“Darlin’?” Luke's voice is tentative. “Can I come in?”
“Come in.”
The door opens and he's there, solid and real. He takes one look at my face and crosses to me, wrapping his arms around me from behind. His chin rests on my shoulder as we both stare at the tests lined up on the counter.
I can feel his heart beating against my back, as fast as my own.
On the first test, one pink line appears in the little window.
We both hold our breath.
Then two.
“Oh,” I breathe.
On the second test, the same thing happens. One line. Then two. Clear as day.
Luke's arms tighten around me.
And on the third test, the little electronic screen flickers to life.
The word appears in blocky digital letters.
Pregnant.
For a moment, neither of us moves. Neither of us breathes.
Then reality crashes over me like a wave, and I burst into tears.
“Madison?” The alarm in his voice is obvious.
But I can't form words. Can’t explain that I'm crying because everything just changed. Because there's a baby. Because Luke is going to be a father and I'm going to be a mother and holy shit, how is this real?
“Baby,” he says, taking my face in his hands. His thumbsbrush away tears that won't stop falling. “Talk to me. What are you feeling?”
I look up at him through blurry vision, and the expression on his face, awed and tender and maybe a little terrified himself, makes me cry harder.
“I’m pregnant,” I manage to choke out.
Gently, he asks, “Are these happy tears or scared tears?”
“Both!” I wail.
And then I kiss him, because somehow I know that will make me feel better.
And it does.
My heartbeat slows. The shaking calms down.
When our lips part, he exhales, pulling me close. “Please talk to me. I’m getting kind of freaked out by you freaking out.”
“Okay,” I breathe. “Okay. I guess this is a preview of the hormonal rollercoaster I'm about to be on, because,wow.”
I take another deep breath. “Luke, I'm going to be a mom. And I haveno ideahow to be a mom. I never even knew mine. I'm twenty-three and I work at a damn biker bar, and I have no clue how I'm gonna do this.”
The words tumble out faster now, panic rising in my chest. “What if I mess everything up? What if I don't know what to do when the baby cries, or I can't figure out how to?—”
“Madison.” He cups my face in both hands, forcing me to meet his eyes. “Breathe with me.”
