Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 95307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
“KFC,” she says, turning to walk to the kitchen.
“Ready to eat?” I ask, keeping the moment light.
“I don’t know if I want to move.” She laughs. “I never realized how comfortable this couch was.”
“Then don’t.” I slide out from under her, resting her feet back on the couch. “Chocolate milk?”
“Yeah, but I can—”
I stop her by bending to place a kiss to her lips. “Let me take care of you.”
Another surprise, she nods, accepting my plea. I find Gabby in the kitchen, setting everything up. “Winnie’s going to eat in the living room. I’ll get her a plate made up.”
“I can do it,” she counters.
“So can I.” I cross my arms over my chest and stand tall. I know she’s pissed, but I’m not letting her push me out, not when I’m finally exactly where I want to be.
Where I belong.
“Fine,” she grumbles.
I can see in her eyes she wants to no longer be mad at me, but it’s still too soon for her. I get it. I know she’ll come around eventually. I busy myself making Winnie a plate. I make sure to grab two packets of honey for her biscuit; I know how much she loves it. I pour her a big glass of chocolate milk, grab a few napkins, and head back toward the living room.
“Hey, babe, you ready?” I ask her.
She sits up on the couch and grabs a pillow, placing it on her lap. I hand my girl her plate before moving the coffee table closer, so she doesn’t have to stretch to reach her glass.
“You keep this up, I’m going to be spoiled and as big as this house by the time this baby arrives,” she jokes.
“Good. I want you spoiled, both of you, and I can’t wait until you start to show.” I confess my earlier thoughts.
She laughs. “Right.”
“I mean it,” I tell her. “To know that a part of me is growing inside you, that’s…” I shake my head, unable to find the words.
“Some sappy shit,” Gabby says, plopping down in the chair with her own plate.
“You’re just jealous,” I tease her. Her reply is to stick her tongue out at me.
“So, what did the doctor say?” she asks before taking a huge bite of fried chicken.
“Everything’s perfect,” Winnie says happily. “We’re six weeks. Oh, and we have pictures.” She goes to set her plate down.
“I’ll get them,” I tell her. I want to kiss the hell out of her for saying we’re six weeks, not I’m six weeks. It’s the little things that can make a difference, and that statement tells me all that I need to know. Winnie and I are going to be okay. I make my way to the kitchen where we left them on the counter. I’m surprised Gabby didn’t see them. Then again, she was pretending to be pissed that we were so cozy. I take a minute to stare at the grainy ultrasound pictures. It’s hard to believe that’s our baby.
When I get back to the living room, Gabby holds her hands out, and they’re covered in grease. “Don’t touch,” I tell her.
“What the hell?”
“Your hands are covered in chicken grease.”
“Sheesh, Harrison. If you’re this protective of a grainy image that you can’t even make out a baby, how are you going to be when the kid actually gets here?”
Winnie laughs. “Welcome to my world.”
“Get used to it.” I lift her legs and set her feet back in my lap. I see no point in denying it. I’ve always been protective of her, and now that she’s pregnant that protectiveness is heightened.
“You have no one to blame but yourself. You’re the one who’s letting him stay here,” Gabby tells her sister.
“He’s waiting on me hand and foot. Can you really blame me?” Winnie laughs. “Besides,” she looks at me, “Peanut needs Daddy close.”
“I love you.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. Not that I’d want to.
“Gah, not while I’m trying to eat.” Gabby breaks the moment, making us all laugh.
“Speaking of, Harrison, are you not going to eat?” Winnie asks.
“Yeah, I’m just waiting on Chase.”
“Chase?” Gabby asks.
It’s not lost on me that she almost sounds hopeful. Sounds like my sister-in-law has been missing my best friend since the divorce. They do say that there’s a thin line between love and hate.
“Yeah, we have some work to do, so he’s stopping by.” I expect her to offer to stay with Winnie so I can go meet him at the gym, but she doesn’t. Instead, her eyes peer over at the front entrance as if she can’t wait for him to walk through the door.
Luck is on her side as there’s a loud knock on the door. “You need anything?” I ask Winnie as I stand from my seat on the couch.