“Slow down,” he said. “I don’t care about work. I want to know about you.”
“Sorry. I found out thirty minutes ago.”
“And you’re upset? I could tell right away you’ve been crying.”
“Yes, I’m upset. How can you not be?”
He shrugged, grabbed her hand and tugged her to the couch. “Because I’m not. Sorry. I’m excited. I want you to be too.”
“It’s a little hard to feel that way right now. We’ve been dating close to two months. These things don’t happen to me.”
“Looks like they are now,” he said. His smile was huge, his brown eyes crinkled at the corners, and maybe even a little misty looking.
His actions spoke the same truth his words had been whispering all along. That he meant every promise, every action. And now, watching him, feeling him, she wondered how she everdoubted it. Maybe it wasn’t him she didn’t trust… maybe it was how quickly she fell.
“I’m sorry.” It was all she could say. It was all she felt. Her tears betraying her once again.
“I’m not,” he said, pulling her tight to his chest and his arms squeezing the breath out of her. “I know you. You’re reeling right now.”
She let out a loud snort. “You don’t know the half of it.”
“You’ll catch up to me. I know.” He sat back and looked into her eyes. “I’m not going to take offense at how upset you are. Little Miss Planner is having a crisis. But I can be the crutch you use now. Going with the flow and pivoting is my expertise.”
It was exactly what she wanted to hear. Needed to have said to her.
“It’s early. I need to see a doctor. There is so much to talk about.”
“But nothing right now,” he said. “I mean it. Not if it’s going to worry you. I know you, you’ll start taking your steps like calling the doctor tomorrow. Me, I want to tell everyone.”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “Not yet. Maybe it’s a mistake.”
The hurt that flickered across his face at her careless words hit her like a punch to the chest.
“Where did the woman who watched all her words carefully go?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Stop saying that too,” he said, his arm squeezing her shoulder. “Enough of that. Tell me how you feel. Anything off?”
The air escaped her lungs. “I feel like an idiot looking back. A few weeks ago the seafood smell was stronger than normal but not that it made me ill. Just more heightened.”
“Is that normal?”
“I think so. I haven’t looked into anything, but Avery said smells bothered her more. They were stronger than normal.”
“Anything else?”
“I’m tired, but I shrugged that off as working so much.”
“I could see that. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t know if I want you working that hard.”
“Whoa,” she said, putting her hand up. “I’ve got a job I love and I’m not giving it up.”
“I didn’t ask you to give it up. I was honest and voiced my concern that I’m not sure I want you working so hard. Long days and coming home exhausted. But I’m willing to bet your boss will take care of that.”
He wasn’t wrong. When the word got out, Hunter would tell her to cut back and do what was right for her.
“We’ll deal with it as it comes.”
