“You’re not selfish at all, Isabella. And you can say anything at all to me. What is it?”
“I thought we’d have a few years alone first. To build our house, and our life, and get to know each other better. And now we won’t have that, and it makes me sad.”
“That doesn’t sound selfish at all. Not to me.”
I kiss his cheek and wipe a tear from my face.
“It’s taken us both by surprise, and that’s the truth of it, love. But children are blessings, no matter when they decide to make their grand entrance. We still have time to do all of the things you mentioned. And once the baby is here, we’ll continue to do those things with him in tow.”
“What if it’s a her?”
He grins and kisses my head. “With her in tow, then.”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I know you’re right. I know that everything is going to work out, and we’ll find our footing. It’s just a little scary.”
“Of course, it is.”
“Is it scary for you, too?”
“I’m scared out of my mind, truth be told.”
“You’re so calm.”
“There’s no need to freak out. Because, like you said, we’ll find our footing. We have a lot of people around to help. There’s a lot of love to go around, you know?”
“I know, and it makes me so happy. Your family has made me feel welcome from the first day I got here. I love them all so much.”
“And they love you. My parents are going to jump for joy when we tell them.”
“Can you do me a favor?” I ask.
“Anything.”
“Can we wait to tell everyone else? Just for a little while. Most couples wait until they’re about twelve weeks along, just to be sure that everything’s okay.”
“That’s another month, Izzy.”
“I know. And I probably won’t need that long. I just have to wrap my head around everything. Give me just a couple of weeks?”
“I can do that.” He kisses my head again and then tips my chin up to cover my lips with his. “I love you so much, Isabella.”
“I love you, too.” I feel my lip quiver as he drags his fingertips down my cheek. “Thank you for not assuming this is an anchor baby.”
“What does that mean, exactly?”
“You know, when a girl gets pregnant on purpose, so the guy has to stay with her. Or so she thinks.”
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
“I know, it’s dumb. And I wouldn’t do that.”
“Of course, you wouldn’t. I think I need to remind you that loving someone means you assume the best of them, not the worst. I wouldn’t jump to horrible conclusions when something unexpected happens in our lives. And I would hope you wouldn’t, either.”
“The people I’ve had in my life before would, Keegan. And it’s sometimes hard to rewire the way you think. But I’m working on it. And I’m grateful for you and your steady calm. I’m sorry that you thought I wasn’t happy about this.”
“I wondered if you wanted to end the pregnancy.”
I turn wide eyes up to him. “No, I don’t want to do that. I don’t need to do that. I just need some time to get used to the idea, that’s all.”
“Like I said, we have time. She’s not coming next week.”
“What if it’s a he?”
He laughs and hugs me to him. “You’re funny, you know that? He’s not coming next week. Nothing is happening right away.”
“And that’s good because I don’t have the energy to handle anything else right now. I’m tired all the time and can’t stop throwing up.”
“Do you need the night off? You can get some rest, and I’ll call Maeve into work. Her hand is all healed up. She’s right as rain.”
“No, I can work. Besides, it’s a Wednesday, it won’t be too busy. The weekends are hard because I work late into the night the rest of the week, but when I go to the other job, it’s super early in the morning. My internal clock is confused.”
“I bet. From now on, you won’t work Thursday nights so you have that and Friday to go to bed earlier.”
“That’ll help,” I concede. “I can work earlier in the day, just a short shift for the lunch crowd so Maggie isn’t there for so long.”
“That should work.” He nuzzles my temple. “Are we okay, then?”
“Yeah, we’re good. I feel better after talking it all through. Everything’s going to work out just fine.”
“It’s going to be bloody brilliant,” he replies. “Now, let’s get home so you can get a nap before work, yeah?”
“You read my mind. I also want chocolate chip cookies.”
“That’s all you’ve eaten over the past few days.”
“I know, it’s the only thing that sounds good, and the only thing that doesn’t come right back up again. I tried eating your mom’s stew last night because it’s always my favorite, but I couldn’t stomach it.”
“Well, then chocolate chip cookies it is for now. As long as you’re eating something. And we’ll pick up some vitamins for you.”
“And chocolate milk.”
He looks down at me in surprise. “The baby wants chocolate milk.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Then the wee one will have it.”
Chapter 17
~Izzy~
I’m just so tired. I could sleep standing up. Or anywhere, really. It’s been a week since I saw the doctor, and the symptoms are no better. I’m exhausted, can’t keep much down, and holy shit, do my boobs hurt.
But I’m starting to get a little more excited. I downloaded the book What to Expect When You’re Expecting onto my iPad the other night and started reading it. And in the morning, after I woke up, I lay in bed for a bit to look at baby room ideas.
Now that I know that Keegan isn’t only okay with the idea but also excited, I’m getting used to it all.
I still don’t want to say anything to anyone else for a little while, just to make sure nothing horrible happens.
It’s Friday afternoon, and I’m covering the lunch crowd at the pub so I can go upstairs early and get some sleep before I have to make the trip into Seattle to report the weather in the morning. The schedule is brutal, but I love the job so much that I don’t mind.
“It’s slow today,” I say as I set my empty tray on the bar and boost my ass into a stool.
“That it is,” Keegan says as he washes a beer glass. “Take a second to get off your feet, why don’t you?”
“Already doing it.”
When it’s just Keegan and me in the pub like this, I don’t have to work so hard to pretend that everything’s normal. Not that I’m a whiner, I just take more little breaks to sit and breathe, usually working my way through a wave of nausea.
But right now, it’s just exhaustion.
I rest my head on my arm and close my eyes for a moment. I can hear everything around me, but I’m in a nice, drifty place.
“Go up and go to bed,” Keegan says softly. “I can handle the bar until Maggie gets here in just a little while.”
“No, I’m fine.” I sit up and prop my chin on my hand. “I’m sorry, this is incredibly unprofessional. Please don’t fire me.”
He grins at me, and I can’t help but smile back. This man’s smile is everything. He can boost me up with just a wink, a simple look.
Is it any wonder that I fell in love with him?
“Okay, back to work.” I hop off the stool, but a wave of nausea hits me so fast and hard that I have to make a run for the bathroom.
When is this going to stop? I ask myself as I stand at the sink and rinse my mouth out. I’ve lost five pounds in the past week.
This can’t be healthy. I’m going to have to call the doctor for the meds she mentioned at our appointment. I thought I could stick it out, but something has to give here.
Just as I open the door to step out into the bar area, Maggie appears and gently pushes me back into the bathroom.
“What are you doing here early?” I ask her.
“I came to see Ma for a minute before my shift starts. But we don’t want to talk about me. You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
“How did—? No. Of course, not. I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mary Margaret.”
“Don’t you Mary Margaret me, Isabella. I’m not blind or stupid. You look exhausted all the time, and this isn’t the first time I’ve seen you make a run for the bathroom. Either you have an eating disorder, which I highly doubt, or you have a bun in the oven.”
I sigh and lean against the wall. I cross my arms over my chest and feel the soreness in my boobs.
Maybe I do need to talk to someone besides Keegan about this. A woman.
A friend.
“First of all, you can’t tell a soul.”
“I knew it.” She does a little happy dance right in the middle of the restroom. “I knew it.”
“I’m serious. We aren’t telling anyone for a little bit to make sure that everything goes right, and the baby’s healthy. It’s still super early.”
“I can totally keep a secret,” she says, but I know better.
“If you tell anyone, you won’t be my favorite anymore.”
The smile leaves her face. “Well, that’s just mean.”
“I’m not joking.”
“But you are pregnant.”
“Or I’ve had the flu for several weeks.” I grin. “We went to the doctor. We saw the heartbeat and everything.”
“Oh my God, this is so exciting! Another little baby to love on. I’m so excited for you, Izzy. Keegan must be over the moon. Wait, is he the one who doesn’t want to say anything? Because now that I think about it, I don’t know that kids were ever on his radar.”
“No, it’s me. Keegan’s really excited.”
“You’re so good for my brother,” she says, and the words instantly bring tears of joy to my eyes. “I’ve seen so much of him come alive since you came into his life, Izzy. He’s happier. So, thanks for that.”
“Well, it’s mutual. I love him very much.”
Maggie squeals and wraps her arms around me in a big hug. “Do you need anything?”
“I need to stop throwing up.”
“Crackers,” she says. “Stasia was this way. You need crackers, and maybe some chicken broth. And you should suck on hard ginger candies. Ginger is good for nausea. We have ginger ale at the bar, we’ll get you set up.”
“If I’d known I would get so much good advice, I would have said something earlier. Keegan knows nothing about this stuff. And neither do I. I’ve never really been around a pregnant woman.”
“Don’t worry, we know what to do.”
I’ve been sucking on ginger candies and eating crackers for twenty-four hours, and I already feel better. Maybe it was a mistake to not say anything to at least the other girls. I didn’t consider that they’d have so much good advice for me.
“Great job this morning, Izzy,” my boss, Roger, says as he approaches my desk. “I have to say, you’ve exceeded our expectations these past few weeks. Congratulations.”
I sit back in my chair and smile at the man I’ve come to respect since I started working for the news program. “Thank you. I’m so happy to hear that you’re pleased with my work.”
“We are. Listen, you just reported about the ice storm that’s likely to hit Portland tomorrow afternoon.”
“That’s right. If the models are correct, and they usually are, it should rain heavily all morning, and then start to freeze in the early afternoon. It’s one of those odd storms that rolls in during the fall sometimes.”
“I’m sending you down to cover it remotely for the evening news.”
I sit back and stare at the man. This is amazing. “Really?”
“Yes. Really. You’ll be on location, reporting back live to the anchors in the studio for the five o’clock and six o’clock news.”
“Okay.” I tap my chin, thinking of everything I have to get ready.
“Is there a problem?”
“Not at all. I’m making a mental list of everything I have to do. When will we leave? Will we be gone overnight?”
“I would plan for that in case the weather is so bad that you get stuck there. You’ll be just a team of two, you and Phil, who will drive and man the camera. He’s a veteran at this. Been here for twenty years.”
“I met Phil, he’s very nice. Okay, so what time will we leave?”
“Eleven in the morning to make sure you get there safely before the ice hits.”
I nod, and Roger walks away.
This whole job is my dream, but this part, going on location and reporting the weather as it happens, is something I’ve always wanted to do.
I don’t care if it’s in the middle of a blizzard, a hurricane, or an ice storm, it sounds like a lot of fun to me.
And now I’m being given the opportunity to do it. I take a deep breath and start to shut down my laptop so I can make my way home and give Keegan the good news. He’ll have to give me tomorrow night off from the pub, but that shouldn’t be a problem.
Because it’s the middle of the morning on a Saturday, the traffic isn’t too bad, and the ferry makes good time across the Sound to our little island. The pub isn’t far from the dock, and I’m all smiles when I walk into the apartment.
Keegan is just pouring a cup of coffee.
I don’t say anything at all, just hurry over to him, grip his shirt in my fist, and pull him down for a long, passionate kiss.
“Someone feels better,” he murmurs when I pull back.
“I do feel better today. Maggie figured it out, the pregnancy, and she suggested ginger and crackers. It’s helped a lot.”
“She didn’t even say anything to me.”
“I threatened that she wouldn’t be my favorite anymore if she blabbed.” I laugh at the stunned look on his face. “Seems it worked.”
“I wish I’d known that’s all it took all these years. But I thought I was your favorite.”
“We won’t tell her.” I wink and then do a little happy dance. “I have good news.”
“Tell me everything. You were brilliant this morning, by the way. That blue pantsuit is gorgeous on you.”
“Thanks, I found it at the Rack for forty dollars. Anyway, I’m going to need tomorrow night off here at the pub because my boss is sending me down to Portland to report on location. Isn’t that amazing?”
“Based on how excited you are right now, I’m going to say, yes. It’s amazing.”
“I’ve always wanted to report from the field as the weather happens. Always, Keegan. And they’re sending me. Roger said I’m doing a good job.”
“Of course, he did. I have eyes in my head, don’t I? Even I can see that you’re fantastic at what you do. And I’m so proud of you. But I also want to make sure you’re safe, so give me the details.”
I smile up at him, expecting nothing less.
“A very nice man named Phil will be driving us down in the storm chaser van. The storm chaser van, Keegan. Isn’t that cool?”
He laughs and nods, and I keep going.
“Anyway, he’s been doing the job for more than twenty years. I’ve met him, and he’s very nice. He’ll also be manning the camera. So it’ll just be the two of us. We leave late in the morning tomorrow, and I have to plan to stay in Portland for the night, depending on the weather, of course.”
“That makes sense.”
“I’m going to be reporting live for the evening news. The evening news.”
“I’ll have every TV in the pub tuned in and be sure to hush everyone so we can listen.”
I walk into his arms and hug him tightly and then let my hands roam down his back to his ass, currently covered by only basketball shorts.
“Can I entice you back to bed for a while?” I ask as he sets his mug aside and lowers his lips to mine.
“No enticing needed, love.” His hands immediately get to work on my clothes, leaving a trail of a
pparel from the kitchen to the bedroom. I push his shorts over his hips and take his heavy length in my hand.
I’ve been too sick to make love with him over the past couple of weeks.
But today, I feel great.
And I’ve missed him.
“I want to attack you,” I confess as my hands wander over his nakedness. “But I also want to take it kind of slow because it’s been a minute and I…”
“You what, Isabella?”
I bite my lip and drag my fingertips up to his shoulders. “I missed you.”
“Ah, baby.” The kiss is gentle as he leads me back onto the bed. He covers me, buries his hands in my hair and takes his time kissing me thoroughly. Those magical lips tease me. His tongue excites me.
And when his mouth wanders away from mine to make its way down my neck, over my collarbone, and to my breast, I sigh in relief.
“Are they tender?” he asks.
“A little.” Okay, a lot, but right now, everything he does feels amazing.
He’s careful as he kisses and licks a nipple, then pays the same attention to the other side.
He presses wet kisses down my torso to my still-mostly-flat belly and nuzzles it with his nose as if to say “hello” to the sleeping baby inside.
It’s incredibly sweet and sexy at the same time.
The apartment is quiet but for our sighs of pleasure, and our moans of delight as we tumble across the bed.
Chapter 18
~Keegan~
I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of this woman. Just when I think I know everything, when I’ve felt everything there is to feel, she surprises me.
Her leg climbs higher around my hip as she opens herself in invitation.
She doesn’t have to ask twice. Not today or any other day.
I link my fingers with hers and slowly slide inside. Christ, she fits me like a fucking glove.
“You’re incredible,” I whisper against her lips. “Gorgeous. Sassy.”
Escape With Me Page 16
