4
VIVIEN
“You missed dinner,” Reeve says, entering my home office, carrying a tray.
“Sorry.” I lift my head from my laptop, offering him a guilt-ridden half-smile. “I know I’ve been working a lot, but I really need to finish this script before I can consider going on maternity leave,” I semi-lie.
“I’m worried about you.” Setting the tray on my desk, he moves behind me. His hands land on my shoulders, and he slowly massages my tense muscles. “You’re working too much, and you’ve been so quiet this past week. Are you sure something isn’t troubling you?”
“I’m just trying to get organized so I can stop working in a couple of weeks.”
“You’re only twenty-nine weeks. You can space your workload out more evenly and still finish up in plenty of time before Lainey arrives.”
“I want to spend ample quality time with Easton and you before our daughter makes her grand entrance.” That’s not exactly a lie. I just have added motivation for finishing work early now. Even if the test confirms Reeve is Easton’s father, I still have to tell my husband about Dillon and everything that has gone on since he showed up here twelve days ago. Reeve is going to be upset with either outcome, and I want to focus my sole attention on my family.
Plus, working around the clock helps to keep me distracted from the impending paternity results.
And it helps me to avoid Reeve.
A pang of guilt and remorse wallops me in the face. I hate I’ve been avoiding my husband, but I’m terrified he’ll see the fear on my face and coax the truth from me. Dillon texts me a picture every day, and it’s all I need to be reminded of what’s at stake. He doesn’t need threatening words. Sending those photos of me from the past works like a charm. I can’t bear the thought of Reeve discovering the truth from the internet. He deserves to hear it from my lips.
Every night, I have been praying the results confirm Reeve is Easton’s father. Dillon loses all power with that outcome, and I can tell my husband everything without his twin’s gloating face in the room. So what if Dillon releases the pictures of me after the fact? All it confirms is I was in a relationship with him while Reeve and I were broken up. It was before I knew they were twins. Yes, some of the photos are intimate and show me semi-naked. That isn’t something I want out there in the world, but it’s a small price to pay to protect Reeve and Easton now.
“You’re so tense, babe.” Reeve digs his fingers into the corded knots in my upper back. “Please call it a night. You can eat that while I run you a bath. Then maybe we could watch a movie together in bed.” Leaning down, he presses a kiss to my cheek. “Let me take care of you. I need it as much as you do.”
A fresh wave of guilt washes over me. Reeve is upset Dillon seems to be withdrawing. He canceled their planned lunch meeting, and he has been reluctant to set a new date, citing crazy work schedules, but Reeve is no idiot, and he senses there is more to it. My husband is bitterly disappointed by his twin’s apparent apathy toward him, and I’m partly responsible. “Okay.” I clasp his hand, bringing it to my lips. “That sounds nice.” I kiss his fingers. “I love you, Reeve,” I whisper with tears clouding my eyes. “I love you so much.”
“Hey.” Reeve drops to his knees in front of me, taking my hands in his. “I love you too.” He tilts his head to one side, examining my face. “I wish you’d tell me what’s wrong.” Concern is etched upon his gorgeous face, and I feel like the worst wife on the planet. I’m clearly not a good actress either if Reeve suspects I’m hiding something from him.
Panic claws its way up my throat, and I stuff my tears back down inside, forcing a smile. “Don’t mind me. It’s just pregnancy hormones.”
Reeve leans in, dotting kisses all over my bump through my dress. “Hey, little Lainey. How’s Daddy’s girl? Give Mommy a big cuddle, and no kicking tonight. She needs to relax.”
As if on cue, our daughter delivers a mighty kick, causing my stomach to visibly move. Reeve runs his fingers over the protruding lump, his eyes lighting up at the sight of it. “Lainey is going to be a troublemaker, I think.” His gaze jumps to mine as he rubs my bump. “I can’t wait to meet her.”
Placing my hands over his, I lean down and kiss him. “Only eleven more weeks.”
“We should bring E with us to the ultrasound on Wednesday. Let him see his baby sister.” I nod because it’s a great idea. “Maybe we could take him to the zoo after and then grab a bite to eat?” His hopeful eyes lock on mine, and I can’t say no.
“That sounds like a perfect plan.”
Reeve straightens up, kissing me softly before placing a fork in my hand. “You eat, and I’ll go run your bath.”
* * *
“Mommy, Mommy!” Easton tries to jump out of Reeve’s arms. “I see her leg! I see my sister’s leg!” He points at the screen where Lainey is wiggling her legs.
“That’s right, buddy.” Reeve hugs Easton closer, his eyes turning glassy. “That’s your baby sister.”
“I love her.” Easton’s lopsided smile melts my heart. “I can’t wait for her to come out of Mom’s tummy so I can hug her. I’ll even let her play with my Hot Wheels and my monster truck.”
My heart swells to bursting point. This kid slays me every day. “That’s really sweet, E. Your sister is so lucky to have you as her big brother.” Reeve and I exchange a look loaded with emotion. I reach out for his hand, needing to touch him, needing to believe we are going to get through this, even if Easton turns out to be Dillon’s.
Reeve sets Easton down in the chair, taking my hand and pecking my lips, uncaring the doctor and nurse are in the room. “I love you,” he whispers against my mouth. “You are amazing.” He slides his arm around my back as the nurse wipes the goop from my exposed stomach.
The doctor smiles at us as she switches off the machine. “I bet she’ll be every bit as adorable as her big brother.” She pats my hand. “Everything looks great, Vivien. You’re on track for a healthy, normal delivery.”
“You might tell her to stop working so hard,” Reeve says, arching a brow in my direction.