Page 25 of Happily Ever Maybe

I shook my head. “We both could’ve been hurt worse.”

“I know. But I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can. That’s what I’ve always liked about you.It’s why we work so well together.”

When she let out a sigh, I squeezed her hand. “But wehaven’t been working well together recently. Because you keep trying to step into protect me.”

“I guess I have another reason to now.”

“I really didn’t want you to find out that way.” When sheput her hand over her stomach, it felt like everything changed.

I swallowed hard, staring at where her hand rested. “You’repregnant.” I whispered the words as if they weren’t quite real. “How long haveyou known?”

I reached down and gripped her hand. None of this madesense. We were doing this the wrong way, but something was shifting. Somethinghappened, and I didn’t know how to fix it.

“Three days. Well, four now.” She let out a breath. “Ididn’t know how to tell you. I was going to tell you soon, though. That’s why Iwanted to talk. But then it sounded like a weird relationship we-need-to-talkthing. And I realized that it really is a weird relationship kind ofthing. Because I’m pregnant.”

My ears rang as I tried to come to terms with what she wassaying. It didn’t feel real. None of this did.

“I can’t believe it.”

“Me either. I mean, we used a condom. And I’m onbirth control.” She paused. “Oh, my God. I should go to my doctor because Idon’t think I can be on birth control while pregnant. I’ll need to have itremoved. Oh, hell. I have a doctor’s appointment scheduled for tomorrow. But Ishould tell the doctor here.”

I squeezed her hand and nodded. “Okay. Okay. Hell. This is a lot.”

“I guess the bomb and the wall falling on top of us is onlythe second most explosive thing to happen today,” she said with a laugh beforetears filled her eyes.

I moved to wipe the moisture from her cheeks. “Don’t cry,Jen, baby. We’ll figure this out.”

“I don’t know what to do.”

“I’m not going to let you do it alone. No matter whathappens. I’m here.”

“But we didn’t even want to be together.”

I frowned at her. “We said it would be easier if we weren’t.But nothing about this is easy, is it?”

She opened her mouth to say something, and I was ready to bare it all, to tell her what I felt, but then the nursescame in, and I was pulled away.

I wanted to stay, I wanted to figure it out. She wasn’tmine. And I had to remember that.

Even if I wanted her to be.

* * * *

“I’m fine, Mom. Seriously. Sawyer is on his way over withdinner, and then I’m going to rest.”

“You’re sure you don’t have to work today? I will call youremployers. My baby’s hurt.”

I barely resisted the urge to roll my eyes. My parents werefreaking amazing, but they also tended to baby us. How Sawyer and I ended up asaccident-prone and daredevil kids, I didn’t know.

“Whatever you do, please don’t call the Montgomerys.I don’t want to be the one with the mommy who calls my boss.”

“This mommy will call whoever I need to make sure her baby’sokay.” She sounded so stern it made me smile.

“I’m going to be fine. You checked on me yourself. Now,you’re back at work, and I’m not. Of course, I am off duty for a little bit.But there are just a few stitches. A couple of bumps. That’s it. No brokenbones. No concussion. I’m fine.”

“I didn’t like hearing on the news that the building I knewyou were in was blown up. I wish you would get abetter job. One where you’re nice and safe and nothing ever happens.”