Karma Kameleon. Stephanie Haefner

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      Oh, fuck.

      Zak could have been pumping me with sperm and didn’t even know it.

      I expected to hear that cackle–the annoying laugh alerting me Karma was back, ready to mess with my life again. But all I heard was ice cream and milk being whipped into a milkshake and the tinkle of the door chime every twenty seconds as sweaty New Yorkers came in for a refreshing treat.

      Yeah, once upon a time her meddling had been for the better…but this? How could Zak being Preston’s father help anyone? It would destroy my family and screw what Zak now had and was obviously happy with.

      And this was so unlike her–hiding like this. She enjoyed showing her face while fucking up my life. Why wasn’t she basking in her success?

      * * * *

      I took the long way home. Preston had fallen asleep in his stroller, so I walked and walked and thought and tried to stop my brain from freaking out. My text message alert sounded as I reached our building.

       Have you listened to Mom’s voicemail yet? We have a wedding, bridal shower and baby shower to plan! Abby

      Her texts were always so perfect–grammar and even proper punctuation. It must take her forever to send a message. And why did she insist on putting her name at the end? I knew it was from her.

       no. i’ll checkk now

      I dialed my voice mail. One new message. I must have missed my phone ringing while I contemplated my child’s paternity.

      “Lexi, dear, it’s Mom. I was thinking, we need to get started on planning all these events, especially if you want the wedding to be this October. And a double wedding, at that. My, this will be a challenge. Can you come to the house this weekend? We’ll make a day of it and have dinner. Everyone needs to be here–the bride and the groom, and the other…um, groom and groom. Now, should I call Mrs. Wells and invite her as well? And what about Kevin’s mother? I sure can’t wait to–”

      At least this time when the voicemail cut her off, she didn’t call back. I put the phone in my purse and took the elevator to our floor. It was later than I thought. Marcus was already home.

      “Oh good. You’re here,” he said. “Rich ran to pick up dinner and Kevin called. He’ll be here soon. We got Chinese–hope that’s okay.”

      Preston began to stir and Marcus picked him up, nuzzling their noses together, both of them smiling.

      “Uh, yeah. That’s fine.”

      No way could I tell Marcus that Preston might not be his. It would crush him–no, worse. He might combust right on the spot. I had to keep it a secret until I knew for sure. And even if I did find out Zak was Preston’s father, would I even tell him then?

      “Lex, hello?”

      I shook away my thoughts. “Huh?”

      “What’s up with you today?”

      “Nothing. Hey, I got a voicemail from my mom. She wants to start planning the wedding extravaganza. You up for a Marshall family gathering on Saturday? She wants everyone to be there.”

      “Not sure how much help I’ll be, but I’ll go. I figured I’d leave the details to you and Kevin.”

      “She asked if I wanted her to call your mom and invite her too.”

      He laughed. “Yeah. It will be a miracle if she even shows for her own son’s wedding.”

      Ever since he’d come out of the closet, Marcus’s family hadn’t given him much thought.

      “Okay. I’ll make sure she doesn’t call her.”

      I took out some plates and bowls, getting ready for our food to arrive. Suddenly I was famished.

      “Why don’t you and Rich stay at that fab bed and breakfast near your folk’s on Saturday. Kevin and I can take Preston home. You guys haven’t had a night alone in a while.”

      “What would be the point?”

      “So you can, ya know, have some adult fun.”

      “Doubtful. Even a romantic B and B isn’t gonna make Rich want to have sex with me.”

      “What? Why not?”

      “Wish I knew. He hasn’t touched me since the miscarriage.”

      “It’s been over a month. I thought it was okay to resume normal activity.”

      I sat on one of the stools at the kitchen island. “It was–weeks ago. And I told him that.”

      “Wow. You guys were always so…what’s the right word? Um…insatiable.”

      I had to laugh. “Yeah, exactly. So you get why I’m frustrated.”

      “That is just plain weird.” He shook his head, then locked eyes with me. “You don’t think he’s…”

      I hadn’t thought of it before. A sex-hungry twenty-five-year-old in his prime wouldn’t stop having sex. Dread filled me and I fought back tears. “You don’t think, do you?”

      “Rich? No. He’s not a cheater.”

      “But none of it makes any sense. You know what he says when I ask ‘why?’ He says he doesn’t want to.”

      Marcus couldn’t hide his shock. We both knew no guy on earth, ever in the history of man-kind, casually said “no” to getting laid. There had to be something else going on. And I was damn sure going to find СКАЧАТЬ