Page 158 of Nine Months to Love

“Elena, you were shot. You’ve been unconscious for almost three days. I think the medical update takes priority.”

“Three days?” Her eyebrows rise. “No wonder I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck.”

A nurse bustles in before I can respond. She takes one look at Elena and breaks into a wide smile. “Mrs. Safonova! You’re awake. How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been shot,” Elena says dryly.

The nurse laughs and begins her checks. Blood pressure, temperature, oxygen levels. She asks Elena to rate her pain on a scale of one to ten.

“Five,” Elena says.

“I can increase your pain medication if you’d like.”

“No. I’m fine.”

The nurse makes a note on her chart. “Dr. Rodgers will be in shortly to examine you. In the meantime, try not to overexert yourself. You’ve been through a lot.”

“So everyone keeps telling me.”

The nurse leaves and Elena turns back to me. “Now. Tell me what I’ve missed.”

“Nothing important. Stefan’s been here every day. Taras has been calling constantly. The doctors say you’re healing well. That’s all that matters.”

“That’s not all I want to know.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

“I want to know about you and Stefan. Are you two alright?”

“Of course we are. Why wouldn’t we be?”

Elena gives me a look, the exact same one she gave me the first time I tried to lie about being nauseated from morning sickness.“I may have been unconscious, but I’m not blind, Olivia. Something’s bothering you.”

“I’m just worried about you.”

“You’re worried about more than that.”

I open my mouth to deny it, but the words won’t come. Because she’s right. I am worried about more than just her recovery.

I’m worried about the note in my purse. About the meeting with Natalia next week. About the journal sitting in my suitcase back at the manor.

About all the secrets I’m keeping from Stefan.

“There’s just a lot going on,” I say finally. “With the wedding coming up and the baby and everything with your recovery. It’s overwhelming.”

“A wedding!” Elena’s face lights up. “So you got engaged?!”

I tell her the story, every last detail, from the “fire in the garden” to the promises Stefan made me. When I’m done, Elena looks at me for a long while. Then she says, “You’re going to marry my grandson.”

“Yes,” I whisper. “I am.”

“Good. He needs you.”

“I need him, too.”

“I know you do. That’s why you’ll make it work.”

I don’t know what to say to that. So I just squeeze her hand.