Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 114068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
“Discount pile at the drugstore.”
“Ah.” She pauses. “You remembered.”
“Of course I did.” My chest swells. I did one thing right at least. “And then Mollie recommended these lozenges that are supposed to help with the nausea. Cherry flavor, because you liked those Twizzlers so much.”
Wheeler blinks. For a horrible second, I think she’s going to cry again.
Wait, she is crying.
Fuck.
What the hell do I do? Did I get the wrong things? Does she need a hug? Maybe she wanted real food. I should’ve asked Patsy to pack up some leftovers.
“Hey.” I keep my hands in my pockets, but I move closer. Close enough that our arms brush. “If there’s anything else I can get you, just say the word—”
“That’s not it.” She puts one hand on her nose and waves me away with the other. “You’re just…so fucking sweet to bring me all this. You came all this way—”
“You really thought I wouldn’t come after, well…” I swallow the moon that’s suddenly risen in my throat. “Surely you have a higher opinion of me than that?”
Squeezing her eyes shut, she shakes her head. “No. I mean yes, Duke. I think the world of you. I just wasn’t prepared.”
She wasn’t prepared for those positive pregnancy tests.
She wasn’t prepared for me to show up like this.
It dawns on me that she wasn’t prepared for me, period.
It’s killing me not to reach for her. “I tried calling.”
“I know. I’m really sorry I didn’t pick up. I’ve been trying to keep boundaries clear, you know? I don’t want to lead you on or give you mixed signals—”
“But you’re pregnant, Wheeler, and you’re scared out of your fuckin’ mind.” I take my hands out of my pockets. It’s the only way I can seem to get air in my lungs. “You can’t deal with this on your own. No one can. So let me be there for you.” She opens her eyes, and I search them. “Tell me what you need from me, because it really bothers me to see you so upset.”
A pair of indents appears between her eyes. “So you’re not mad?”
“Am I mad you’re pregnant?” I shake my head. “No, sweetheart. But I am bummed I wasn’t your first call when you found out.”
The indents deepen. “Really?”
“Well, yeah. Takes two to tango, but I’m one of the two. This is scary, Wheeler. I’m scared too. When you run like that…doesn’t make me feel any better, I’ll say that much.”
Her throat works on a swallow. “I get how me running left you alone too. I’m”—she lets out a breath—“really sorry. Guess part of me thought you might not want to deal with any of this.”
I flatten my palm over my chest. “Ouch.”
“I’m an idiot.” She shakes her head for the millionth time.
“You’re not an idiot. You’re not yourself, and it’s hard to make good decisions when that happens. What do you need?” I repeat.
“Honestly?” She takes a deep inhale. “I don’t know. I feel so miserable. I’m hungry, but when I eat, nothing tastes good. I’m exhausted, but when I try to sleep, I can’t. I’m bored, but I’m also totally overwhelmed.”
“Sounds awful.”
“It is.” Her eyes glimmer, reflecting the overhead lights in pinpricks of white.
“How about we start with a hug and go from there?”
I don’t know why I said that. It’s the wrong call, isn’t it? She just said she wanted to keep boundaries clear, and here I am, offering her a fucking hug in the most awkward way possible.
But then she’s turning toward me and pressing her body against mine, going up on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around my neck.
“I’d love a hug.” Her voice is thick with emotion as she rests her cheek on my chest. “Thank you.”
I take my first deep inhale since I got the news and pull Wheeler close, putting my hand on the back of her head. Her hips melt into mine, her fingers in the hair at my nape.
The embrace feels…easy. Comfortable. Broken-in, like my favorite pair of Wranglers.
With Wheeler in my arms, it’s the first time I’ve felt like shit might just be okay. We needed this.
We need each other.
I could get addicted to this.
“Here’s what we’re gonna do,” I murmur into her hair. “I’m gonna order in some dinner. You’re gonna sit on the couch or take a bath or do whatever you need to do to relax. Then I’ll feed you, and we can talk or not talk. Either way, I just want to be with you. That sound good?”
She nods, sniffling. “Sounds wonderful. Thank you.”
We agree on Thai food—we both get vegetarian pad Thai because chicken is grossing out Wheeler—and we eat on the couch while watching the new season of The Righteous Gemstones.
“Since we never got to finish it,” Wheeler says, explaining her choice. She’s been able to keep her dinner down so far and has even gone for seconds of the spring rolls I ordered.