“Are you sure?” Cole questions.
“Yes, whatever Kate needs, I can get itfor her.”
“I—I…um…” Just tell him. The only waythis night is going to get worse is if I take the test and it readspositive—again. We should be laughing about this, not getting another test.“Whatever.” I sit back in defeat. “I need a pregnancy test.”
Shock crosses Luke’s face. I’m sure hethought I was going to say feminine hygiene products or condoms or something.But he recovers quickly. He nods at me, opening his door. “Luke, wait,” Iclutch his suit coat. “It needs to say early detection and get a box of three.”
“Will do.”
“Oh, and make sure the tests aren’t closeto their expiration date or expired.”
He nods and gets out of the car.
I’m completely mortified. I’m sitting inthe parking lot of a drugstore in the middle of the night while my bodyguardbuys me a pregnancy test because he’s concerned about my safety and wants me tostay in the car. Good grief, never in a million years did I see this onecoming. I lay my head down on my knees. Cole rubs my back. “It will be okay.”
A few minutes later, Luke’s back in theEscalade. He hands me back a sack and I sit it next to me on the seat. I movemy head onto Cole’s lap.
The next thing I know, we’re stopping.Luke and Cole are talking in hushed tones.
“What’s wrong?” I sit up.
“Nothing baby. Let’s get you upstairs.”
Both Luke and Keaton get out of the SUV,walking all the way to the elevator with us. Annie, Jill, and Laura are stillup watching a movie, and are apparently still ignoring me, because they don’teven acknowledge my presence. Cole stops, taking two bottled waters out of thefridge, and then takes my hand, ushering me back into the bedroom and into thebathroom.
I take one of the waters out of his handand, in a couple of gulps, drink the entire bottle. Not that it’s going toreally help, but the idea makes me feel better.
Cole opens the box, handing me a test.“So exactly how does this work?”
I manage a laugh, but grab all three fromhim. “You pee on them.”
Cole sets the timer on his phone, and wewait for the test results. I sit on the edge of the tub. Cole paces back andforth. I can’t handle watching him, and I put my head in my hands. If I couldrewind the past few days, would I? No, I wouldn’t, but I wish my mom would’vetold me what she was doing instead of springing this whole wedding business onme. Showing up with everyone in tow, especially Jill. Who seems to have more ofa vendetta now than she ever had. I’m startled when Cole runs a finger along myneck, pulling me from my thoughts. He’s kneeling in front of me.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“I’m not sure. What about you?”
“The idea of being a dad, well, that’spretty much the scariest thing I can think of. Before I met you, the idea ofkids wasn’t even a thought. I want you to know whatever those tests say, I loveyou. I love you more today than I did yesterday, and I will love you moretomorrow than I do today. You’re my other half, Kate. I want to have a babywith you, even if it’s now.”
“Thank you for saying that. I’m barelymanaging being married. How am I going to manage a baby, too?”
“You’ll be an amazing mom. A worrier, buta great mom.”
“I’ll have you there to balance me out.”
“Yes baby, you will.” The timer beeps andCole silences it. “Are you ready to look?”
I nod and stand up. We walk up to thecounter together.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’m not pregnant.” I give him aweak smile.
He hugs me, kissing my forehead. “I’m notgoing to lie—I feel relieved.”
“Me too.” I blow out a long breath. Ilean into Cole, suddenly feeling exhausted. “I’m ready for bed.”
“Okay, I’ll be right there.” He kisses mycheek. I walk away but get dizzy. I have to hold on to the towel rack so Idon’t fall over. “Shit Kate, that’s it.” Cole picks me up, carrying me to thebed. He pulls out his phone and calls Dr. Geist.
