Page 17 of Hurricane's House

“I’m going to put this stuff back in the fridge and call to order a few pizzas. When you stooges are done laughing at me, feel free to join me.” Tina almost felt bad for the guy—almost, but the whole thing was too funny to let Hurricane’s foul mood ruin their night.

By the time the pizza got there, they were all starving. She had set the table and even put the salads that they had made earlier out, to go with the pizza. Hurricane seemed to calm down a bit after his ordeal and even seemed to be having fun with their guests. Yonkers and Wren told them more stories about living in Alabama and Savage Hell, and all in all, the night turned out to be a success—mostly.

Sure, the new grill threw them for a loop and the barbecue portion of the evening turned out to be from hell, but honestly, Tina had the best time she had in a long time. It was good to be where she felt that she belonged and that had everything to do with the sexy biker sitting across from her with no eyebrows.

Tina held the pregnancy test in her shaking hands, holding it up for Hurricane to see. “I’m pregnant,” she said. He took the test from her and studied it. She could tell that he was just as shocked as she was.

“Pregnant,” he said as though he was testing the word on his tongue. “How can you be pregnant?” he asked.

Tina put her hand on her hips and stared him down. “Do I need to explain to you how women get pregnant, Hurricane?” she asked.

“No,” he insisted, “but we’ve only been together for five months now. I thought that we were being careful.”

“We were careful,” she spat, “but the pill isn’t one hundred percent effective.” She was pissed that he was trying to pin this on her since she was the one who usually covered the birth control for them. “And just a reminder, I can’t get pregnant on my own. You were a part of this too.”

“Shit, I’m fucking this all up,” he grumbled. “I get that you didn’t get pregnant on your own, and I didn’t ask about protection to piss you off. I’m just in shock I guess,” he said. Hurricane handed her back the pregnancy test, “How do you feel about all this?” he asked.

Tina huffed out a breath, “Well, I just found out about all this a few minutes before you did. I’m in shock also, and I’m not sure how I feel about the baby. Honestly, I never saw myself having any children. My brother asked me to take Chasity when she was just a baby. Hell, I was a baby myself at just eighteen. At first, I told him that I wouldn’t do it, but then he wrote me a letter begging me to change my mind. He told me that I was his only hope, and I felt guilted into saying yes. I never thought that it would happen, you know, losing both James and my sister-in-law. When it did, I was about thirty-one, and I thought that I had missed out on my chance to have a family. I was so excited to be given the chance to be Chasity’s surrogate mom, but she liked to remind me around every corner that I’m not her mom.”

“Yeah, hearing her scream that I’m not her dad every other minute is a real treat, so I get where you’re coming from. She has a real temper when she’s pissed off,” Hurricane said.

“You’re right and she is pissed all the time,” Tina added. He pulled her into his arms, and she went willingly.

“So, what are we going to do about the baby?” he whispered.

“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “What do you think we should do?” She knew that wanting the baby and having a baby on her own were two different things. She wasn’t sure that she’d ever beable to do something that brave, especially since her niece was giving her so much trouble.

“I want the baby, honey,” he admitted. “I want you too, but are you ready to hear me say that to you?” he asked. Was she? That was a very good question. She had been with Hurricane now for five months, and sure, she had thought about what her future might look like with him. But she had never worked up the courage to tell him what she wanted. Tina had a feeling that her time was up, and it was time to admit to Hurricane what she wanted from him.

“I’d like that too,” she admitted, “being with you.” Tina’s palms were sweaty, and her throat suddenly felt a bit dry. She had never been shy around Hurricane and she wondered why she was having this reaction to him now. Maybe admitting the truth wasn’t as easy as she believed it would be.

He kissed the top of her head and hugged her against his body. “And the baby?” he asked.

“I want the baby too,” she breathed, “but I’m not sure how I’ll take care of Chasity, a baby, and myself. I’m not doing such a great job at caring for my niece.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Tina. Chasity just needs some time.” Hurricane was Chasity’s safe place and now that he was with Tina, her niece might not feel comfortable confiding in her.

“I understand that she needs some time, but all she’ll get is four months now. I guess that is when the baby will be here. With everything that was going on, I didn’t pay much attention to my cycle, and now I’m going to pay the price.”

“Don’t talk like that, honey,” Hurricane insisted. “You didn’t do anything wrong and having a baby isn’t paying the price for making a mistake. This baby isn’t a mistake, and I’ll be by your side the entire time. As for Chasity, we’ll figure her out together, I promise.” Hearing him say that he was going to be by herside, giving the support that she never had, but so desperately needed, made her happier than she had been in a long time.

“Thank you for that, Hurricane,” she whispered. “Since my brother died, I haven’t had anyone that I could trust. I have felt so alone, and now, with you promising to stick by me, I feel safe for the first time in a long time.”

“You never have to thank me for that, honey,” he insisted. “I don’t know if you’re ready to hear this part either, but I’m in love with you, Tina. You will never have to second guess my feelings because I plan on telling you that every day of your life.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss and when he stood and smiled after she broke the kiss, he nearly took her breath away. “I love you too, Hurricane,” she admitted.

“Good to know, honey,” he said. “Now, how about we go and tell your very angry niece that we’re expecting? A baby changes things, but usually for the good. It will be an adjustment for her, but I know that she’ll be able to get through everything. Heck, maybe having a baby around the house will help to make her happy.”

She clutched at her chest and smiled, “Dare I hope?” she teased. “But you’re right. We need to tell her before she figures it out on her own. She’ll feel that we betrayed her and that’s the last thing that we need.”

“I like it when you call us a we, honey,” he said.

“Is that okay?” she asked.

“It’s more than okay. It feels like we’re a family—you know, the three of us,” he said. He was right—talking about their future and the way that it was about to change had her in a complete panic. But when he told her that he wanted not only the baby, but her also, had her hoping for a future that she never thought that she’d have since taking Chasity in. Now, she just hopedthat the four of them could become a family because Tina didn’t know what she would do without any of them.

Tina followed Hurricane up the stairs to the room that Chasity was staying in. She loved the way that he was always touchy-feely with her, but telling him about the baby seemed to amp up his affections. He held her hand all the way up the steps, not letting go of her until he knocked on Chasity’s door.

---