Page 125 of Sweet Little Thing

The child inside me only had me right now. I had to be sure to take care of it, not harm it. I couldn’t forget to eat. I also needed to exercise more. Maybe I should run with Fiona. Or would running make the baby fall out? That wasn’t possible, I didn’t think.

I would start walking for now. I could get up an hour earlier and walk every morning. And I would need to eat something first, wouldn’t I? Or would that make me vomit? Wasn’t I supposed to be throwing up by now?

I had to stop thinking this through. Worry wasn’t good either. The doctor had told me that much, especially when I started asking a million questions.

A warm bath sounded good. But not too warm. Or did that matter?

“UGH! I need an instruction manual!” I said out loud to no one. My voice echoed down the long hallway, and I followed the lonely sound to Stone’s bedroom. I wanted to be near him tonight. Sleeping in his room would help.

My phone rang, and I saw his name on the screen. A smile instantly touched my lips. “Hello,” I said, feeling much better.

“Are you okay?” he asked, not sounding equally happy.

“Yes, why?”

“Mack called. He said he thought he had made you cry, but hewasn’t sure. He doesn’t know what he said, but you ran off with tears in your eyes.”

I’d been afraid he had seen me crying but I hadn’t thought he would call Stone.

“Oh, I’m fine. No tears. I had just drank a lot of water and was in a hurry to get to the bathroom,” I lied easily enough. It was a little scary how good I was at it.

Stone didn’t respond right away. Maybe I wasn’t as good at it as I thought.

“I’ll be home in the morning,” he said, his tone still serious. “Or do you need me tonight? Is Heidi okay? Has Jasper contacted you?”

He hadn’t bought the lie.

“I’m fine. Really.”

“Call me if you need me. I love you,” he said the last three words fiercely as if he needed me to remember that.

“I love you too,” I replied. And I did. But I wasn’t sure our love was ready for what lay ahead.

Chapter

Seventy-Seven

Stone

Before I left today, I had planned to confront my mother about my father. I wanted her to explain why we shared no DNA. After talking to Mack and hearing the uncertainty and emotion Beulah was trying so hard to hide on the phone last night, I knew I had to return home. There was no time to track down my mother. She’d lie to me anyway. Giving up the heir to the Richardson empire wasn’t something she’d do without a fight.

I could only get home to Beulah before she woke up this morning by hiring a private plane, which I did. She was upset, and I couldn’t shake off feeling I was about to lose her. Even when I knew she wasn’t the kind to run. The bad feeling was still there in my gut. She was slipping away, and I had to find a way to hold on to her.

Spending more time with her would be a start. I didn’t know how I would manage that with what I was about to take on. The steps to fight for custody of Wills were now in place. I had to beprepared to leave at a moment’s notice. I had to be ready and armed for my father’s fury and counterattack.

Frustrated with my limited options, I unlocked the apartment door and went inside. It was three hours before Beulah had to get up. I didn’t want to be the cause of her losing sleep, but I also needed the reassurance of being beside her in bed, holding her.

I locked the door behind me, dropped my keys on the table by the door, and headed down the hallway. The bedroom that had been hers was dark and empty. That was reassuring. I wanted her in my bed when I wasn’t there. I liked knowing she wanted to be near my things.

My bedroom door was closed. I opened it slowly and stepped inside. It was dark, and it took me a moment for my eyes to adjust and see her sleeping in my bed. She was curled up on the side where I usually slept. She definitely wasn’t trying to get away from me. She was getting as close to me while I was gone as she could.

I removed my shoes, stepped out of my jeans, and took my shirt off. As quietly as I could, I moved to the bed and eased in behind her. She’d wake up in a few hours and probably scream when she realized she wasn’t alone. In her sleep, she sank back into my arms and made a pleased sound.

Inhaling, I let her sweet scent comfort me. She was here. In my home. With my things. She wasn’t leaving me. My worries were probably caused by my stress with getting custody of Wills. I’d never had someone that I was scared of losing. Now I had two. Beulah and Wills. When you live most of your life being guarded, it is hard to adjust to loving others. Not just loving them but loving them more fiercely than you’ve ever loved anyone else.

It’s fucking terrifying and makes you vulnerable. I didn’t like feeling vulnerable, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Without the vulnerability, there was no Beulah. There was no Wills. I would take the weakness. Gladly.

“Is the baby okay?” she mumbled.

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