Page 183 of Always Us

I sit back and look at her. “I love you. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.”

“Holy shit. We’re having a baby!”

Jade laughs and I hug her again. Then I take her for lunch, then a movie, then out for a nice dinner, followed by a romantic sunset cruise on a sailboat. Jade still loves sailboats.

Later, when we’re in bed, Jade thanks me for giving her a great birthday. But the fancy dinner and sunset cruise were nothing compared to the news we got today.

It’s Jade’s birthday, but we both got a gift. A gift that will make our life together even better.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Another Birthday

JADE

“Garret, you cannot be in the room with me,” I tell him as I waddle through the kitchen. That’s right. Waddle. I no longer walk. In fact, I haven’t for months. I miss walking. I can’t wait to walk again.

“Jade, every father is in the delivery room. It’s normal.”

“Not in the old days. Fifty years ago, men sat in the waiting room, smoking cigars. That’s what you should do. Get some cigars.”

I’m slowly pacing the floor. I’m nervous because I might give birth today and I’m scared to death. I woke up at six this morning, worrying about it. I got out of bed, because even just lying in bed is uncomfortable now.

“I don’t smoke cigars, and even if I did, you can’t smoke in a hospital. And I’m not sitting in the waiting room. I want to be with you.”

“Garret, we’ve been over this a thousand times. I don’t want you in there.”

“Jade, I swear. I will stay by your head. I won’t even look.”

This is why I don’t want Garret in the delivery room. I went to the birthing classes. I saw the films. And I don’t want Garret seeing any of that stuff. I don’t want him down there when the baby comes out. No way. Other women may be fine with it, but not me.

I sigh, because I can’t sit down. I’m so big in front, I feel like I’m going to tip over trying to sit in my favorite chair. It’s in a little area that’s connected to the kitchen and looks out at the ocean. I always sit here in the mornings before I start my day.

“Here.” Garret helps me into the chair.

“I can’t believe how huge I am,” I say, looking down at my belly.

He leans down and kisses me. “You’re beautiful.”

“I’m huge.”

“You’re not huge. From the back, people don’t even know you’re pregnant.”

It’s true. The rest of me looks normal but my stomach is huge. Like I swallowed a giant beach ball. And all that weight in front throws me completely off balance.

“How can a tiny baby take up so much space?” I ask.

Garret sits on the arm of the chair. “Maybe it’s not a tiny baby. Maybe it’s a big baby.”

“Garret! Don’t say that! I’m already freaking out about getting it out of me.”

He reaches down and holds my hand. “Don’t worry about it. You’re gonna do great.” He smiles. “Especially since I’ll be there coaching you through it.”

I smile back. “Fine. You can be in the room. But if you glance down there even once, I swear I’ll—”

He kisses me before I can say it. “You know what?”

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