Beautiful Strangers (The Masquerade Series) Read online

  She returns a minute or two later accompanied by the doctor. He listens to the heartbeat for a second and then he too moves the Doppler around.

  “Great ear Becky! Congratulations you are having twins.”

  “My hearing must be off, did he say twins?” I look to the nurse waiting for her to correct the mistake.

  But she doesn’t, and then there is a thud in the room. I realize Evan is no longer holding my hand he has literally hit the floor. Once the doctor decides that Evan is okay and not suffering from a concussion, he sends us to another room for a sonogram. This is the most accurate way to determine how far I am.

  The sooner we find out a due date the better. The technician brings out a probe and slides a condom over it. This just got a bit awkward. What happens next is amazing. There are two little beings on the screen. Based on their size and development they suggest I am around ten weeks. They think I conceived around Halloween and give me a due date near the end of July.

  The babies are fraternal and so far they appear to be developing normally. The clinic has to report my case to social services by state law but the doctor reassures me that I will have nothing to worry about as long as I stay clean and sober. This scares me a little but I still feel as if a ton of bricks have been lifted from my shoulders. I have to take an iron supplement with my prenatal vitamins, other than that I am perfectly healthy as well.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Making things right?

  We get into the car and when I turn the radio I hear none other than asshole overlord himself on the radio promoting his new single Hurry Lover.

  No fucking way!

  That is the song he supposedly wrote for me. I switch the stereo off and even though I shouldn’t, I feel guilty about keeping my pregnancy from Jax. What I am about to do is extremely stupid but I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t do it.

  “Babe I want to do something and I don’t want you to freak out, because it won’t change anything between us.”

  “I’ve been thinking about it too, you want to tell him don’t you? I can’t deny the thought of you being near him again makes me insane, but if it were me I would want to know.”

  “When did you get so wonderful?”

  “The day I thought I lost you.”

  “Well that isn’t about to happen again, you know why?”

  “Why?”

  “Because I love you most!”

  We get home and I make the dreaded call. No I don’t tell him over the phone, I invite him over for dinner. I just leave out that Evan will be present as well. What do you cook for a douche bag that you plan to give the shock of their life to? I mean, do say here enjoy you’re spaghetti and by the way I may or may not be carrying your twins? I don’t think that would go over too well.

  The moment arrives all too soon for my liking when I hear a knock at the door. I am finishing the salad so Evan lets him in. Jaxson takes one look at Evan and starts to walk back out.

  “Its cool man come on in, have a seat.”

  “What the hell is this three's company?”

  “Jax I asked you here for a reason, there is something I, er, we need to discuss with you.”

  We all take an awkward seat at the table and I tell them to dig in, but they both just sit there giving one another the stare down. You would think we are in one of those Wild West movies where the two gunslingers are about to dual.

  “Well I am starving, I am going to eat a bite then I will get to the point.”

  They are both still quiet and unmoving like statues. I continue to eat through the silence keeping my cool on the outside. But on the inside I am trying to decide the best way to go about it.

  Stop being a chicken shit and just do it Grace. I lecture myself.

  “So Jax I need to share something personal with you. I have been to the doctor-

  Jax cuts me off in the middle of my sentence. “You don’t have something do you? Fuck! I knew I should have used protection.”

  “Well if you call being pregnant having something as you put it, then yes I have something alright.”

  “Oh in that case why are you telling me this, I mean I am happy for you but what does this have to do with me?”

  “Hello! There is a fifty percent chance you could be the father.”

  “Gracie I thought I told you, but I must not have. I can’t have kids. It isn’t possible; I had a vasectomy over a year ago. I decided when I chose music as my career that I didn’t want a family.”

  “That has to be the greatest thing that I have ever heard come out of your mouth. I could kiss you.”

  Evan gives me a death glare. “I don’t mean literally, just a figure of speech.” My cheeks flush with embarrassment.

  “Congratulations and all, but I need to go. I really am happy for you.”

  That was the last time I ever talked to Jaxson Hayes. It’s funny how meeting one person will influence the rest of your life. When John Evan Brown walked into mine I didn’t know what life was throwing at me. The too perfect boyfriend turned out to be just what I needed and what I had never dreamed of wanting.

  The road ahead of us won’t be easy, but I have faith. I believe that everything in this life has a reason; we may not always understand it when it happens. But I don’t think we are meant to always get an explanation. If you are lucky enough to find the one person who can see all the things wrong with you and not want to change one of them, that’s what you call, true love.

  Five Years later…

  “John Harrison and Olivia Tate hurry come and see what the Easter Bunny has brought for you loves.”

  The twins come running into the living room as fast as they can. Olivia Tate is the spitting image of her daddy; brown hair and the cutest dimples. John Harrison however favors me more, but he does have one dimple on his left cheek. They tare into their baskets while their father and I watch in awe that we created not one but two amazing little people.

  We no longer live in Nashville. We moved to North Carolina to be closer to my mom. Evan owns and operates his own custom bike garage. I eventually finished school; it wasn’t easy to achieve while chasing my littles around but I did it. I have been sober for five years and in my spare time I write a children’s book series about a set of twins who are always into mischief and learning life’s lessons.

  Jaxson Hayes parted ways with Sadie Blake last I heard. He is still topping the charts not that I keep up with him of course. I never heard from Jocelyn again. I think maybe it is for the best though every now and then I find that I still miss her.

  The End

  A note from the Author

  I just want to state that the actions and lifestyles of the characters in Beautiful Strangers is not a reflection of the models pictured on the cover of this book. I do not condone the abuse or selling of drugs.

  If you or someone you know is addicted to drugs please visit http://www.drugfree.org/ for information on how to get help. One click can save a life.

  You can contact Glenna Maynard for more information at: mailto:@[email protected]

  http://www.twitter.com/gchellewrites