
Harper wanted to ask what the answer had been. What had she done? Was there a little kid waiting to greet her at DJ’s apartment?
Had she given it away?
Had an abortion?
Lost it?
With shaking fingers, Harper took the box that she saw on a million commercials. Early Pregnancy Test, First Response, the idiot proof test Clear Blue Easy….God, there were a half dozen on one row. Let alone the other ones for ovulation and pre-screenings. She snatched three of the main name brands off the shelf and stalked up to the counter before she chickened out.
The woman at the counter didn’t say a word. Harper must have full-fledged panic attack ahead in her eyes or something. She didn’t even hear the amount, just swiped her bank card, and took the bag out the front door. DJ ran after her.
“Hey there, psycho-girl. Wait up.”
“I just want to get it over with. Please, DJ.”
Her new friend sighed and simply nodded, opening her door and starting the car.
The ride to DJ’s house was quiet. She could see the pink and blue boxes through the thin plastic of the bag. Easy to do, quick answers, smiling babies, and a wildly grinning woman stared back at her.
Where was the box with the terrified woman like her? The one who had rage and disappointment in her eyes because she’d been stupid? Where were the boxes with the shaking hands and women curled up in a fetal position?
Jesus. Did she have to think of fetal?
She cupped her hand over her middle and closed her eyes.
“We’re here.”
Harper blinked her eyes open, realizing that they’d stopped. She clambered out of the car and followed DJ up a set of cement and iron stairs. It was a typical apartment complex. Exactly like one she’d lived in with three girls while in culinary school.
DJ opened the door on the second level and held open the door. “Do you need to drink something so you can actually pee?”
Harper knotted the bag around her finger and nodded. “Yeah, maybe.” She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry I’m being a freak over here. Thank you so much for helping me out.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve been there.” DJ turned and handed her a glass. “I’m just surprised you don’t have a girlfriend to call.”
Harper gulped down half the glass, setting it down on the counter of the small kitchen. She had Annie, but she was vacationing with her parents. How the heck was she supposed to call with this kind of freakout? “I work with mostly men, to be honest.”
“Not a hardship.” DJ crossed her arms. “I recognized your husband on the first day.”
Harper stopped twisting the bag around her fingers. God, she hadn’t even thought about that. Since they’d gotten to Texas, no one seemed to notice Deacon under his beard.
What if she took the test and DJ called the tabloids to tell everyone? Would that be juicy information?
Deacon’s band was gaining notoriety, but they were off tour and out of the public eye lately. Would anyone even care?
DJ stepped in front of her. “You need to breathe and stop worrying about shit. Just because I know your hubster is famous doesn’t mean I’m going to freak out or anything.”
Harper bowed her head. “We just started dealing with the fame thing. It’s not like I’m with Simon. He can’t even walk down the street.”
“But Deacon is a big guy. People notice.”
Harper’s head lifted. “Exactly. Even if they don’t recognize him they stare because he’s so damn tall. Then the more people look, the more they think…wow—he’s gotta be someone famous. And then it spirals from there, usually.”
DJ leaned against her counter. “You’d think being with a famous guy would be cool.”
Harper snorted. “It is, until someone literally climbs over you to get to your husband.”
“I’d start swinging.”
“It’s easier to just get out of the way.”
“I don’t know how you do it. Well, I do. Because, wow, that man is fine.” DJ fanned her face. “No offense, but your husband is sexy as sin.”