Maybe for You--A Whiskey and Weddings Novel

by Nicole McLaughlin

  “What was he saying to you, Alex?”

  “It’s none of your business, Dean,” she pushed her chair in and made her way into the house. Rushing through the kitchen, down the hallway, and into the entryway, she flung open the front door just in time to see Jake’s Jeep peeling out of the driveway and down the road.

  Twenty-Three

  Alex hadn’t heard from Jake since the day of the cookout. Nearly a week, considering it was Friday morning. She’d managed to get out of working at the Stag front desk another week by convincing Dean she still didn’t feel good.

  She knew he was skeptical and worried, but he hadn’t pushed. Thank goodness, because there was no way she could be around Jake and just pretend everything was normal. Every time she thought of the look on his face that day she wanted to cry. But then sometimes she told herself that it was for the best. Right now, she’d just wanted to wallow in her own self-pity and didn’t want anyone trying to make it better for her.

  The last thing she wanted was a man to offer her a commitment out of obligation. Jake had been a happy bachelor up until she came along and wanted a road-trip fling. He might think he was being a good guy—because that’s what he did, especially when it came to her—but how could she do that to him? Wrangle him into being a father.

  She still didn’t know if she wanted to be a mother. And that thought alone kept her up at night. Wasn’t some kind of maternal instinct supposed to kick in by now?

  Rolling out of bed, she decided to take a shower. It usually made her feel better. Going into the bathroom, she began to undress. When she pulled her underwear down, she gasped.

  It was dotted with blood. “Oh my God,” she whispered.

  In a panic, she grabbed some toilet paper and checked to see how much came away. Not a ton, but she knew this couldn’t be ignored.

  Taking a deep shaky breath, she washed her hands, put her nightgown back on, and went into her room. Picking up her phone, she called Charlotte, who answered right away.

  “Where are you at?” Alex asked.

  “Just left the grocery store. Is everything alright?”

  “I’m okay,” Alex said, not wanting her to panic. Except, she was about to panic herself. “No, wait. I’m not okay, Charlotte. I’m bleeding.”

  “I’m on my way, Alex,” Charlotte said without hesitation.

  “Okay, thank you.”

  When they disconnected, Alex began pacing the floor, uncertain of what to think. What to do. A few minutes later she heard the front door open and Charlotte saying hello to Joel. Finally there was a knock on her bedroom door. She pulled it open and Charlotte rushed in.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Scared.”

  Charlotte nodded. “I know. But chances are everything is fine. Are you cramping?”

  Alex shook her head. “No. I really haven’t felt anything except nauseous, and my boobs have hurt a little.”

  “That’s good, I think,” Charlotte said. “As soon as you told me, I called my own OB office. The nurse there is one of my former brides. She can get you in today.”

  Alex mouth dropped open. “Oh my God.”

  “I know this is sudden, Alex. But you really do need to see a doctor, and this office is great. They offer you lots of options, they have a midwife, I think—”

  Alex put out a hand. “Please, I just … need a minute.” She sat down on the bed. Had she believed that she could just keep going on like nothing was going to happen? She was pregnant. There was a human growing inside her. Decisions had to be made.

  And the thought that maybe something was already robbing her of the choice made her want to cry. She looked up at Charlotte and nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”

  *   *   *

  Jake stood behind TJ’s desk chair looking over his shoulder as they discussed the new updates he’d made to their website that morning. Now that they were going all in on the wedding planning services, they’d created a complimentary and dedicated site to the wedding aspect of their business: Stag Weddings. He’d been working on it for days with Jen’s input, and was really proud of it.

  “I love it,” TJ said. “Don’t tell Jen this, but I thought she was crazy with that logo idea. But it totally works. It’s slightly more feminine, but not too much. I think it will appeal to anyone, but it’s still definitely our branding.”

  Jake chuckled. “I felt the same way, but yeah, she was right.”

  Jen had talked them into creating a logo for all of the wedding-related correspondence and website. It was their same Stag head, but it had a wreath of flowers around its neck. All three of them had been horrified when she’d brought it up, but she’d asked them just to let her have a graphic designer show them some samples, and crazy enough, she’d won them over.

  So now the website for the liquor was a background of wood paneling with a white Stag outline and name, and the wedding site was the same except the paneling was white wood with a flower-adorned beige Stag. The two looked really good together.

  “Who would have thought that someday we’d be discussing our wedding business website?” TJ said, chuckling.

  Jake agreed, just as his phone rang. It was Alex. He hadn’t spoken to her since their discussion at TJ’s. His heart skipped as he answered it.

  “Hello,” he said.

  “Hi, it’s me.”

  “What’s wrong?” He could tell by the sound of her voice that everything was not okay.

  “I’m sure it’s not a big deal, but I was bleeding a little bit.”

  “Shit.” He turned away from TJ, whose eyes were searching for answers. “That’s not good, right? What does it mean?”

  He felt sick to his stomach. The thought of anything happening to her, to this baby, gutted him.

  “It could be nothing, but I’m going to the doctor right now to check. I just thought you’d want to know.”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “Hell, Alex, of course I want to know. I want to go with you.”

  “Charlotte’s with me.”

  “Why?” he said into the phone. “Why would you call Charlotte and not me? I should be taking you to the doctor.” He’d missed her like crazy this week, but damn, her comments at the cookout had ripped him apart. Now she wouldn’t even let him be there for her.

  “I’m sorry, Jake. I guess…”

  He could hear Charlotte in the background telling Alex to tell him to meet them there.

  “Yes,” he said. “I’m meeting you there. Where do I go?” he asked, waving off TJ who had walked around into his line of sight and was trying to get his attention. He waved him off and turned in the other direction, only to look up and see Dean standing in the doorway of TJ’s office.

  Fuck.

  “What’s going on?” Dean asked.

  “Are you ready? I’ll tell you how to get here,” Alex said on the phone.

  Jake was silent, staring at his friend.

  “Jake, you there?” Alex asked through the phone.

  “Is that Alex?” Dean asked. “Why is Charlotte taking her to the doctor?”

  “Is that my brother?” Alex said quietly.

  Jake swallowed hard. “Yeah,” he replied.

  “Shit. Did he hear you?” Alex muttered.

  “Yes. I’m gonna have to let you go, Alex,” Jake said, looking at Dean, whose eyes narrowed at the sound of his sister’s name.

  “Jake, no. Wait,” she said frantically.

  “There’s no other option, Alex. Text me the address.”

  He disconnected, and immediately held up a hand. “Listen to me, Dean.”

  “What’s wrong with my sister? And why was she calling to tell you?” His voice was menacing.

  “Calm down, Dean,” TJ interjected. “Everything is okay.”

  “Is it?” Dean looked around Jake to TJ. “Because clearly everyone here knows something I don’t.”

  There was no other option than to spit it out. “Alex is pregnant,” Jake said.

  The expression on Dean’
s face didn’t change at first, and all the air in the room seemed to stand still. Finally, his brow furrowed.

  “Are you telling me, my sister is pregnant … because of you?”

  “Yes. That’s what I’m telling you.”

  Jake heard TJ move behind him, and then his best friend was standing beside him. “Dean, let’s stay cool here, man. They didn’t do anything wrong. Alex is an adult.”

  Dean gave TJ a stunned look. “And this guy is supposed to be my friend.” He looked back at Jake. “You promised me you’d take care of her. In what fucking universe does that mean knocking her up?” he said calmly. So calm it was chilling.

  TJ stepped forward, a hand out, even though Dean hadn’t moved. “Come on, Dean. You know Jake would never do Alex wrong.”

  “Do I? Because the Jake I know doesn’t do relationships. He just sleeps around.” He pointed at Jake. “You were not, under any circumstances, supposed to sleep with my sister. Two weeks. Two goddamn weeks and you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants.”

  “Fuck you, Dean,” Jake said, fuming inside. It was all he could do to keep his cool. His body hummed with fury at the situation, at himself, and with fear at the idea that Alex might be losing their baby as they spoke. “Alex is important to me too. And if you don’t know me better than that, then we don’t have anything else to discuss here.”

  His phone buzzed in his hand, hopefully with the doctor’s office address, so he pushed past his two friends and left the room. It wasn’t five seconds before he heard footsteps behind him. Turning hard, he put out a hand to stop Dean.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.

  Dean stopped short. “I’m going with you.”

  “Like hell you are. Alex is going to the doctor because she may be losing this baby. Our baby.” Jake didn’t miss the subtle look of pain that shadowed Dean’s eyes at the comment. “I will not allow you to march in there like a fucking barbarian and upset her. She’s mine to worry about now. Not yours.”

  With that, he turned and left. Dean didn’t follow.

  Twenty-Four

  Alex had filled out some paperwork, trying not to be sick the entire time, and then been shown to a room. She was seated on the exam table, pants off, with a paper cloth over her lap. It was cold in the room, and she kept trying to keep her teeth from rattling.

  “I can’t believe he hasn’t called either of us yet,” she said to Charlotte who was sitting in a chair.

  “I can’t either. Maybe Jake didn’t tell him,” Charlotte said. There was a clear hint of worry in her voice.

  “I don’t know how he couldn’t have. I heard Dean ask him in the background. Something happened. I feel it.”

  “It will be okay, Alex. I’ll handle Dean. The last thing you need is to be worrying.”

  “I can’t stop. My heart feels like something’s clamping down on it.” She touched her chest and tried to take several deep breaths, but the scent of astringent made her feel like gagging every time she inhaled. “This sucks,” she whined.

  “It’s just anxiety. Keep taking slow deep breaths,” Charlotte said soothingly. Just then, her phone rang.

  “Oh shit,” Alex said. “Who is it?”

  “It’s him,” Charlotte said. “I’m gonna go in the hall.”

  Alex nodded. “Tell him I love him. Please. And hurry back.”

  Charlotte gave her a warm smile, then ducked out of the room. Alex blew out a shaky breath. She swung a leg up, realizing her red toenail polish looked like shit. And why the hell was she worried about such nonsense right now? She could have a dead fetus inside of her.

  Please, no. Please be okay.

  A knock at the door sounded and she sat up straight. A middle-aged woman in pale blue scrubs and a low, slightly messy ponytail walked in. Her smile was warm and her voice calming. “Good afternoon. I’m Dr. Mendoza.”

  Alex shook her hand and introduced herself. “My sister-in-law Charlotte is in the hall. I was hoping she could be in here.”

  The doctor peeked outside quickly. “I don’t see her.”

  Alex let out a breath, shoulders sagging. “Okay, that’s fine. I’m sure she’ll be back.”

  The doctor sat down on a stool and they discussed the same things she’d gone over with the nurse—last period, symptoms, and her food-poisoning episode.

  “That’s horrible,” Dr. Mendoza said. “But the good news is, I don’t think it will have any negative effect on your pregnancy.” She stood up. “If you could lie back, we’re gonna go ahead and take a look inside.”

  There was a knock at the door, and Alex was relieved to know Charlotte was coming back. Instead it was a nurse. She peeked her head in. “I have a … Jake, out here? Can he come in?”

  Alex’s heart bloomed in her chest. “Yes. He can come in.”

  The nurse nodded and stepped back, and then Alex saw him. His eyes immediately finding hers, his expression hard and scared. She could tell.

  “Are you the father?” Dr. Mendoza asked casually as the door closed behind him.

  Jake cleared his throat. “Yes. I am.”

  “Come on over. We’re just about to see what’s going on in here. You can see best if you stand right up by her head.” She tapped Alex’s leg. “Let’s get one foot in each stirrup.”

  Alex maneuvered her legs and, without thought, reached out and grabbed Jake’s hand. He took it, squeezing a little too hard for a second. She stared up at him as the doctor arranged her sheet and then began typing onto a machine with a black screen.

  Jake ran a hand over her forehead. “How are you?” he asked quietly.

  “Nervous.”

  His lips quirked. “No matter what, it’s gonna be okay.”

  She nodded. “How’s my brother?”

  Jake sighed. “Hating me.”

  “Oh no. He’ll get over it.”

  “I think so too. But don’t worry about that. You’re all that matters.”

  “Okay,” Dr. Mendoza said, kindly pretending she wasn’t listening to their conversation as she held up a massive wand. Jake squeezed Alex’s hand again and she heard him swallow. “I’m just going to insert this inside—it shouldn’t really hurt, but might be uncomfortable. If you feel any pain, speak up.”

  Alex nodded. She squeezed Jake back as the wand slid inside. It didn’t hurt, but she could certainly feel it.

  “Okay?” Jake asked, looking down at her.

  She could only nod.

  “This should only take a minute.” Dr. Mendoza began to move the wand around, taking some measurements of a round space with her free hand on the mouse. “I’m measuring your gestational sack.”

  She moved the wand again, everything on the screen changed, and then they saw a tiny gray blob in the gestational sack. Clicking the mouse again, Dr. Mendoza took more measurements. “And this is the yolk sack.”

  Alex couldn’t take her eyes from the screen although part of her wanted to look up at Jake. She could hear his breath. His hand still gripping hers, the paper sheet crinkling every time he tightened it.

  “And this little part here,” Dr. Mendoza said, “is your baby.”

  The paper crinkled again, their hands holding so tight she thought they’d lose circulation.

  “Is it okay?” Jake asked.

  “See this little flipper right here?” Dr. Mendoza touched her cursor near the gray blob. There was what appeared to be a tiny valve flapping back and forth, almost like on a pinball machine.

  “Yes,” Alex said.

  “That’s its heart beating. Everything looks just as it should.”

  Alex let out a wispy laugh, and then her eyes closed as she sucked in a shaky breath. She felt the warmth of Jake’s mouth as he kissed her forehead. He stayed there for several seconds, and she reached up with her left hand, resting it on the back of his head.

  The sound of the doctor cleaning up had them pulling apart. Alex cleared her throat and awkwardly sat up. “Why was I bleeding then?”

  “A little spot
ting is usually no reason for alarm. If it doesn’t stop or you’re cramping, then definitely call.”

  Alex nodded. “Okay.”

  “Otherwise, I’d like to see you back here in about three or four weeks. Maybe then we can hear the heartbeat.”

  Jake reached up and wiped at a tear on her temple. “Thank you so much,” he said to the doctor.

  “Of course. And Adrianne will be back in with a little bag of goodies for you. Samples, coupons for maternity clothes, and a book you may find helpful. It will answer some of your questions.”

  “Thank you.”

  When they were alone, she turned to Jake and whispered. “Maternity clothes?”

  He grinned, putting a hand on each side of her face. “I can’t wait to see you in maternity clothes. It will be sexy as hell.”

  Her eyes flew open. “You’re crazy.”

  His lips touched hers and she went still. He kissed her again and then whispered against her mouth. “Kiss me, Alex.”

  She did, allowing him to part her lips and take it deeper. Reaching up she touched his face as they angled the other way. He felt and tasted so good, she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed this.

  When he finally looked at her, there was a crease between his brows. “This is happening, Alex. We’re having a baby, and I don’t want you to pull away from me again. Please.”

  “Aren’t you scared?”

  “Terrified. But you know, you know, you can trust me. I’ve been your person for the past year.” He reached between them and touched her stomach. “And now this is mine. Ours. Don’t stop needing me now.”

  “I’ve needed you so bad, Jake. But I’m so afraid,” she said, tears beginning to fall. “I’d come so far. Made such good progress.”

  He pulled back and looked at her fiercely. “Listen to me. This has nothing to do with what you’ve been through before. This is now. This is us. You and me. Don’t tell me this is a step backward, Alex.”

  She sighed deeply, trying not to panic.

  “I know you, and right now you’re telling yourself that if you don’t take that job, you’ve failed. And that’s bullshit. We’ll get through this and we’ll figure it out. Whatever you want after that, I’ll do everything in my power to give it to you. Just give me until this baby is born, and then we’ll decide what to do.”