“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll endeavor to be the first man in the world to impregnate his already expectant wife.”
I’m too tired to protest as Blanche cackles from the solarium, and my last thought before drifting off is that I hope we’ve finally gotten through to her. Dad deserves to be happy, and she does too.
Chapter thirty-four
“Yes, that marble is acceptable. You can confirm that shipment, and make sure I see itbeforeit’s cut this time. No, the seating chart needs to be revised again. I’ll have it finalized and back to you by the end of the day. And for the last time, the contract you sent me with the new partner hasat leastthree loopholes they can exploit to their advantage. You need to call Mr. Burnam and have him come by sometime this week so I can show him the problems I’ve found. And I can’t believe I’m still having to repeat myself, but this nursery wallpaperisn'tthe color I specified. Please have the fabric team see me if they don’t understand my vision. I sent them the specific color code! And if you see anyone from the crew with my theatre plans, I need them back. I just discovered yesterday that, as drawn, it will be much too small for our family plays. That’s all for now.”
My team scurries away, dodging construction workers, craftsmen, and other staff who are here 24/7 to renovate the estate so Henry and I can move in. Luckily, I’ve felt great throughout my pregnancy thus far, so I’ve been full steam ahead,fighting to get our home and our company running the way they should.
I’ve never felt more like myself than when I’m multitasking and bossing people around, and my time as Henry’s secretary prepared me surprisingly well to help run things, considering that many of my tasks were less secretarial and more…scandalous.
Turning to leave the kitchen and head for the solarium to intercept the landscaping team before they put my peonies in the wrong flower bed again, I freeze. My husband is leaning against the frame of a new archway, eating an apple in the most erotic way possible, and shamelessly looking me up and down. I smirk and turn to the side, giving him the view I know he wants. My bump isjustvisible, if you know what you’re looking for, and it makes him feral every time. It’s wonderful timing that he’s here, but he’s going to have to wait before he acts on the lust in his eyes. I have the news he’s been waiting for.
“I came straight here from the airport, expecting to find you reclining on a chaise lounge and being fed grapes whilerelaxingsince that’s what I told you to do while I was gone.”
“You should know by now that I rarely do as I’m told. Especially when there’s no one here to punish me when I don’t.”
His tongue tastes of tart apple as he passionately greets me, picking me up to carry me with a sharp smack on my ass. Instead of the solarium, he takes me outside to the courtyard, the unseasonably warm day only slightly chilly.
Henry pushes my hair behind my ear and gently strokes my cheek. “I was thinking about the designs you sent me while I was gone, and I agree that this courtyard needs a fountain.”
“With a family of ducks?”
“As many ducks as you want, sweetheart.” His hand rests on my little bump, and his expectant gaze rises to meet mine. “Ifit’s a whole family of ducks, I wonder what their firstborn would be…?”
“A boy,” I whisper, reluctant to make him wait even a second longer. I refused to tell him over the phone even though he was upset that he would be away for my appointment. I needed to see his face when I confirmed that it’s hissonI’m growing, andfuck,am I glad I made him wait.
He was so sure it was a boy this entire time, but I can tell the moment it hits him that this isreallyhappening. The awe in his eyes, the shake in the hand that’s covering my stomach…I glimpse tears in his eyes before he pops off the bench and starts pacing manically.
“Henry?”
He stops, facing away from me and squatting down with his head in his hands. For a moment, I consider whether I should go to him, but he stands and sprints to a bush before I can decide. The harsh gags as he vomits are enough to make me queasy, so I sit tight and wait for him to overcome this obviously overwhelming moment.
Finally, he slumps back down beside me, then slides off the bench again, kneeling before me. He lays his head on my thigh, alternating between looking at me and my bump as I play with his thick hair.
“You’ve picked the son of a monster to father your children, Blanche. I don’t know how to be a father…I only know hatred and fear. How am I going to—”
I interrupt him, unable to listen to the thickness of the tears in his voice a second longer. Forcing him to sit up and look at me, I grip his jaw tightly and try to make him understand.
“You arenotyour father, baby. You’re my husband, and if you love and protect our children with a quarter of the fierceness that you love me with, we’ll make it through.” A tear escapes to slide down his cheek, and I rub it away. “We won’t be perfect,Henry. I’m sure both of us will yell and spank and do all kinds of things we aren’t supposed to. And the trauma of your childhood won’t ever leave, but we’ll work through it, okay? We have each other. We’ll lean on each other, for the family and the business. It’ll take both of us to get through every day, but that’s why we’re together. And as long as you give me all of you, I can manage the children. You just have to manage me.”
I pinch his cheek and give him a soft smile as he sniffles and stands, pulling me with him.
“I think we both know I will have a hell of a time managing you in any way, shape, or form, Mrs. Sinclair. But I’ll do my best. And I’ll do my best with the children. I promise you. They’ll have the best mother in the world to pick up my slack if needed. I’m sure of it. Now, let’s go back and look at the fountain options again, and see who we need to call about relocating some native ducks to the area.”
“Aw, this one’s darling! The little bears. Aren’t they cute, dear?”
“Yes, Mother,” I sigh, completely exhausted at this point and tired of looking at all the blue baby gifts that her friend group has presented me with today. When she begged to throw me a shower since I’m one of the first in her group to have a grandchild, I agreed, not realizing what an ordeal it would be. I’m thankful that so many people care about our baby, but it’s dragging on for too long. Pam has done her best to keep me from getting bored or hungry, but I’m at my limit. Thankfully, a glanceat my watch confirms that my hero should be here any moment to rescue me.
“Oh, there he is, the man of the hour!”
My eyes roll into the back of my head as the women coo over Henry as he enters, carrying an obnoxiously large bouquet of blue flowers and a blue jewelry box. He presents them both to my mother, who bursts into tears, makes his excuses about being unable to go another moment without his wife at home, then picks me up as if I haven’t gained what feels like a hundred pounds and carries me to the car.
The smell of bacon and fries hits me immediately, and I groan. “You brought the goods? I could kiss you.”
He buckles my seat belt and holds the fast food bag just out of reach. “Actually, a kiss is required as payment for the food. Including tax.”
After he’s had his fill, he arranges my burger and fries before finally pulling out of my parents’ driveway to head home. “How was your shower? I told your mom I’d come back for your haul later this week. I think the jewelry and flowers distracted them sufficiently from the fact that I kidnapped their guest of honor.”
