Page 98 of Selfless

They seem a little nervous, but after a long second, Becca reaches down and pulls off the pink blanket.

“SURPRISE!” Ryder and I both say.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Jaycent says and then cracks up laughing.

“I don’t understand.” Becca looks back and forth between Ryder and Jaycent.

Jaycent leans down and opens the cage and then picks up the floppy eared bunny. “It’s Nibbles!” I say.

“She’s alive and well, and she’s all yours,” Ryder says, nodding his head at them, having way too much fun.

I laugh. “I gotta say, Jaycent, you put on a good show even though I was mad at the time.”

They didn’t stay long after that, leaving us alone in our apartment. We stand in the entryway after telling them bye, and I step to him. He places his arms around me and leans his head against my forehead, and I let out a long sigh. “We’re having a baby.” It’s the first time I’ve said it out loud to him and not panicked.

“How do you feel about that?”

My heart pounds against his chest, and I know he can feel it. “Terrified,” I admit.

“Don’t be,” he whispers. “I’m going to take care of you both.”

I let out a shaky breath. “You’re too good to me.”

“I love you,” he says, pressing his lips to mine.

**

“Shit!” I curse while I stand in the closet trying to find something to wear. Ryder’s side looks well put together. He has his button ups hung in order by color. His jackets and slacks are mainly gray and black, also done by color.

My side looks like a disaster. I even have clothes on the floor. I decide on a black and white dress. Can’t go wrong with black and white.

I hurry to dress and try to flat iron my curly hair, but it’s no use. So instead of wearing it down, I put it up in a tight bun. Being pregnant has already changed my schedule, halting my life for about thirty minutes this morning while I hovered around the toilet. Ryder tried to help me out, but I ended up yelling at him to get the hell out and just go to work. Having the man you love watch you vomit isn’t how you want him to see you first thing in the morning.

So I got a late start.

I just step out the front door of the Q’s and see Milton opening the back door for me when my phone rings. “Hey, babe,” I say, sliding in.

“Hey,” he says softly.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, knowing his tone is off.

He lets out a long sigh. “I’ve been thinking.”

Panic rises. Has he changed his mind about the baby? “And?”

“You don’t have to work.”

I let out a breath. “Ryder—”

“Just hear me out,” he interrupts me. “I don’t want you to work.”

My brows rise. “Are you saying I can’t work?”

“No. That’s not what I mean.” He sighs. “I just …”

“Ryder, I want a career.”

He’s silent for a moment. “I know, it’s just …” His work phone rings in the background, and he tells me he’ll call me back.

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