Page 160 of Nine Months to Love

“You were shot in the chest. You need to rest.”

“I can rest at home.”

“Not with all the construction happening. The new security system is being installed. There are workers everywhere.”

“Then I’ll rest in my room. With the door closed.”

Stefan looks at me. “Help me out here, Olivia.”

I shrug. “She’s not… totally wrong. She could rest at home just as well as she can rest here. Maybe better, actually. Hospitals are loud.”

“See?” Elena says triumphantly. “Olivia agrees with me.”

“Olivia is supposed to be on my side,” he growls with a vicious side-eye.

“I’m on the side of whatever’s best for Elena,” I retort.

Stefan sighs. “Fine. But you’re following every single one of the doctor’s orders. No arguments.”

“No arguments,” Elena agrees.

“And you’re staying in bed for at least a week.”

“Three days.”

“A week.”

“Five days.”

“Six and a half.”

“Deal.”

They shake on it like they’re negotiating a business contract. I hide my smile behind my coffee cup.

“Now that all the boring stuff is settled,” Elena says, turning to me, “tell me about the wedding.”

“There’s not much to tell yet. We haven’t planned anything.”

“You must have some ideas. What kind of dress do you want?”

“I already have a dress. We bought it in Italy.”

“You did?” Elena smiles broadly. “What does it look like?”

“It’s beautiful,” I gush. “Romantic. Floaty. No corset.”

“Perfect for a pregnant bride. And the venue?”

I glance at Stefan. “We were thinking the manor. In the garden.”

Elena claps her hands together. “Oh, that’s perfect! I can already picture it. Lights strung through the trees. Flowers everywhere. Music and dancing.”

“If you’re there to see it,” Stefan says quietly.

Elena reaches for his hand. “I’ll be there. I promise.”

The guilt doesn’t just twist, like it has been doing—it shreds through my chest like a chainsaw. For the thousandth time since we landed back Stateside, it occurs to me that Elena almost died because of me. Because I opened my stupid mouth and told Natalia about Mikayla. I was dumb enough, arrogant enough, or both to think I could broker peace between Stefan and the woman who gave birth to him.