Page 27

CHAPTER 27

S ephie’s chest tightened as she paced in front of the sink at Taschen’s house. She tunneled her hands through her hair. Disbelief warred with fear—

No, terror.

The instructions had said to wait three full minutes. But if she waited one more second, she’d die. Taschen would be home any second.

It’d been three weeks since everything went down with Raymond. And a week since she realized her period was late. That night in the hot tub came roaring back to her mind. She’d been so sure about her cycle. But she might have been wrong.

“Okay, you can do this. It’s just a test.” She moved closer to the counter and lifted the stick she’d peed on moments before.

Two pink lines filled the little screen. She gasped, dropped the test, and clung to the counter for support .

Pregnant.

She took shuddering breaths. Tears rushed to her eyes. She clapped her hand over her mouth as joyful chuckles slipped from her lips. A baby. Taschen’s baby. Love exploded from her heart. She brought her hands to her belly and rubbed the bloated spot. “Hi, little one,” she whispered.

She heard the front door open. Kevin barked.

Sephie sucked in a deep breath and dashed away her tears. She’d hoped for a little time to process this news, but there was no way she could hide it. Taschen needed to know.

Apprehension seized her. He’d expressed that he wanted a family, but surely he hadn’t meant right now. Or even with her.

Footsteps sounded on the bedroom floor. “Sephie?” He rapped his knuckles against the bathroom door. “I’m back with breakfast.”

“Uh, yeah,” she squeaked, her voice weak and trembly. “One second.”

She snatched up the test and stuck it in her back pocket then glanced in the mirror and smoothed the moisture away from her cheeks. Her eyes were pink, her skin pale, and her hair tousled.

“You okay?” he called.

She pulled open the door. He stood there, his brows raised, his dark hair unkempt. She’d kicked him out of the house before he could even shower, claiming she had a hankering for a cheesy egg sandwich .

Which had actually been the truth. As she stared at him now, though, the thought of putting something in her belly made her feel queasy.

She knotted her hands in front of her. “Hi.”

He chortled, hooked his fingers into the loops on her jeans, and towed her toward him. Bracing his palm on the wall above her head, he gazed down at her. “You’re acting strange.”

Heat warmed her cheeks. “Am I?”

“Well, you wouldn’t even let me finish my coffee before you begged me to get you breakfast. Now you’re hiding in the bathroom and look like the Cheshire cat.”

She slid her arms around his abdomen and tilted back her head. “That’s because I love you,” she whispered. Tears swam in her eyes all over again. She dipped her chin as waves of emotion washed over her. The right words seemed lost at sea. There had to be an eloquent, memorable way to do this, but she could barely breathe, let alone piece together something articulate.

“I love you, too,” he said, sounding confused.

He might be upset. What if he thought she’d trapped him? What if—

He caught her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Baby, what’s wrong?” Concern filled his voice, and his muscles bunched beneath her fingers.

“Nothing. I just—need to talk to you about something and I’m nervous.”

Some of the tension left his body. He swept his hand over her back and hit the stick in her pocket.

She froze.

“What’s this?” He pulled it out.

All the air left her lungs.

His wide eyes shot to her face. “Is this... what is this?” he rasped.

“A pregnancy test,” she whispered.

His brow furrowed. “I can see that. What’s it mean?”

“It means I’m pregnant,” she blurted.

He straightened. Some of the color left his cheeks. He ran his hand from his forehead to his chin. “Holy fuck.”

She grimaced. “I—I know this is a surprise. I—”

She kneaded her hands until her fingers ached. Her sinuses screamed under the pressure, but she didn’t cry.

He might be scared. Hell, she was, too. But there was a beautiful baby growing inside her and dammit, she wouldn’t be upset about it. “Are you mad?”

He jerked up his head then swept his arms around her waist, lifting her off her feet. “Mad? Jesus, Sephie. No, I’m not mad. Terrified, yeah. But not mad. Never.” He kissed her neck then her cheek then her lips.

“We’re going to have a baby!” he yelled, gently shaking her against his chest. He pulled back and gazed at her, his grin so full and wide her heart burst .

He held her effortlessly, as if she weighed nothing. She’d never get tired of this big, strong man sweeping her off her feet. And in nine months, she’d get to watch him carry their child in his massive hands.

She let out an uneven laugh, circling her arms around his neck. “It’s wild, isn’t it? But I’m happy. I really, really am.”

He carried her to the bed and sat with her straddling his lap. He rested his forehead against hers and his palm on her belly. “I can’t wait to meet this little person,” he said wistfully.

Relief filled every cell of her body. From the moment she realized her period was late, she’d been caught in a tug-of-war between denial and worry. She’d vowed not to say anything to him until she took the test she’d purchased when he was perusing the meat aisle at the grocery store the previous day.

All that hesitation for no reason.

She rested her hands on either side of his jaw. “Thank you,” she said, her heart swelling. “I couldn’t imagine anything more perfect than sharing a life with you. And having your baby.”

He leaned forward and kissed her lips. “Good, because there’s more babies where that came from.”

She giggled, and he flipped her onto her back so she was caged in his warm embrace.

“There’s just one important thing left,” he said, pulling back an inch.

She lifted her fingers to trace the scar on his cheek. She loved every perfect battle wound this man wore. “What’s that?”

“What are you going to do with your apartment? I mean, if you want to move back to Portland, I’ll make it work somehow. But—”

“I want to be wherever you are,” she said, without hesitation.

He brushed his thumb over her ear. “Well that’s easy because I’ll be right next to you.”

She chuckled. “I mean it. I’ll sell my apartment. I don’t have anyone there worth staying for. Besides,” she said, shimmying a little on the covers, “I’ve grown to like it here. I know your team aren’t necessarily my friends—”

“Of course they are. Honey, you’re one of us now. I’m your family. And the guys are my brothers, so that makes you part of the Backcountry crew. Besides, Dana always wanted a sister.”

Warmth spread through her. All these years she’d been in darkness. Light, love, and true happiness had been so foreign that she hadn’t known what she’d been missing.

Now she did.

“Good. Because there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

And she’d live every day in gratitude for the man who’d brought her so much joy.