It’s been a slow start to spring this year. The snow took a little longer to melt than last year, and the skies took a few extra weeks to clear. It’s almost as if the earth knows the secret I’ve been keeping since the day Winter ended.
It’s not that I haven’t wanted to tell my family, it’s just that with everything going on, being able to get back into the office and get stuck into work, I just haven’t really had the time.
Strong arms wrap around my belly, and a gentle kiss is pressed into the top of my shoulder. “I missed you today,” Everett whispers, placing another kiss on the sensitive spot of my neck he knows makes me desperate for him.
My own hands drop to where his are. Maybe he knows I’ve been keeping it from him. After all, his hands are right over it, protecting the baby he doesn’t even know is growing inside me. I’ve been grappling with how I’m going to tell him since I found out a few weeks ago, but every time I planned anything, something would come up and one of us would be called away.
“I miss you every day,” I tell him truthfully. After we rekindled our relationship, we spent days together locked in the estate, and while none of us have moved back to our apartments yet, we have moved on with our lives in every other way, almost like none of it ever happened.
Everett’s arms move lower as he spins me, gripping the backs of my knees and lifting me until my legs are wrapped around his waist. “I guess we better use our time together effectively.” He winks and a giggle lurches from my throat. It’s been so easy between us the last couple of months, like there weren’t eight years where he was the shadow I never knew I had.
The moment my back hits the plush mattress, Everett is over me, his body shielding me from the rest of the world. It’s moments like these that remind me he’ll always protect us. He’ll always keep us safe and love us unconditionally. And we’ll love him with every beat of our hearts.
“I need to tell you something,” I whisper, my eyes fluttering to his heated gaze.
The corner of his mouth quirks up into a smile. “Oh yeah? I have something I wanted to talk to you about too.” All too soon, his body rolls from mine and he sits up against the headboard before I can so much as sit up. I’ve been very lucky so far with the pregnancy, the only real symptom I’ve had is fatigue, and any day I don’t spend with my head in a toilet bowl with morning sickness is a win for me.
“You go first,” I offer. I haven’t quite found the words yet. It’s not that I think he’ll be upset, because I actually believe he’ll be the complete opposite, but maybe it’s that the moment I tell him we’re having a baby everything will change, and I’m not quite ready for the unknown just yet.
A blinding smile lights up his entire face and my heart melts. Ever since the first time this particular smile was directed at me when I was sixteen, it’s been my very favorite sight. “I know you don’t like surprises, which is why I thought we could discuss this first and then if you’re happy with everything, then we can move forward with a plan.”
I nod slowly, my brows pulling together with confusion. Is he about to tell me he knows? Is that the plan he wants to make? How we’re going to care for a baby. But I don’t want him to just know, I want to tell him and see the happiness in his eyes. I want to be the one to give him the gift he’s always wanted. Before I’m conscious of what I’m doing, words are leaving my mouth at the same time they leave his.
“I’m pregnant,” I say at the same time he says, “I think we should get married.”
We stare at each other for long moments, both shocked by the other words. For a moment, I think maybe I was wrong about him wanting to have a baby. I just assumed after the time he told me we would have a bunch of kids by now if we hadn’t spent eight years apart, but maybe I was wrong.
“I know it’s a shock, and I wasn’t sure how to tell you or if this is something you want. And I don’t even really know how it happened. All I can think is that maybe the anti-biotics Doc had me on after I was shot messed with my birth control,” the words fall from my mouth as they come to my mind, and I’m barely conscious of what I’m saying.
“Wynter,” Everett says calmly, his body moving toward mine slowly so as not to spook me.
“If you don’t want this, I can do it on my own. I’ve always wanted to be a mom, and I know you’d be such a great dad, and you’d always keep us safe, but I understand if you need some time to decide if you want to be involved or not.” Even as the words tumble out, they break my heart. I never envisioned being a single mother, and the thought of not having Everett by my side is almost too much for my fragile heart to handle, but I’ll do what I need to do for my baby.
“Wynter, take a breath for me.” Everett’s arms wrap around me and pull me into his lap.
It’s not until his arms close around me that I realize I was panicking at the edge of hyperventilating at the thought of going back to a life without him in it. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, burying my head in his warm chest.
“Look at me,” he orders and I obey immediately, the corners of his lips tugging up in a sly smile. “Good girl.” His hands lift to my face and his finger gently drags down my cheek until he cups it in his warm hand. “I want you to listen to me, little dove. The words that just left your mouth are the best two words I’ve ever heard in my life.” He presses a gentle kiss to my forehead. “You are going to be the best mother to our babies.”
I sink into his arms, tears gathering at the corners of my eyes as I gaze up at the man I love with every beat of my heart. “I love you.”
“I love you too, dove.” He smiles. “When can we see her?”
“Her?”
“It’s a girl,” he tells me confidently.
“How do you know?”
“I just do.” He shrugs. “Now, I know I said we would discuss getting married, but now it’s not up for discussion. If you’re having my baby, you’re wearing my ring too.”
“Okay,” I agree.
“No, I mean it, Wynter. This is nonnegotiable. I want all three of us to have the same last name from the moment she’s born.”
“I know.”
“Call Snow. We need to start organizing the wedding now. How far along are you? Are you okay if you’re showing in your dress? Or would you prefer to have a courthouse wedding and then a big one after our little princess is born?”
A giggle rises from my throat as the tears I’ve been holding back slip from my eyes and down my cheeks. I’ve often thought moments with Everett were the best of my life, but at this moment right here, I can’t imagine another time where I’ll feel so completely and utterly happy.
Everett shakes his head at me and reaches into his jacket pocket for his phone. He holds it to his ear as we both listen to it ring out, but when it goes to voice mail, we both stare at it like the device has grown a head. Snow never leaves her phone, and she always answers it, no matter what.
He pulls it back and types in a different number. “Hey, can you ask Snow to call me when she’s got a second?”
I try to listen for the reply, but the voice on the other end of the line is too quiet.
“What do you mean you can’t find her?” he growls. “Your entire job is to watch her and make sure she’s safe.”
Another pause as they reply. My stomach sinks, and somehow I know there’s something wrong.
“Find. Her. Now,” he demands, ending the call and tossing the phone onto the mattress beside us. “Snow slipped her security again.”
“I’m sure she’s fine. She does this like once a week.”
“She’s been missing for hours and the tracker on her phone has been turned off.”
The blood drains from my face and my heart beats painfully in my chest. “But you’re the only person that can do that. There’s no way Snow would be able to figure that out.”
“I know.”
The End
