Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75408 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75408 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Her eyes widened and she whispered, “Brody, what are you saying?”
I could feel the tears building in my eyes as I tried to keep my voice steady. “We’re going to have a baby, Sutton.”
She reached up and pressed her mouth to mine, tears spilling from her eyes. She kissed me hard and fast, then pulled back. “I’m pregnant?”
Nodding, I placed my hand on the side of her face. “Yes. They did a sonogram to check the baby. Everything’s fine. He said you’re not very far along and probably weren’t even aware you were pregnant yet.”
She wiped her tears away, a sob slipping free. “I didn’t know. I mean, I’m a few days late, but I wasn’t thinking much about it just yet.”
“I didn’t tell anyone. I wanted to tell you first, and since you’re not very far along, I thought it might be best to keep it between us for a while.”
Sutton blinked rapidly. She still seemed a bit shocked. “Pregnant?”
With a soft chuckle, I kissed her softly on the mouth. “Pregnant.”
“That might explain my sudden craving for a cheeseburger and a chocolate milkshake. Speaking of which, where’s my food?”
This time, I laughed outright. “I texted Braxton to get it for you.”
She searched my face with her eyes. “How are you feeling about this?”
I smiled. “How am I feeling? I’ve never been so happy in my entire life, Sutton. I mean, I’m not going to lie, I’m also scared, nervous, and worried. All those emotions are kind of wound up in one big ball.”
She giggled, then moved her hand down to her stomach. “I can’t believe we’re pregnant. We’re going to have a baby!”
“What!”
Sutton and I both turned to see Braxton standing in the doorway, holding a milkshake and a bag from the Seaside Grill.
“So much for keeping it to ourselves,” I whispered. I pointed at Braxton. “If you so much as utter a word to anyone, I’ll break your other ankle.”
He frowned. “First off, I twisted my ankle, dickhead. And second, I won’t tell a soul—but holy shit! I’m going to be an uncle!”
Sutton and I looked at each other and smiled before I leaned down and kissed my wife.
Sutton
November
Warm arms engulfed me as I stood on my parents’ widow’s walk and looked out over the bay.
“Thought I might find you up here,” Brody whispered against my ear before he placed a kiss on my neck.
“I just needed to get away for a few minutes.”
Our two families had decided to celebrate Thanksgiving together, since it made it easier on all of us. Brody and I had yet to tell anyone about the baby, and I was glad it was still our little secret. Well, ours and Braxton’s. My mother did keep giving me telling glances and smiles, almost as if she knew but wasn’t going to say anything until we did.
“How are you feeling?” Brody asked as he turned me around and looked lovingly into my eyes.
My morning sickness had started almost as soon as I’d gotten out of the hospital. It felt like my body realized the secret was out, so now it was going to start displaying all the signs of pregnancy. The morning sickness had grown worse over the last week.
I placed my hand on Brody’s chest and gave it a pat. “Better, now that I had some of that ginger candy you bought.”
“I’m telling you, that New Dad group the doctor told me to join on Facebook is going to come in handy for both of us. John in Lubbock shared that little tidbit with me.”
I let a small chuckle slip free. “Well, thank John in Lubbock for me. It really does calm my stomach.”
Brody’s eyes fell to my mouth, and I reached up and pressed my lips to his. Our tongues moved lazily in a tango before we drew back and rested our foreheads together.
“I love you so much, Sutton. Sometimes I swear I feel like this is all a dream, and I’m going to wake up and none of it will be real.”
I reached behind him and pinched him on the ass, causing him to let out a little squeak.
“See? You’re not dreaming.”
He laughed, then rubbed his nose against mine. “Are you happy, sweetheart?”
I placed my hand back on his chest before running it up and behind his neck. I played with the hair at the base of his neck. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy. I was thinking, though, about the property on the beach.”
“Yeah?”
I stared at the buttons on his shirt, then lifted my gaze to meet his. “What would you think about building a house there for us? I know I’ve tried to make our home fresh and new, but the idea that Jack once lived there makes me feel uneasy now. I want to raise our kids in a house that’s ours. Only ours.”