Page 59 of Unexpected Ever After

He patted her leg in comfort before leaving the room.

I stood up and started pacing the floor. I didn’t want to wrap my head around her being with someone else, let alone carrying another man’s baby.

“It’s yours,” she whispered so low I could barely register what she’d spoken.

“What did you say?” I asked a little more harshly than I intended and walked over to the side of her bed, sitting in the chair I’d abandoned.

“The baby. It’s yours.”

Well, fuck me. What the hell are the odds?

“That’s kinda what got us in this predicament in the first place, don’t you think?” she said with a laugh.

“Huh?”

“You said ‘well, fuck me.’ That’s how we got into this predicament.”

How could she joke at a time like this?

“I didn’t realize I’d said that aloud. Not to sound like the biggest dick in the world, but how do you know it’s mine?”

I hated that I’d even have to ask. But we used condoms every time. I knew they weren’t one hundred percent effective, but still. She didn’t look like the type to sleep around. She’d told me she’d never had a one-night stand prior to our weekend together, and I’d believed her.

“You’re the last person I slept with. There wasn’t anyone prior to you for a very long time,” she confessed and looked away from me.

I wanted to ask so many more questions, but my brain could only focus on the fact that she was pregnant. With my baby.

“How do you feel about this?” I asked as I leaned forward and placed her hand within my own. I couldn’t refrain from touching her any longer. I needed to comfort her. Be there for her while she processed this life-altering news.

“I’m shocked. I wanted kids someday. Just not this soon. Especially with the launch of the new studio. I’m going to have a lot to figure out before he or she is born, that’s for sure. What are you thinking?” she asked as she looked up at me. I could see the fear that lingered in the depths of her eyes. She was scared to become a parent, and she had no idea the type of person I was deep down. I knew she had to be thinking about if I’d stick around or run for the hills. I could assure her right here and now that I’d never run from our child or her, for that matter.

“What you’re asking is a long answer that I’m not sure you’re ready to hear,” I confessed.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m thinking lots of things right now about us. About our time together. How this little one was created. I want you to know, I’m not going anywhere. We’re going to do this together. We’ll figure out the rest as we go along. But I’m going to be here for you and this baby from here on out.”

“I don’t know what to say. This whole situation is overwhelming,” she stated as she wiped away the tears that now flowed down her cheeks.

“Don’t cry, dream girl. Everything is going to be okay,” I tried to reassure her as I gently caressed the back of her hand with my fingers.

Just as she was about to respond, the ultrasound technician walked into the room.

“Good evening, Ms. Thompson. Oh hey, Rhett. You’re sure going above and beyond today by staying with the patient,” Audrey said. Everyone around here knew me being a small town and all, but she was the first one to call me out on staying with Alora.

“Yeah, I wanted to make sure she was okay since she’s new in town,” I responded with a smile as I squeezed Alora’s hand. I wasn’t sure if she’d take too kindly to people knowing our situation. Especially since everyone in this small town loved to gossip. Everything inside of me was screaming to claim her as mine, but I’d bide my time for just a little while until Alora and I had time to have our next talk in private.

“Let’s see your little one, shall we? Raise up your shirt for me,” Aubrey told Alora as she situated the ultrasound machine on the other side of the bed.

Once Alora lifted her shirt, Aubrey drizzled some gel onto Alora’s stomach.

“Sorry, I know it’s a little cold,” Aubrey said as she pressed the wand to Alora’s stomach.

Please let everything be okay.

I said a silent prayer to myself as I saw the image come across the screen.

I drew in a breath at the sight of our baby.

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