Page 107 of Gracefully Yours

I’d never hatedthe sight of blood before. Not until now.

My heart dropped a little. It wasn’t like I’d expected it to happen right away, but why did I feel so disappointed that itdidn’t?

“Charlotte?” Daniel’s voice called from outside the bathroom. “You okay?”

I sniffled, wiping the tears that had dripped out of my eyes off my face.

Why was I crying?Shit, Charlotte.Get it together.

“Um… Yeah, I’m fine.” I called out, even though I was feeling anything but.

“Are you sure? Want me to get you anything?”

Quickly finishing up in the bathroom, I pulled my leggings back on, opening up the door and crashing into a brick wall.

Right. Not a brick wall. My husband.

“Oh.” I squeaked.

“Darling…” He frowned, looking at my eyes, which I figured were probably red. If they weren’t, that meant he could read me too well, and I didn’t want to consider that possibility. “What’s wrong?”

“I just…” I played with the ties on my shorts, trying not to look at his face. “I got my period.”

He slid his finger under my chin, tipping it up to look at me. I wanted to wipe the expression off of his face, too. Pity.

For me. I hated it. What would happen if I couldn’t have kids? Would everything fall apart if my reason for being here wasn’t working? I couldn’t think that way. But I also couldn’t help the doubts swirling through my mind.

I always cried easily, and the hormones didn’t help.

“It’s fine!” I said, trying to paste on a cheery expression. “I’m just going to go to bed. I’m pretty tired after everything today.”

“Charlotte…”

I tried to slip away from him, but he caught my wrist.

“Talk to me, baby,” he pleaded in a low voice.

That was what did me in. The way he injected so much care into his voice. How even though he was holding on to me, it didn’t feel like a leash. It felt like a lifeline. Like Daniel was my lifeline, my life preserver. If I was drowning, he’d save me, wouldn’t he?

“I’m not pregnant,” I whispered, voice cracking with emotion.

His hands cupped my cheek, the warmth instantly making me feel a little better. “You’re not pregnant.”

I shook my head. “No.”

“It’s okay.” He rubbed a thumb over my cheekbone. “We’ll keep trying.” He offered me a warm smile.

I nodded. “I know.”

“Then why are you crying, love?”

“I just… I really want this, Daniel.”To be a mom.“You know?” That was all I’d ever wanted—not to be a dancer. Not to be a dress designer. But to have a family to love. To have a family to give my one hundred percent to, knowing I’d get it all back.

And that was what love was, wasn’t it? Giving everything you had to someone, and getting everything of them back.

In my life, I’d experienced that with very few people. Noelle. Gabbi. Angelina. Daniel.

It always came back to Daniel.

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