“I know you would’ve,” I reply with a warm smile. “But I wanted to do this on my own. Online sales have been good lately, and with you covering our bills, I should have enough saved to hire help before the baby arrives.”
With Heath taking care of the bills, I’ve been able to pay off a good chunk of the overdue ones with my own money, but it’ll still take a few months to fully catch up. I still can’t bring myself to confess that I’ve been struggling financially, or just how much his contribution has saved me.
“I understand, but I’m here to help any way I can,” Heath replies. “You deserve all the support you need so you can work as much or as little as you want once the baby gets here.”
A flutter of butterflies stirs in my belly at the sincerity in his voice.
For someone so old-school, he has a surprisingly modern way of viewing my job. I appreciate that he hasn’t dismissed it as a hobby or worthless just because the shop doesn’t bringin substantial revenue. He understands it’s Grams’s legacy and would never try to take that away from me or expect me to hand it off to someone else when the baby arrives.
“Thank you. Luckily, I’m the boss, so the baby can hang out with me in the shop. I’m sure the little peanut will attract a crowd, and I may have to start charging admission if it gets too chaotic,” I tease.
“I’ve been meaning to ask—do you want to find out if we’re having a boy or a girl?” He sounds a bit sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck. “We haven’t talked about it yet, but Ma and your grandma are convinced we’re having a girl, and I’m curious if they’re onto something or full of shit.”
Why am I not surprised they’d both taunt him with that? They’re probably getting a kick out of picturing him as a girl dad drowning in all things pink, sparkly, and frilly—just like I am.
“They’re both smart women and have excellent intuition, so I believe it. But I don’t see why we shouldn’t find out when we can,” I say with a shrug.
Heath slings his arm around me, drawing me close. “Sounds like a plan.”
I initially liked the idea of waiting to find out the baby’s sex, but if learning it early makes Heath happy, I’m completely on board. I might be the one who’s pregnant, but I want him to be involved in every step of the way and to make sure his wishes are considered too.
Now that we’ve decided to find out whether we’re having a boy or girl, I’m more excited than ever to meet our little peanut. I can’t stop wondering what they’ll look like and whether they’ll get my red hair or Heath’s mesmerizing chocolate brown eyes. One thing is for certain: no matter what, we’ll love them unconditionally.
“Hey, Heath?”
He smiles down at me. “Yeah, beautiful?”
“For what it’s worth, I think it would be beneficial to hire more help so you don’t wear yourself out, but if you don’t believe that’s the best option, that’s okay too.” I nuzzle my head into his chest. “We’re a team now, and I support you in whatever you choose.”
He kisses my temple. “How the hell did I get so lucky?”
“By knocking me up and being too damn charming to resist, obviously,” I reply with a playful smirk. “Now what do you say we squeeze in a quickie to tide us over until you can fuck me properly tonight?”
“I like the way you think, hellcat,” Heath growls softly.
A giddy squeal escapes as he scoops me from my seat and settles me across his lap to make good on my suggestion.
There’s still plenty of uncertainty about what the future holds, but for now, I plan to savor every second wrapped in Heath’s arms as we prepare for this next chapter. I can only hope that I’ve placed my trust in the right prickly cowboy who’s already starting to feel like home.
Congrats It’s A…
2 months later
“All right, mama, you know the drill,” Katie says, nodding toward the exam table. “Let’s hope this little one is ready to cooperate today.”
During the last two appointments, the baby has been curled into a tight ball, looking more like a shrimp than a wrinkly turtle. No matter how much Charlie pokes and prods, it’s refused to switch positions up until now.
“She gets her stubbornness from her daddy,” Charlie says, winking at me.
“We still don’t know the sex, remember?” I remind her as I settle into the chair beside her.
She grins as she lies back on the table. “Grams and Julie both said we’re having a girl, so it must be true.”
I slide closer and take her hand in mine. “Hopefully we’re about to find out for sure.”
One thing I’ve learned during this process is that Charlie’s pregnancy hasn’t exactly followed the norm. She barely had any symptoms early on, then the nausea hit hard and fast. And now we’ve waited longer than most couples to find out if it’s a boy or a girl because our kid already has a mind of its own.
Despite what Charlie claims, our little peanut is clearly taking after her in the stubborn department.
