On the other hand, just because we don’t remember doesn’t mean we didn’t do it. We don’t remember vowing to love and cherish each other forever, either, but still ended up with wedding bands on our fingers.
Just what the hell really happened in Vegas?
And God, Evie and I need to be alone, someplace private, so we can talk. After she’s finished with her fainting spell. How do you wake someone up, anyway? I’m pretty sure a kiss on the mouth isn’t it, contrary to the fairytales.
Ryan comes running back into the room. “Am I in trouble?”
I turn my head and see him staring at Evie with his eyes big and shimmering with unshed tears.
“No,” I say, standing up and carrying her to a couch so she can lie more comfortably.
Vanessa puts a pillow under Evie’s head, and I arrange her on the long leather cushions.
“You did nothing wrong,” Barron adds, placing a comforting hand on the boy’s small shoulder. “She just isn’t feeling well.”
She hasn’t been eating that well, either. I should’ve known something was up; she’s barely even nibbled at her breakfast the last few days, while worriedly eyeing me gobbling up Mom’s bacon and eggs. Why would she have done that, unless her stomach felt wrong and she was wondering how I could eat like an oblivious horse? Or maybe she had something to tell me but didn’t know how to approach it while I was shoveling food into my mouth.
“So this is why you eloped,” Sophia says.
Dane nods. “Makes perfect sense.” He’d agree with anything his wife said.
“I can’t believe this.”
Looking up, I see Evie’s mom. I introduced myself when my driver brought her here because I couldn’t find Evie. I can only imagine how it looks to Mari Parker. If I had a daughter and some boss of hers got her pregnant, I’d beat him to death, especially if he eloped with her. My daughter deserves a real wedding, damn it! And things need to be done in the proper order—first the wedding, then babies.
Everyone—every adult, anyway—is looking at me expectantly. Part of my brain says I need to make an announcement about the baby now. Play the happy soon-to-be daddy. Except I’m still trying to process the surprise.
At the same time, a wrong move here might bring the wrath of my family down on Evie. I’d rather lose an arm than to let anything happen to her. Talking with her and figuring things out can wait.
So I paste on a slightly abashed smile. “Yeah, well… We’re expecting our first child. She was late, and I told her to wait to see her doctor, but I guess she just couldn’t.” Then I sigh and roll my eyes in a “what can you do when your pregnant wife’s being crazy impatient?” way.
“Smart girl!” Barron says. “Why wait when you don’t have to? I’m glad she found out now, Nate. Now we can celebrate not only to welcome Evie, but a brand-new Sterling as well!”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Evie
My vision goes from black to gray. An improvement. Then the gray slowly becomes paler, resolving until I have a clear view of the faces above mine.
Lots of faces. I recognize Mom and Nate, then a few others. But even if I’ve met them before, my brain’s overwhelmed at so many people hovering over me.
“Everyone, if you’d pull back a bit. Let’s give the expectant mother some air,” says a middle-aged woman.
“She’s right. We don’t want to suck all her air like some oxygen-stealing parasites,” Barron says, gesturing for everyone to take several steps back.
Nate doesn’t move away. He is still holding my hand, looking at me with anxiety twisting his face. For a moment, I have no idea why he’s looking at me like that. Does he have something to say? And why am I lying on a couch? I didn’t take a nap or…
Then I remember. Oh, crap! No, no, no! Ryan told everyone I’m pregnant. Okay, he said I peed on a stick and made a cross appear, but the adults know exactly what that means.
I squeeze my eyes shut. I need to go back to into a faint so I can figure out what I’m going to say, how I’m going to deal with Nate’s family now. And Nate… He really deserved to be told in private. We should’ve had some time to discuss how we plan to work things out with the baby.
Hell. I don’t even know how this baby happened.
“Is she okay?” Nate asks the middle-aged woman.
“She’s fine. Her blood pressure seems okay, although it’s a little low. She’s also slightly dehydrated. Low blood sugar, too, most likely, if she’s been throwing up.”
Nate’s gaze swings in my direction. Barron makes a displeased noise, then glares at Nate like it’s all his fault.