I cock a brow as I watch her disappear around the corner of the house. Something has been up with her lately, but I thought maybe it was a bit of jealously over Adeline getting married. Girls are like that sometimes.
Determined to find out what's going on, I follow her. She's leaning against the side of the house, sobbing into her hands.
"Hey," I tell her, grabbing her hands and pulling them away. I put my fingers under her chin and raise her gaze to meet mine. "What is going on with you today? I've never seen you cry so much." Katya's never really one to show her emotions. She has a very cold exterior until you get to know her. It took me a long time to break down those icy walls. "Oh," I say as realization dawns on me. "Are you on your period?" I whisper.
"No, I'm not on my period!" she practically yells, and I put my hands up in a placating gesture.
Jeez, she almost bit my head off with one question. Maybe I'm pressing my luck, but I don't want to drop this just yet. "So, then tell me what's wrong."
"Adeline took a pregnancy test this morning," she starts. "And, well, I haven't been feeling like myself lately…and she had some extra tests lying around…so…"
"So?" I prompt.
"So I took one…and…"
"And?" I ask impatiently.
"And I'm pregnant!" she blurts out in a sob.
At first, I'm completely speechless, unable to react or even talk, for that matter. Katya and I have been careful for the most part…but there was that one drunken night that we didn't use a condom…or maybe two drunken nights… I can't really remember.
"See? This is what I was scared of!" she cries, breaking me out of my thoughts.
"What? You don't think I'm happy that you're pregnant?"
She shakes her head.
"Oh, Katya, you have no idea how happy you just made me." I pull her into my arms and hug her tightly. "Fuck, I'm just…I'm speechless!" I pull back to look into her eyes. "But I am so, so fucking happy."
"You are?" she asks with furrowed brows.
"Yes! Why wouldn’t I be?"
"I don't know. My hormones are all out of whack, and I can't stop crying, and —."
"Yeah, I noticed," I say with a chuckle.
She slaps me playfully on the chest before finally smiling at me. "I was so scared to tell you, because I didn't…I didn't know…" She trails off as the smile falls right off her pretty face.
"Didn't know what?"
"How you would feel about all of this…about us…about our future."
I shake my head at her. She's constantly worrying about the future. She's so afraid I'm going to just up and dump her one day out of the blue. But I'm planning on rectifying that doubt right freaking now.
I get down on one knee and wrap my hands around her tiny waist. I nuzzle my face against the fabric of her dress over her belly, which I can't wait to see grow with my child. Then, I pull her hand into mine as I reach into my jacket pocket with the other. "Katya, I was planning on doing this later when we were walking on the beach under the moonlight, but I think actually now is the perfect time." I pull out the ring box and flick it open.
She gasps at the sight of the large solitaire diamond. I had it specially designed for her by the same jeweler Lucien used for Adeline's ring. "Oh, Jax!" she gasps as more tears leak out of her eyes.
"I want forever with you, Katya. Will you marry me?"
"Yes, of course!" she cries.
I stand up and pull her into my arms as she cries against my suit jacket. "I'm so happy you're pregnant. You have no idea," I whisper into my ear. "Should we go tell everyone the good news?"
She gives me a nod.
After giving her a few moments to collect herself, we go back to the reception.
