“Sorry, Kitten! My hands are full, that’s why I kicked the living shit out of the door here. ” Jack appeared, his arms filled with what looked like grocery bags.
“What is all that?”
“I got you ginger ale for your stomach, plus a bunch of other stuff in case you don’t feel well. And then I got you a bunch of munchies and snacks in case you do. Do you feel better?”
“Much. How was the game?”
He grinned. “We won. ”
“Did you throw?”
“Not until tomorrow, you know that. ” He narrowed his eyes, looking at me closely before saying, “You’re acting weird. ”
Jack couldn’t possibly know anything. I wasn’t acting weird; I was acting just like I always act.
Forcing an innocent look on my face, I asked, “How am I acting weird?”
“You have this look on your face. And your eyes …”
“What about them?”
He ran his thumb down the side of my face. “They’re hiding something, but they want to share,” he said as he lifted his eyebrows at me.
That’s it. He is magic. I knew it.
About to burst with excitement, I couldn’t stall any longer. “I don’t know how you knew that, but I do have something to tell you. It has to do with why I wasn’t feeling well earlier. ” I pulled him toward the closet. “The reason’s in there. ”
“Is there a guy in the closet?” He stepped back, his hands balling into fists. “There better not be a fucking guy in this closet. ”
“What? No? I just hid something in here. ” I rolled the door open and pulled one of the tests down from the shelf. Unfolding the washcloth from around it, I presented it to Jack like a crown jewel on a display pillow.
He peeked down at the test stick, his brow furrowing. “What is tha—” He stopped midsentence, his eyes huge. “Is this? Are you?” He looked at me, his face full of wonder, and I nodded.
Jack fell to his knees and pressed his head against my belly. He wrapped his arms around me and held on to me without saying a word, his breath hot through the fabric of my shirt. I’m not sure how long we stood like that, but it felt like hours. When he finally pulled his head from me, tears were falling down his cheeks.
“We’re having a baby?” He covered my stomach with both of his hands.
“Three tests said yes, so I think so. ” I smiled down at him as he moved to sit on the floor.
He reached for me and when I linked my hands with his, he pulled me down across from him. “We’re having a baby. ”
“Are you happy?”
“Are you kidding, Kitten? I’ve wanted to knock you up since the day I met you!”
“Liar!” I laughed out loud.
“Okay, maybe not the day I met you. But pretty soon after. ” He reached for my face, palming it with both his hands. “I can’t believe you have our baby in your belly right now. He’s just in there chilling. ”
I rolled my eyes. “Only you would call it a he already. And say that it’s chilling. ”
“I love you. ” He scooted closer to me, his lips frantic as he kissed all over my face. “I love you so much. Thank you. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for marrying me. Thank you for becoming a part of my family. And thank you for growing our love child in your belly. ”
“Our love child?” I snickered. “Jack Carter, you never cease to amaze me. ”
“You’re the amazing one. I fucking love you. More than anything else in this world. ” He lowered his head back to my stomach and planted a kiss over my top. “And I promise I’ll be a good dad. ”
I reached for his hand and caressed it. “I know you will. ”