Page 107 of When I Had You

I need all the pregnancy tests you can buy.

Poppy:

On it.

No questions asked. Dropping everything to be here for me. And that is why she’s my best friend.

I get a glass of cold water and down it. This is not what I expected to bond me to Terpidy, but oh my God!

I refill the glass and set it on the counter. With my hands resting forward, I watch how happy Cash is with his son and hear Cullen’s giggles even with the doors closed. He’s such a great father.

Stop, Marina.

I’m not pregnant.

I’m just in love. Happiness of this depth and width can’t be contained. That’s why everything feels big in life.

Critics raved about the play, and we’re sold out every night. My family adores Cash, and my brothers have learned to separate the man from the driver, especially at family get-togethers.

And though he’s on the road a lot, he’s in constant contact. I don’t just hear I love you. He shows me every day. The sex is also spectacular. The things he can do . . . he’s a dream come true.

Life is so good.

I couldn’t ask for more.

* * *

Nine months later . . .

“Delta, Port, Loch, Harbor, Noah, Marina.” Cash shakes his head. “But why?”

I shrug, looking up at him. “Guess my parents figured they were onto something, so they continued with their own tradition.”

“But Noah isn’t the name of a body of water.”

“Shh.” I hold my finger up to my lips so Noah doesn’t hear us. He’s only a few steps ahead as we make our way backstage to meet the band Faris Wheel who just performed. “He’ll hear you. He’s a little sensitive about being left out. The Noah’s Arc connection is a stretch of the imagination, but it fits, just like Noah fits who he is.”

With his arm around my back, his hand holds my waist. I’m pressed against his side, making it hard to maneuver through the throngs of people celebrating after the race. Concerts and fireworks—they do it up big in Texas. He asks, “Is this a tradition you want to continue?”

I shouldn’t be sad, but a part of me is that I wasn’t pregnant. Just happy. Go figure why that would be disappointing. Maybe I’m ready for that next step. We talk casually, but what if we started planning? “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” I reply, snaking my arm around him and loving the way he holds me like I’m precious.

Chuckling, he says, “I get it. Bridge over water. The names.”

It wasn’t even a pun I intended, but I’ll take the credit and laugh.

Poppy turns back and asks, “How do I look?”

I glance at her with her blond hair looking freshly brushed, her lips glossy, and makeup not running down her face like mine did. “Beautiful like always.”

“For real, Marina. I’ve been sweating at this track all day. It’s like a hundred and ten.” She leans against me. “Do I smell?”

“I have this guy making me sweat. I don’t need you getting on my other side. You do not stink, Pops. Actually, can I borrow your perfume? Smells good.” She hands me a rollerball tube, and I run it over my neck and chest, then dab it on my wrist. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Keeping up with us, she asks, “What are we doing after this? Going out?”

“What do you think, Cash? Hotel or out afterward?”

All it takes is a look for me to know his answer. “Sorry, Pops.”

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