Page 84 of It's Always Us

Her chest rises and falls quickly, having shoved it all out.

“Shit, Lex. That’s a lot.”

She puts her hands over her face and falls back on the bed. She sniffs, and I lie down next to her, slipping my arm over her and moving close.

I tuck a strand of her long hair behind her ear. “When the technician kept rolling her magic wand and not saying a damn word, I don’t think I’ve ever been more scared in my entire life. She should be fired for that long period of silence.” Lex fists my shirt and buries her head into my chest. “We can’t control everything. All we can do is love and protect them as best as we can.”

“Mark, we’re having two babies.” She tips her head back. Her eyes crease with tears, and her lips turn up into the sweetest smile. “We made two babies.”

“When you showed up, and I saw you were pregnant, I thought it was the best day of my life. Baby, today, it doesn’t get any better than this.” I slide my hand into her hair. “You have no idea how much I don’t want to leave right now.”

She snuggles into my neck. “I don’t want you to go.”

“Come with me. I’ll go to my meeting, show you the city, and then we’ll head back to Phoenix. Next weekend, we’ll go to Charlotte for the awards and the game and celebrate with my family.”

She rolls back, her eyes searching mine as if she’s thinking about it. “I can’t go with you, at least not tonight. I need to talk to my mom and find out what Grandpa will allow me to do. I have to . . . deal with some stuff.” It sucks, but I understand her need to stay. “Maybe . . . I can meet you in Charlotte?”

I smile. “How about I pick you up on the way?” She rolls back into me, sliding her arms around my back, and we lay there for the last bit before she has to take me to the airport.

Our drive to the airport is filled with silence and so many unanswered questions. Her comments about where all the baby stuff will go at Cal’s eat at me, but I have no idea where my home will be and no permanent place to offer her.

The late afternoon sun beams down, warming the cold Midwest air as she pulls her truck into a parking spot and climbs out. She comes around to my side, and I scoop her up.

“You said you trusted me.” I press my lips to her cheek and leave them there. “Lex, I need you to trust me. I have to do this, but baby, I’m not leaving you.” I release her, and her eyes are everywhere but on me. “Look at me.” I hold her face in my hands. “I know I keep saying we’ll figure this all out, and we will. I have to know where I’m going, but I want you and our babies with me wherever that is. I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.”

She doesn’t respond but only hugs me tight, and I can’t allow myself to think it means anything other than it’s what she wants, too.

“I’ll call you tonight. Ok?”

She pulls away just enough to push up and press her lips to mine. I hold her, making sure it doesn’t feel like goodbye, but I’ll be back. Because I will. I’ll see her in a week, but once I get my job sorted out, I’m coming to get her and my babies for good.

Chapter 26

LEX

Why didn’t I reschedule?

I want to go home, take a long hot shower, and crawl into bed, needing it to still smell like him. But no, I’ll just pile a little more onto today.

When Mark told me he had to leave, it was like getting hit with a truckload full of disappointment. I understand why this is important, and he has to hear what they are offering, but I just got him back. For these past few days, we were a team, but here we are apart again.

I pull up in front of my mom’s townhouse, reliving seeing my babies on the screen and hearing their heartbeats.Twins. I’m having twins.I keep saying it, trying to get it to stick. I saw them. Both of them. Their little hearts squishing in and out and in and out, but I can’t get myself to believe it. Mark and I are having twins.

I run my hand over my stomach. I really wanted Mark here for this. I wanted my mom to see that I have a partner and I’m not as totally and completely inept as she thinks. But he’s not here. I’m pregnant and alone, and that’s all the ammunition she’ll need.

I could have rescheduled and tried to wait until Mark could be here, but I have no idea when that might be. At the rate these babies are stretching my midsection, hiding them is pretty much over. So, here I go, needing my steel-toed boots to guard my insecurities and pride.

I hike up my unzipped jeans, fix my sweatshirt around me, and prepare myself to shock the hell out of my mom. Maybe she’ll be so stunned she won’t add her lists of worries and concerns to mine.

I open the side door into the kitchen but stop dead in my tracks. My mom is at the stove stirring a pot with a man wrapped around her.

Oh, for real.I want to retreat and never return to whatever is happening here.

I inch the door closed, but the damn thing squeaks. My face scrunches painfully tight as my mom and her new man turn.

“Oh honey, there you are. I was getting ready to call you.” My mom prances across the room and pulls me into a hug. “Bob and I were . . . ” She blushes, and my stomach revolts at the sight.

“Alex, this is Bob, my boyfriend.”

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