“I did. I was going to wrap it, but I’m too excited for you to open it. Here.” She thrust the package in Autumn’s direction, the pleased expression on her face unmistakable.
Autumn took the package from her, curiosity piqued. “You didn’t have to buy me anything, Momma.”
“I know, but you’ll love this. Promise. Go on, open it up!”
She placed the package down on the sliver of countertop not occupied with pies and carefully ripped it open. Inside was a white box, and when she opened it, she folded back the paper to discover what was inside.
Removing the contents from the box, Autumn gasped when she realized exactly what it was: a pregnancy journal. It was white with tiny gold hearts all over the cover. The words ‘Hello, Baby’ were written across the front in gold, and there was a space for a photograph to be inserted.
Browsing through it, Autumn discovered the front half contained pages for information about her pregnancy to be recorded, along with plenty of space for photos. The spread with the family tree made her a little wistful, as it had space for both the mother and the father’s family details to be listed.
When she discovered the back half of the journal contained pages for her to write anything she wanted, she let out a happy squeal. It was perfect.
“Thank you so much.” She carefully placed the journal back in the box and embraced her mother tightly.
“I know you love to journal, so I thought you’d enjoy having one to record everything in. It’ll be a lovely keepsake to show the baby when he’s old enough.”
“I shall treasure it always.”
When the two women parted, Ruth brushed back a stray lock of hair off her daughter’s face. “You’re going to be such a wonderful mother, Autumn. This is one lucky baby.”
Autumn couldn’t stop the tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m….” She trailed off, unsure as to whether she should voice her fears, but looking at her dear mother’s face she knew she could confide in her. “I’m scared, Momma.”
Ruth placed her hand on her daughter’s cheek. “I know you are, my precious girl. But you have nothing to fear. I will deal with your father when the time comes, and I also know Cody will be a fantastic dad.”
Autumn’s face fell as the tears started rolling down her cheeks. “I don’t know how to tell him. He probably hates me.”
“No, honey. He loves you. That’s obvious to anyone with eyes. But you can’t keep this pregnancy from him, Autumn. He has the right to know. He should be part of his child’s life, even if the two of you are not together.”
She swiped at her face frustratedly. “I know I have to tell him, and I will.”
“No time like the present.”
“What do you mean?”
“Gus told me he’s not working today. Go over right now and tell him. I can take the pies out of the oven when they’re ready and make the delivery.” Ruth kissed her cheek. “The sooner you tell him, the better it will be.”
Taking a deep breath, Autumn gathered her courage for what she knew would be a difficult but necessary conversation. “You’re right. I’ll do it right now.” She grabbed her tote and placed her new journal inside it.
“Maybe the two of you can start filling it out together.”
She stared at her mother. “I guess that depends on how well he takes the news.”
“He’ll be thrilled, honey. Of course he will be. I won’t expect you home tonight.”
“Momma!” She patted her cheeks. “I think that’s a little presumptuous. We’re not even speaking right now.”
“Won’t need to do much talking if you do end up staying.”
Autumn gave her mom a hug and left the store before Ruth could say another word and make her blush even further. Her dream scenario would be Cody being thrilled at the idea of being a father and them falling into bed, but she knew that was unlikely to happen.
She’d ended their relationship without even giving him a chance to talk about it. Autumn still hated that she’d left a letter underneath his door, but she’d known that had she tried to end it in person he would have been able to dissuade her.
It had been better to make a clean break and let him find love with a woman who wouldn’t have to hide their relationship like a dirty little secret.
When she arrived at Luco Ranch and branched right toward Cody’s cabin, she was disappointed to see his truck wasn’t there. He might have been out running errands, so she got out and went up to sit on the swing on the front porch.
Moving it back and forth with her foot, it swayed softly, and she could suddenly imagine holding their baby in her arms, swinging back and forth as she gazed upon the stars.
That was the life she wanted. One with Cody and their child.
After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, she took out her cell and chanced a call to her best friend.
Evie picked up on the third ring, and Autumn could hear plenty of noise in the background. “Hi! Just give me a second.” The background sounds became dim, and she heard a door close. “I’m here. Just moved into the bedroom.”
“Are my godsons awake?”
“They are, and babbling happily at their father and uncle.”
“Ah. That answers my question as to whether Cody is there.”
There were a few moments of silence. “He is. Did you want to talk to him?”
Autumn took a deep breath before answering. “Yes. I need to tell him about the baby, Evie. I don’t want to hide it from him any longer.”
“I know, sweetie. Where are you right now?”
“On his front porch.”
“I’ll send him home, then. And Autumn?”
“Yes?”
“You’ve got this. Don’t be afraid. He’s going to be thrilled to learn about the baby, I promise.”
She let out a shaky breath. “I hope you’re right. Give those beautiful babies of yours a kiss from me.”
“I sure will, Aunty Autumn. Call me tomorrow and let me know how it all went, okay?”
She frowned. “I’ll call you tonight.”
Evie let out a throaty laugh. “No, you won’t. I think Cody will have you far too busy doing other things. Talk tomorrow.” She ended the call before Autumn had a chance to respond.
She placed the phone back in her bag and continued swinging, collecting her thoughts and trying to decide how best to break the news to the man she was still madly in love with that she was expecting their child.
When his truck pulled up alongside the cabin, her heart caught in her throat. She got up off the swing and hovered near the front door. Cody appeared around the corner and just the sight of him had her practically swooning.
She’d missed him more than she could put into words. His face had a bit more scruff than normal, and it suited him. Blue-gray circles were visible underneath his eyes, and he looked tired, but he was still as handsome as ever.
He came up the steps and stopped in front of her. “Evie told me you were here.”
She opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Where to begin? A greeting would work. “Hi, Cody.”
He shuffled from one foot to the other. “Hi, darlin’.”
The term of endearment sparked hope deep inside her. “Can we talk?”
“Of course. Come on in.” He pushed the front door open and she followed him inside, closing it behind her. “Do you want something to drink? Wine?”
“Water would be fine, thank you.”
He returned from the kitchen with two glasses of water, and they took seats on the sofa. She had a large mouthful, gulping it down noisily and then cursing herself for doing so. This was proving harder than she’d anticipated, but she had to do it. She couldn’t put it off any longer.
“What did you want to talk about?”
She placed her glass down on the table and Cody followed suit. He’d just given her the opening she needed, and she very slowly reached for his hand. Autumn was terrified he’d withdraw it, but he didn’t, instead wrapping his finger
s around hers. That small show of support gave her the courage she needed.
“Cody, I’m so sorry.” She blinked rapidly to hold the tears that were welling up at bay. “I should never have ended things the way I did. It was cowardly, but I knew if I came to talk to you that you’d try and persuade me against it.”
He didn’t speak for a few moments, his fingers tracing the shape of her hand softly. “Damn straight I would’ve. But I know why you did it, Autumn. I know Jed threatened us both. I’m so sorry you had to go through that, darlin’. You must have been terrified.”
She nodded, her throat dry. “I couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to you.”
“Nothing will happen to me; I promise you that.” He hesitated before leaning over and kissing her cheek, then the corner of her mouth. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, too.” She was no longer afraid of his reaction, so she brushed her lips against his. “There’s something else I need to tell you.”
“What’s that?”
She took a deep breath and gathered the courage to take the first step toward the life she’d always dreamed of having. “I’m pregnant.”
Once she said the words out loud, it was as though a sudden weight that had been pressing down upon her from the moment she’d discovered she was pregnant had lifted. The most important man in her world now knew her secret, and even if he decided not to be part of the baby’s life after all, she wouldn’t regret having told him.
A kaleidoscope of emotions crossed his face, and the grip on her fingers tightened. “Pregnant? We’re having a baby?”
“Yes, we’re having a baby. You’re going to be a father.” Her free hand rose up of its own accord and stroked his cheek.
He tugged her forward, and the next thing Autumn knew she was in Cody’s embrace. Her arms snaked around his neck, holding him as close as she dared. His arms were tight around her, enough to make her feel safe but not enough to hurt her.
“Oh, darlin’.” His breath was warm on her shoulder. “I have so many questions.”
“Ask away.”
He pulled back and looked down. She realized he was gazing at her stomach and smiled. She got to her feet and moved to stand in between his legs, aware this was all new to him and he was still trying to process everything. He lifted her top up with a slightly shaky hand and pressed his lips to her stomach.
“Hi, baby boy.” His fingers caressed her warm skin softly. “I’m your daddy.” He stumbled on the last word, and the way his eyes lit up when he said it made Autumn want to cry happy tears. She touched his face and he stood, his hands on her hips. Before she could say a word, his lips were on hers.
Autumn closed her eyes and let herself get lost in his kiss. In the way his mouth moved against hers, in the way his tongue swept into her mouth to explore it thoroughly. She hadn’t kissed him in weeks and it wasn’t until that moment she realized just how much she’d missed him.
Missed being around him. Missed talking to him. Missed kissing him.
Missed making love to him.
Her heart sighed happily as she held him close and kissed him deeply.
They only parted to suck in oxygen, and then she kissed his jaw. “I love you,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes.
“I love you, too, darlin’.” He cupped her face in his hands and gave her a slow, sweet kiss. “Are you up to answering some questions, or do you want to rest?”
She gave him a bright smile; one she hadn’t felt like showing since they’d broken up. “I’m just fine and happy to answer any questions you have.”
They picked up their glasses of water and went over to the small, round dining table, where they could look at each other without having to crane their necks. Cody placed his hand on her knee and she covered it with her own.
“I guess the most important question is…” He trailed off, and the look on his face told Autumn he was unsure about continuing.
“You can ask me anything, Cody. Promise.”
“You want to keep the baby?”
There was absolutely no hesitation on her part. “Yes.” She couldn’t help but brush her lips against his. “Absolutely.”
“How far along are you?”
“About seven weeks now. I’m due the first week of June.”
“Is there just one baby in there?” His smile told her he wouldn’t be unhappy if the answer was no.
“Yes, there’s just one baby. Believe me, it’s one of the first questions I asked when I went back to the doctor’s office. No twins for us.”
Cody leaned forward and kissed her. “How have you been feeling? Any morning sickness?”
“Not every day, thankfully. I’m mostly tired.”
He frowned. “You get up early every morning to bake.”
She squeezed his hand. “I love what I do, and I’m perfectly capable of still doing my job. I’ve been going to bed early, promise.”
They sat in silence for a few moments, gazing at each other, their fingers entwined. “Does Ruth know?”
“Yes, she does.”
“Is she happy about it?”
“Deliriously so.”
He nodded. The expression on his face changed. “I’m guessing Jed doesn’t.”
The smile slid off her face. “No. I haven’t told him yet.” Her grip on his hand tightened. “I’m not sure how to.”
“We’ll think of something.” He pulled her onto his lap, and she slung an arm around his shoulders. One of his hands came to rest on her belly, and she pressed a kiss to his head. “I can’t believe it. A baby.”
She swallowed before speaking. “Are you really happy about it, Cody? I know it’s all new, so it’s okay if you need time.”
He looked straight at her, and she could see the twinkle in his eyes. “I’m really happy, Autumn.” The expression on his face became serious, almost grave. “I love you.”
She blinked back tears. “I love you, too. So much.”
When she kissed him this time, Autumn felt the shift. Something deep inside her called to him. Wanted only him for the rest of her life. He stood and lifted her into his arms, and she clung to him as he carried her into his bedroom.
He began to undress her slowly, carefully. “I won’t break, sweetheart.” She gave him a smile. “I’m not fragile. You can touch me.”
The kiss he gave her was anything but gentle, and they stripped each other in between kisses. He laid her down on the bed and then climbed onto it with her, hovering over her. Cody took his time, kissing her bare skin. He pressed his lips to her nipple, and when he flicked his tongue over the hard tip, she let out a small cry.
“You okay?”
She saw the alarm in his face and brushed her fingers against his cheek. “I’m fine. My breasts are just more tender than normal, that’s all.”
He smiled and pressed the gentlest of kisses to her nipple. “Noted.” He moved down lower, and Autumn let out little moans as he kissed, nibbled, and licked her intimately.
When he finally slid inside her, she wanted to cry. It felt so good to lie underneath him, to have him move within her in the ultimate expression of love. She felt every thrust deep in her soul, and she knew she never wanted to be away from him again.
She resolved to do whatever she had to in order to make a life with the man she loved and the baby that grew inside her. The baby they’d made together, born out of the love they felt for each other.
Sometime later, she lay draped over him, their bodies cooling. Cody had pulled a blanket over them and she was snuggled up to him. Her heartbeat had slowed somewhat, but the heat he generated within her still warmed her all over.
She’d missed this more than she could possibly say. Lying in his arms, where she could forget all the darkness in her life and be surrounded only by love.
Autumn tipped her head back and pressed her lips against Cody’s. She didn’t rush to end it, savoring the feel of his mouth on hers. His hand trailed up and down her body, stroking her skin softly be
fore coming to rest on her belly.
Although their baby was tiny and she wasn’t sporting any sort of baby bump, she loved that he wanted to feel connected to their child somehow.
“Have you thought about any names yet?”
She pondered his question. “Not really. I’ve had other things on my mind.” She met his kiss with one of her own, and for a few moments they didn’t speak. “Why, do you have some already?”
Cody trailed his fingers lightly over her stomach, making it feel like butterflies had taken up residence there. “Maybe one or two.”
“Tell me.”
He kissed her shoulder. “I like Cash.”
Autumn frowned. “Cash? I don’t think it goes with Luke. Cash Luke Whittaker. Hmmm.”
“Why does it have to go with Luke?”
“I know you’re going to want the baby’s middle name to be Luke after your brother, so we need a name that goes with it. I think we’ll have to rule Cash out.”
“For this baby, yeah.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “You’re already thinking about baby number two?”
He gave her a sweet kiss. “Are you joking? I want you knocked up for the next ten years.”
That made her laugh. “I don’t know about that. Let’s just get through this pregnancy and see what happens.” She laced her fingers through his and rested them on his chest. “I’m scared, Cody.”
His free hand came up to brush tendrils of hair off her face. “About the pregnancy or giving birth?”
“Both. All of it.”
He pressed a kiss to her hairline. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but you’ve got Evie. I’m sure she can help with any questions you might have. We can also do classes for breathing and stuff, and there’s plenty of books we can read. We’ll get through this, Autumn. Together.”
She gazed into his eyes and nodded. “Together.”
“Move in with me. I want to take care of you.”
She didn’t even have to think about it. “Yes.” She gave him a long, hot kiss. “But not straight away. I need to talk to Momma, make sure she’ll be okay.”
“She can move in here with us until she’s on her feet. There’s enough room.”
She blinked rapidly, her eyes shimmering. “Really?”
Finding Home (Being Home Book 2) Page 21
