Page 311 of The First Taste

Now I will be forced to make some serious moves. Specifically, I need to marry Talia before I visit my family tomorrow to make the announcement.

I whip out my phone and start texting Rob. When I get back upstairs, I busy myself with arranging for a justice of the peace to come to the loft today. Then I look at the save-the-date card again and text Rob a picture of it, asking for him to make an almost exact copy of it with my name and Talia’s name and to put the wedding date as two weeks from today. That should take the wind out of Burn’s sails and cripple his announcement.

When I get done with that, Talia is finished with her appointment. She’s standing in the living room with the two doctors, smiling at them. Something in me tightens and I move forward, wondering why their appointment was so brief. Is there something wrong with the baby?

"What happened?” I demand. “Is everything okay?"

The three women turn around, their expressions collectively positive.

"Everything is fine." Dr. Nathan smiles and puts her hands behind her back, clasping them as she talks to me. "We were able to get several sonogram pictures and have a good look at your baby. It looks healthy. About eight and a half weeks old, in my estimation."

I release the breath that I didn’t even know I was holding in until just now. "Oh. Okay."

Talia smiles at me and offers me one of the square black-and-white photos that show her body against a grainy gray background, contrasting with the small, clear circle of her womb. The circle is a blob, with the larger blob being the one that I make out as the head. I squint and take the picture from her as she examines the first photo of the golden child. This baby is worth a giant fortune, and just seeing it makes my heartbeat speed up.

“What about the sex?” I ask, unable to take my eyes off the sonogram image.

My gaze slides to Talia, who is gazing at the picture and clasping her hands around her abdomen. "Did you find out already?"

She shakes her head. "Not yet. Dr. Nathan says that we have to wait a little while until the baby is eleven weeks old. ”

My heart hammers. I struggle to keep a neutral expression because I am not sure what emotion will burst free if I allow myself to react.

"I want to know."

I hand the little photo back to Talia, who grasps it thankfully. She can’t tear her eyes away from it. I can see that Talia is creating life right now as we stand here, and that’s pretty impressive.

"Talia," I say, she looks up and I give her a serious look. "Do you want to know the sex?"

She nods, looking at Dr. Nathan. Dr. Nathan gives us both a long look.

“Good things come to those that wait.” Dr. Nathan smiles at us and says, "Congratulations on your healthy baby, though.”

Talia reaches out and grips my arm, beaming at the doctor. I’m not sure whether she is acting for the doctor's benefit or not, but I think that she’s too overwhelmed to fake any emotions right now.

“Thanks,” Talia says, sniffling. “You were very helpful.”

Talia blots out her eyes again, and I feel a bit like a robot. Perhaps I should feel something, some stirring in my chest, but all life is a strange numbness.

I’m stiff as I address the medical professionals. "If that’s all, doctors. You’ll excuse us. We have a meeting with the justice of the peace that we should get ready for."

"You’re getting married today?" Dr. Nathan asks. "Wow, it seems like all kinds of congratulations are in order."

Talia screws up her face and looks at me. "We are?"

"Thank you, doctors." I jerk my head toward the elevator and they are quick enough to leave. Once the doors shut behind them and I hear the elevator grind to life, I arch a brow.

"Burn stopped by to give me this." Fishing the save-the-date out of my pocket, I hand it to her. She takes it and frowns, but doesn’t say whatever she is thinking.

"But what does that have to do with us?"

"I am in a race against the clock to beat my brother when it comes to starting a family. If he sets his wedding date for two months from now, I have to do everything in my power to beat that. So we will be married by the justice of the peace right now with a wedding ceremony to follow in the coming weeks."

She nods slowly, absorbing my information. "I see. Gosh, it’s all just going by so quickly. I only accepted your proposal on Friday and yet here we are, getting married on Monday. It’s a lot to take in."

"Yeah, well. If I have to, I will do nearly anything if it puts a crimp in Burn’s style. I already texted Rob about how we need to go all out with the wedding ceremony in only two weeks’ time. He is frantically getting all the arrangements made."

Talia is looking vaguely uncomfortable. "Is this a normal thing to do for people in your family? Not planning your own wedding but to have it planned for you?"