Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
She sighed. “Is it fair for me to do that to them, though? It is their baby, and they have the right to be excited and want to tell people.”
“That’s a valid point, but this isn’t just about them; it’s also about you. You’re carrying the baby. They should respect your right to wait until you’re thirteen weeks along.”
Brystol smiled. “Thank you for that.”
Surprised, I asked, “For what?”
“For being on my side. I mean, I know there aren’t sides. But for taking the time to care about how I feel. That means a lot to me. My mother still isn’t very happy with my decision. She’s slowly coming around though.”
“She’s just worried about you, Bry. Try not to think too much about it. The last thing you need to be doing is stressing.”
She smiled again. “Thank you, Gavin. And I don’t have any issues if you want to talk to them.”
“Good,” I said, pulling her closer and kissing the top of her head. “Let’s go get some tea.”
I stepped back, and Brystol looked up at me, tears in her eyes. She quickly blinked them away, started to stay something, then stopped.
“What’s wrong?
“Nothing,” she said with a soft smile. “Nothing at all.”
Brystol
Aurora handed me the hot cup of tea as I pulled my legs up under me.
“Thank you.” I blew on my drink as Aurora passed out cups to Harper and Cadie.
After sipping her tea, Harper set it on the coffee table and looked at me expectantly. “You called an emergency meeting, so…what’s going on?”
I held the cup in both hands, relishing its heat. I lifted it to my nose and drew in a deep breath. Aurora had put peppermint in the tea to help with my morning sickness. I took a small drink and set my cup down as well.
“Something has happened.”
All three of them went pale.
“Oh, no! The baby’s fine.”
They visibly relaxed.
“Don’t scare us like that, Bry!” Cadie said with a shake of her head.
Drawing in a deep breath, I slowly let it out. “I think…I think I might be falling for Gavin.”
When they just gave me blank expressions, I frowned.
“Did you hear me?”
Harper spoke first. “Oh, that was it? There isn’t more?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Brystol, that’s not news. You’ve always liked Gavin.”
“I know, Aurora, but it was a safe like.”
Harper raised her brows. “A safe like?”
I nodded. “Yeah, the kind where you can like a guy in private, and he doesn’t know, and you don’t risk getting your heart broken by him.”
All three of them exchanged looks before their eyes were back on me.
“You’re afraid Gavin will hurt you?” Cadie asked. “Why?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Because he has before.”
Aurora got up and sat next to me on the sofa. “But not on purpose, Bry. And that was high school. He’s a grown man.”
I dropped my head onto her shoulder. “I know. I know!”
“Did you know he came into the store the other day and asked if we had a copy of What to Expect When You’re Expecting?”
Lifting my head, I whipped it around to gape at her. “He did?”
She smiled as she nodded. “He also picked up some children’s books while he was in there. Two of them he asked me to give to Winnie. I suggested he read them to her instead, the next time I brought her to the store, if he was free.”
Snorting, I asked, “Did he say hell no?”
Her smile faded a bit, and she gave me a look that I would swear said she felt sorry for me. “No, he said he’d come in and volunteer for story time, and I told him that would be amazing, especially if he were dressed in his uniform, because the kids would love that. And he agreed.”
My heart tripped over itself. “Well, if that doesn’t turn a girl on…”
They all chuckled.
“I don’t know why I’m always trying to see the worst in him,” I said, reaching for my tea again.
Aurora stood and got hers before sitting back down next to me. I rested my head back on her shoulder.
“I’m scared, you guys,” I whispered. “I’m so scared because I can see myself falling head over heels in love with Gavin.” Lifting my head, I shook it slowly. “He asked me if he could talk to Evelyn and Denny on my behalf, about the pressure they’ve been putting on me to tell everyone about the baby.”
“You don’t want to?” Cadie asked.
“I do, but I thought we should wait until after the first trimester. I thought with Evelyn’s history she’d want to wait, but I think in her mind I’m carrying the baby and nothing can go wrong now. My mother lost her first baby at eleven weeks and her second baby at ten weeks. I just don’t want to tell everyone, and then if something happens…”