Then There Was You: A Single Parent Collection

by Gianna Gabriela

  “What?” Travis hesitantly asks, his eyes full of worry. “About what, Rayne?”

  “It appears I’m not the only one who had Cassidy keep a secret.” Placing my hand in my back pocket, I pull out the little stick which has been in there this entire time.

  Honestly, I’m surprised he hadn’t noticed it with the way he likes to grab my ass constantly.

  Travis stares at the thin plastic for several minutes before he lifts his watery eyes. “This better not be a joke, Rayne. You better be serious right now.”

  Oh, honey.

  “Your master plan has a little flaw in it, handsome.” My voice breaks, and I clear my throat. “It appears you already knocked me up.”

  “No joke, baby? Are you sure?” He takes the stick from my hands and closely inspects it. The blank expression on his face makes it hard to determine his reaction. “Two lines. That’s pregnant, right?”

  “Yeah, Travis. I’m pregnant.” I stare up into the eyes of this beautiful man who’s changed my life in ways he could never understand. “I had Dr. Schaeffer confirm it during my last shift. We’re having another baby.”

  I watch Travis’s face closely and witness the moment everything sinks in. A huge smile transforms his face and he throws his arms around me and lifts me off the ground.

  His laughter’s contagious as he spins me in circles. Then without warning, his lips crash into mine in a passionate kiss full of love and the promise of things to come when we’re alone.

  Setting me back on my feet, he steadies me as I sway slightly. “Now you need to marry me as soon as possible. I’m not joking, Rayne. I want you to have my last name before your pregnancy shows. How long until that happens?”

  And there he is, ladies and gentlemen.

  My bossy, alpha pain in the ass.

  “I’m about eight weeks. We have a few months before I’ll really be showing, but there’s no need to rush this. Who cares if we have the baby before we’re married?” I ask, irritated.

  “I care.” His firm voice leaves little room for negotiation. “Cass, you can help Rayne plan a wedding in three months, right?”

  “Yep. One step ahead of you. When Rayne told me she was pregnant, I started reaching out to some contacts.” I gasp at Cassidy’s confession.

  “Traitor,” I hiss out.

  She shrugs her shoulders in a what can you do manner. “Really, Rayne? Are you telling me you didn’t see this coming? Who are we talking about here?” She asks as she waves her hand in Travis’s direction.

  “Hey!” Travis’s mouth opens in shock and then having appeared to think about it, the expression leaves his face. “You know what? I can’t even be mad when it’s true. Especially if it gets Rayne to marry me sooner rather than later.”

  I can’t be mad either.

  “Whatever,” I concede. “I’m not going to fight about it.”

  “Roll with it, honey. It’s the best way to deal with his temperamental ass.” Cassidy throws her arm around my shoulder and steers me away from my fiancé.

  Wow, fiancé. That will take some getting used to.

  “You’re right, as always, Cass.” I lay my head against her shoulder as we walk farther and farther away from Travis.

  “Bring Rayne back here. I’m not done with her.” Travis shouts from behind us as we ignore him.

  “But you know payback’s a bitch, right?” I bat my innocent eyes up at Cassidy’s narrowed ones.

  “I’m not sure I know what you mean,” she answers cautiously.

  “You know exactly what I mean. You’ve meddled from day one with me and Travis.” I step out from Cassidy’s hold and walk around the cabin. “And while things worked out, you still stuck your nose where it didn’t belong multiple times.”

  “Sucks to be on the receiving end, doesn’t it?” Travis asks Cassidy, having caught up with her. “I may help Rayne enact her plans too.”

  I continue walking, leaving a huffing Cassidy and laughing Travis behind, chuckling to myself. The sparkle of my ring in the summer sun catches my attention.

  I’m getting married and having a baby. If you would’ve told me this would be me a year ago, I may’ve laughed in your face.

  Neither were in the plans.

  And yet, here we are. Back where it all started.

  A place I never want to leave.

  About the Author

  HL Nighbor is the author of contemporary romance with an edge. An avid reader, she took the leap into writing a little over a year ago and hasn’t looked back since. She has her degree in Accounting and works as a substitute teacher for her local school district in Washington State where she lives with her husband and two sons.

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