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I poked my head out of the door. “Yes.”

“Don’t you need to drive to the airport? I can go with you.”

I closed my eyes. I couldn’t say anything. I couldn’t even comprehend what I knew my body had been telling me for weeks. The dizzy spells. The tenderness. The mood swings. I was pregnant.

“Kaitlyn?”

I blinked. “Yeah.”

“Do you want me to go with you to the airport?” he offered.

“Umm. No. It’s ok. You don’t need to fight the airport traffic.”

I was thinking where I was going to stop and take a pregnancy test on the way. I couldn’t look at him. What was he going to think? What would he say?

I swore to him I was on birth control. I swore he could trust my IUD.

“All right. I’ll stay here then.”

I picked up my bag and shoved my phone inside. I walked toward Cole, barely able to look at him. I planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

“I’ll text you when I have her.”

“Ok. Be careful.”

I closed the door and ran to my car. My boobs hurt just running across the parking lot. I didn’t need a test. I knew it with every breath I took.

I was carrying Cole’s baby.

I paced in front of baggage claim. Mary Ellen’s plane landed five minutes ago and I was about to crawl out of my skin. A month was a long time to be away from my best friend.

She broke through the travelers in front of her and ran toward me.

“I’m here!”

I hugged her harder than I had anyone in my life. “How was your flight?”

“Too long.” She frowned. “You are just too far away. I’m ready for you to move back home.”

“I know. But that’s not happening.” I pointed her toward the luggage carousel and away from her last statement. “But no problems?”

She shook her head. “Not one.”

I was glad her first trip to Texas was different from my experience. Everything that could happen to me seemed to in less than twelve hours.

“Where’s Cole?” She looked around the pickup area.

“Oh, he’s working. Since he took off a week after the accident, he can’t really get away.” I chewed on my bottom lip. “He said to tell you he’ll see you tonight for margaritas.”

“Margaritas? My favorite.” Mary Ellen wedged herself between two men and retrieved her flowered bag from the rotating luggage carrier. “This is it. I only brought one bag.”

I smiled. “All right, let’s get your vacation started.” I led her into the bright Texas sun and to my car.

I turned the key for room twenty-four. It seemed like the perfect place for Mary Ellen to stay. It was only steps from our beach deck and it faced the water. We still hadn’t gone furniture shopping. There wasn’t a pullout couch. I couldn’t very well roll out a sleeping bag for her on the floor.

“Wow, this is cute.” Mary Ellen gushed over the room. “I love the pink tile.”

I giggled. “Finally, someone else who appreciates retro-chic.” I pulled a luggage rack from the closet for her.