by LJ Bradley
“I hope so,” she said vaguely, trying not to give anything away this close to the reveal. It had been hard enough convincing everyone she wasn’t drinking tonight because she wanted to remember every little detail for the rest of her life.
They turned their attention to the dancefloor again. The three-piece band had launched into a slow song now, and her parents were swaying together beside Jack’s older brother and his cousin. Jack’s dance partner had disappeared, but it didn’t take long for Ally to swoop in and fill the vacant spot. Her dress was the same color as Catherine’s but in a style more flattering to her streamlined frame. She looked so alive and in her element out there, especially when she rose on her toes to waggle her brows at Meg in a way that said I just stole your husband.
Meg shook her head and smiled, loving every minute of it. The day had gone exactly to plan, without so much as a minor hiccup getting in the way to take any of the shine off the occasion. Despite the exhaustion she’d been feeling leading up to the day, her excitement had helped keep the momentum going. Now all she needed to do was make her big announcement, with the eyes of her family and friends on her… while the man she loved had no idea what was coming.
She faced Catherine again, wondering if she should scrap the idea and tell Jack in private. He might not like having the attention of the room on him while he heard the life-changing news. When her gaze landed on her sister-in-law, Meg took one look and forgot about her own worries. Catherine’s eyes were squeezed shut, her mouth slightly open. A low wail came from her first. A breathless laugh next.
Somewhere, somehow, Meg knew. She didn’t need to ask, but she went ahead and did it anyway. “What’s… are you…”
Catherine opened her eyes and nodded, her expression turning a little panicked. “I thought they were Braxton Hicks.” She pulled in a sharp breath and grimaced. “I’ve had them for about eight weeks now, but they’ve been gaining strength and getting closer together so I never knew when to start worrying.”
She looked down at her seat and Meg followed her gaze.
Wet. All wet.
Oh, God.
Sweet Jesus, it was happening right now.
“That doesn’t look like Braxton Hicks,” Meg said, even though she had no experience whatsoever in this area.
Catherine laughed, then pressed a palm to her stomach and groaned. “Can you get Josh? And tell his parents... and Jack. Oh, Meg. I’m so, so sorry. It’s your wedding day.”
“Are you serious? We already got the best part out of the way. Now we can meet this little gatecrasher. I’ll be right back.” She jumped up from her seat and rushed across the room, her pulse racing like mad as she dragged her train behind her.
It only took a few breathless words to throw the reception center into chaos. Activity exploded around her. The noise level rose considerably.
And all the while the three-piece band played on like a scene out of The Titanic.
Eight hours later, Meg sighed with relief as she walked into the hotel suite Jack had booked for the night. She still wore her strapless wedding dress, and her hair had begun unwinding from its intricate twists. Her heels were dangling from her fingertips, and she was pretty sure her makeup now looked like it had been inspired by Alice Cooper. They only had a short time to go until checkout and their flight to the honeymoon that awaited them in Bali, but since their luggage had been delivered here yesterday they’d just found it easier to hold on to the reservation.
Jack closed the door behind her and cupped the back of her neck. “Thank God we’re here,” he said, drawing her close to press a kiss on her forehead. “I almost fell asleep on the damn elevator.”
Meg smiled and tossed her shoes beside the leather couch. She wandered across the room and stopped before the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city. Her reflection meshed with the darkened streets outside, her face alight with anticipation despite the tiredness she’d felt tugging at her eyelids on the ride over here.
She hadn’t told him yet.
With all the excitement surrounding Catherine and Josh, there just hadn’t been a good time, and she wouldn’t have felt right about bringing it up anyway when two people were in the middle of the most important moment of their lives. Almost a dozen relatives had crowded into that hospital waiting room, every one of them dressed to the nines while they awaited the snippets of news trickling from Josh through to the nursing staff.
Then, after six hours of labor followed by an emergency c-section—and her heart may never recover from the stress of that, thank you very much—Meg and Jack had become the proud aunt and uncle to Avery Rose, a sweet girl with pink cheeks and dark wisps of hair.
Meg had never seen such happiness crammed into one room. The hugs and tears, the laughter and slaps on the back. After the emotion of the wedding it had all been too much for her, and she’d burst into a messy crying jag that both baffled and amused Jack.
“Everything okay?” he asked, coming to stand behind her. She saw his reflection above hers in the window, the way his eyes settled on her rather than the view beyond.
Meg turned to face him, eager to share the kind of news that would change everything for them in the best possible way. “I was just thinking—”
He let out a world-weary sigh. “Again?”
Meg smiled and poked him in the stomach. “I was thinking,” she said again, sending him a look intended to keep him quiet long enough for her to finish. “That just yesterday you were a son and a brother, a fiancé, too. But now you’re a husband…” She tilted her head and kissed the underside of his jaw, drowning in the scent of him, the feel of his rough stubble against her lips. “And an uncle…” She kissed his cheek, the corner of his mouth. Her nose brushed against his, then she pulled back to meet his eyes. “And a dad.”
Meg wished she could have photographed the look on his face. His initial shock turned to a narrowing of his eyes. He stared down at her as the gears click-clicked for a few seconds, then he said, “Meg, honey, sweetheart, fire of my loins, if you’re suggesting I had anything to do with that pregnancy…”
The words he’d left unsaid hung in the air between them, his expression stuck somewhere between wariness and surprise.
“Not that one.” She’d seen the way Jack was with Catherine. Whatever feelings he’d kept to himself all those years were now nothing more than harmless brotherly affection. She’d never doubt him for a second. Meg smiled and reached for his hand, placing his palm flat on her belly. “This one.”
His arm tensed against her, his fingers flexing just a little. The look of complete wonder on his face almost had her bursting into tears all over again. “Excuse me?”
“I’m pregnant. We’re having a baby. I had this big, awesome speech planned for the reception. I was supposed to surprise you… and everyone else… but then, well, you know—”
Jack dropped to his knees without warning and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed his head against her breasts and let out a long, heavy breath, a wealth of emotion in the sound even though he hadn’t uttered a word. Meg stroked her fingers through his hair and waited, giving him his moment.
He clutched her to him, his warmth and strength surrounding her, his arms a protective barrier between her and the rest of the world. Emotion rushed up inside her and she hugged him close. He’d be the most dedicated, loving, fearless father she’d ever known. To be on this journey with him, well… she hadn’t quite got her head around it yet.
Jack sank further, his arms lowering to encircle her hips. Through layers of silk and lace he pressed his lips to her stomach, once, then twice. “I love you,” he said, giving her a squeeze.
She squeezed him right back. “I love you, too.”
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
Her whole body shook with laughter. She wanted to smack him and kiss him and tear off his clothes, and not necessarily in that order. “Come up here.” Meg clutched his biceps and tugged until he’d moved to a standing position again. She slipp
ed her hands around the back of his neck and pulled him down to her level, touching her mouth to his with an eagerness she had no hope of controlling anymore. Jack framed her face with his palms and dived in, taking the kiss deeper, pouring so much feeling into it that she ended up breathless and lightheaded.
Long moments later when his mouth had left hers, he cupped her throat in his big, warm hands and looked into her eyes. “How far along?”
Meg licked her lip while she tried to master the art of speaking again. “About nine weeks.”
“Why didn’t you let me know before now?”
“I only found out a few days ago. I wanted to tell you in a way you wouldn’t forget—and just so you know, it’s been a living hell trying to keep that secret all to myself.”
He smiled and kissed her again, moving his hand down her body, pressing it flat against her stomach where it stayed, strong and steady. “I’m glad it turned out the way it did. I prefer it like this. Just you and me… and this little one.”
Yes. Just the three of them. Exactly as it should be, she realized now, thankful Avery Rose had come along to interrupt her original plan.
“I love you,” she said again, just in case he needed reminding.
Jack smiled and scooped her up in his arms. He turned and headed toward the bed, laying her gently on the mattress as if he wanted to take the greatest of care with her. He gave her a short, sweet kiss, then straightened and went to work loosening his tie. “I love you too, wife.”
The End.
