Page 31 of Won’t Let You Get Away

She looks effortlessly beautiful.

Bri turns back to me, still nibbling on her bottom lip, making me shift on my feet and remind myself that I’m only here to lend a hand and then leave.

“If you’re not too busy…” She trails off, and I take a step closer before she can change her mind.

“Where do you want them?” I ask, lifting the box with a grunt. “Shit, what are these? Bricks?”

“Close enough,” she laughs. “It’s last year’s payroll and income for the winery.”

“And they didn’t have a digital version?” I ask, raising a brow toward the box.

“Thank you!” Bri exclaims, throwing her hands in the air with a dramatic sigh. “That’s exactly what I asked. But that would require them to actually have any sort of online system.”

She presses her fingers to her temples.

“So you’re…” I pause, not wanting to intrude but very curious about what she’s doing.

“For starters, uploading all of this into an easily accessible database. Then searching for a decent payroll company so we can get that all brought up topropermethods of employment.”

I nod, fixing my hold on the box. Bri notices and points to my right.

“You can set it next to that one, in front of the swing.”

I carry it over and head inside to grab the next one. Bri follows me in, snatching up her laptop and a binder from the island to bring with her to the porch.

Neither of us speak as I head back inside for the final box. There are a million different things I want to say to her. I’m torn between asking why she never called, asking why she ran from me the other night, and simply asking how she’s doing.

By the time I’m stepping out the door with the final box, I still haven’t figured out what I want to say.

Sighing, I move to set the box next to the others when Bri breaks the silence.

“I’m pregnant.”

Her words catch me so off guard that I don’t even notice the box slipping from my hands and onto my foot.

SABRINA

Shit. I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. My plan was to make some small talk or maybe discuss why he abruptly left during Christmas.

But when I opened my mouth, the words just tumbled out.

The box Noah was holding falls from his hands and onto his foot, its contents scattering around him. Yet he doesn’t even react.

“Oh my gosh. Are you okay?” I rush over to check on him.

It wasn’t that much of an exaggeration when he compared the boxes to bricks, it’s why I gave up on carrying them and chose to push them out here.

Wanting to be away from the bustle of the winery, but also feeling restless inside, working on the porch was the best idea I had today. Until Noah showed up and I blurted out my secret.

I crouch in front of him, gathering the papers to clear his path. His shoe catches my eye when I move the box aside and I finally breathe a sigh of relief.

“Thank goodness for your work boots,” I say, replacing the papers inside. I close the box, glancing up to see Noah’s reaction.

His eyes are following me while his jaw hangs open slightly, making it tough to gauge his thoughts.

Letting out another sigh, I push the box aside and rise. “I’m sorry…that wasn’t how I meant to tell you.” My hand instinctively goes to my stomach as I whisper, trying to break the tense silence. “I know that it’s a huge revelation and requires time to process…”

Noah finally closes his mouth, and his gaze shifts from my face to my stomach.

---