Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 39250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
He chuckled under his breath and shook his head. “I could argue that it’s 100% your fault, seeing as I’ve only ever had that urge with you.”
It was my turn to shake my head, because I was totally innocent, and—
“Wait a minute.” James sat up straighter and stared at me. “This means…there’s an actual possibility you’re already pregnant?”
Well, yeah. Wasn’t that clear?
“The possibility’s there,” I confirmed. “I’m far from convinced. Minor bleeding and the fact that I’ve had zero nausea or any other common pregnancy symptoms, it feels unlikely. But I can take a test at work to be safe.”
He was already shaking his head and scooping up the last food on his plate. “You think I can wait that long? Finish up and meet me at home. I’ll run out and buy a couple tests. Do you need anything else? Oh, and you should walk slowly. Don’t overdo it. Maybe I should have one of the junior operators escort you. Is it even safe for you to walk?”
I blinked.
Oh dear lord.
There was no way, right? Had I spent the morning with my head in the toilet, I would’ve felt more confident.
My nerves, at this point, were only frazzled because James was pacing a hole outside the bathroom. I felt like I had to be the level-headed one in this scenario.
He was freaking adorable, though. And it was reassuring to see him both hopeful and prepared to “learn all the shit,” as he’d said earlier. He’d already made a list on his phone.
Buy pregnancy books, it read.
“How much time is left?” he asked.
“Umm, I’d say about thirty seconds less than last time,” I teased.
He shot me a look. “Woman, that’s unhelpful. If you’re pregnant, we’re behind on things. I don’t know at what point the fetus is a pea or an avocado. Do they still compare the baby to vegetables? Not to fucking mention, we don’t have a house yet. You will have to study school districts. I’ll handle the crime rate stats. It’s gotta be the safest goddamn neighborhood in the whole state.”
I beamed at him, unable to help it. “I promise I will look into the school districts.”
“Study them,” he emphasized. “No cursory glances on my watch.”
“Aye-aye, captain.” I saluted him.
Was he even aware of how he was painting our future? I remembered the first time I’d met his coworkers, like Bo and Danny, and how James had said no embarrassing stories about him could resurface until I was “locked down” and had his name. Marriage had been on his mind, in other words. And now, a house? In a good school district?
“I’ll talk to Coach too,” he went on. “He knows where I can get a good home security system.”
“Honey, we’re not raising a child in a prison,” I pointed out.
“Of course not, but they gotta be safe,” he replied. “My cousin Laurie, you remember her—when she had her first, she came damn close to wrapping her entire home in bubble wrap. It’s not a bad idea.”
“It’s a terrible idea,” I laughed. “And I’m pretty sure it was her husband who wanted to wrap their house in bubble wrap.”
He shrugged and brought out his phone. “As for security—it’s gotta be top-of-the-line. If you don’t agree, ask your old man.”
“Why would I ask him? He’d probably agree with you.”
“That’s why. What time is it?”
For the love of God!
I looked at my phone, and my heart thudded a little harder.
Shit. It was time.
“It’s time to look,” I admitted. Dammit, now I was as nervous as James looked, and it was nuts! I was a nurse, for crying out loud. I was used to calming down family members who freaked out at nothing.
I opened the door to the bathroom, where two tests waited on the sink. James had bought one regular—two pink lines meant pregnant—and one digital that flat out said pregnant or not on the display.
I swallowed hard, and my stomach felt tight with nerves and unease. Would he be super disappointed—
I had to know right away, so I spun around and planted a hand on James’s chest, surprising him.
“If I’m not—”
“Then you’re not.” He got with the program in a heartbeat and dipped down to kiss me. “We haven’t even started trying, hellcat. These things can take time. Which you obviously already know, but I’m aware too. Okay?”
A breath gusted out of me, and I nodded once. He squeezed me tight, and I let the relief flow through me.
“Let’s look,” I whispered.
He released me and nudged me around, but he kept me close and hugged me loosely from behind. It was as if he knew I needed him nearby—or maybe he needed it too.
I took a breath and leaned toward the sink, almost afraid to take another step, and there it was. Just like that, my heart was pounding.