Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 90290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“Do we have to wait?”
“If you want them to be accurate,” I tell him. “Come sit.”
“I’ll pace,” he says.
“He’s going to wear a hole into your floor,” Elle says as she sits down. She reaches for a magazine and starts flipping the pages, closes it, and then opens it again. I sit next to her and place my hand on hers.
“Three minutes.”
“That’s a long time in the grand scheme of things.”
“Yes, but now it’s even less. I know it’s easy for me to say.”
Elle nods. “At least you already know.”
“And you will soon.” I’ve been able to do all my bloodwork and confirm my pregnancy. The clinic did my first scan to make sure everything was in place, and then referred me to an obstetrician for my first appointment. While I’ve never been pregnant before, no one is taking any chances and considering my high risk due to the injuries I’ve had. It’s hard not to wonder what the hell is going on in that region of my body, but I’m hopeful I can carry to term or at least long enough to give this baby a fighting chance.
“I don’t know why I’m so nervous.”
“It’s to be expected,” I tell her. “This is something you want.”
Elle laughs. “Who would’ve thought?” She looks toward the other room where Ben is. “He changed my mind about everything.”
“Sometimes that happens.”
“Not with you. Your life is as you planned it.”
I give her a halfhearted shrug. “I don’t know about that. While I’m eternally grateful to be pregnant, this isn’t how I pictured things.”
“I meant with Noah,” Elle says.
“You know I’m probably only with him because of the accident. If that hadn’t happened, he probably would’ve never admitted his feelings for me.”
“Can you imagine being married to someone else?”
I shake my head.
“I can’t imagine him being married to someone else either. I think that would be weird at family functions.”
I brush Elle’s hair off her shoulder. “Something tells me our family functions wouldn’t be the way they are now. But who knows.”
Elle jumps when the timer on her phone goes off. She stares at it for a moment, leaving the piercing sound to echo through the house. Ben rushes into the room and looks at her while I press the button to silence the alarm.
Ben extends his hand, holding it there for Elle to take. He helps her stand.
“I’m going to go down to the beach with Noah.”
“No, I want you to stay,” Elle says, unshed tears in her eyes.
I bring her into my arms. “You have Ben,” I whisper into her ear. “Share the news, good or bad, with him first.” I’m up and out of the room without looking back. I’m torn though. As much as I want to be there for my sister, this is something she needs to do with her husband.
Beau spots me before Noah or our pup, and I have a feeling the only reason Stevie Nicks is running toward me is because she’s chasing Beau. I crouch down and greet Beau, taking all of his love until my girl reaches me. I’m on my ass before I know what’s going on, being attacked by dog kisses.
Noah hovers over me, blocking the sun. “Are you having fun?”
“The best time,” I tell him as he helps me up. I brush the sand away and watch as he throws a ball, mostly for Beau. “Does Stevie Nicks chase the ball?”
“She does, but Beau’s a bit faster so she runs behind him. It’ll change though in a few months. She’ll be so much bigger than him. Where’s Elle and Ben?”
“Reading their tests.”
“I can’t believe you suggested she take so many.”
I shrug. “She would’ve just done the same thing I did, so might as well get it over with.”
“Yes, but at least start with one.”
“Yeah, it is overboard, but it’s Elle. She’s the go big or go home type.”
“True.” Beau drops the ball at our feet and Noah picks it up with the fetch toy and tosses it again for the dogs. “Ben says she’s not very confident the IVF has worked.”
His words give me pause and I sigh. “I got that feeling from her as well. I’m certain it’s why she spent last night here.”
“She shouldn’t have any problems, right?”
I shake my head. “I don’t think so. Her egg count was higher than mine, as were their embryos. I suppose she could be in the same boat as me, who knows. I don’t think she and Ben tried to have a baby before he got cancer.”
“They weren’t even together.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“The only saving grace was we were in Portland during all of that and didn’t have to play mediator.”
I nod. “Believe me, I’m grateful. I wouldn’t want to choose between them. It’s funny, while we were waiting for the timer to go off, Elle said something about how my life is how I pictured it.” Noah stops walking and looks at me. “There was a time when I didn’t think I’d have this.” I point between us.