Page 38 of Royally Scr*wed

“I thought about when the right time would be to tell everyone. And I debated if today was it.”

“Ohhhhhh. I bet I know what you’re going to say!” Ottiline’s eyes light up and she bounces in her seat. “Tell me. Tell us!”

“Ottiline, how do you feel about being a big sister?” I ask, watching her face closely.

“YES! I knew it! I knew it! OHHHHH, Charlie!” she throws herself into my arms and squeezes me tight. “This really is the best day ever!”

“Charlie,” Jude croaks. “What was that?”

Ottiline spins around and looks up at him. “I’m getting a baby brother or baby sister, Jude! Charlie’s having a baby!”

A slow smile creeps across his face as the words register. “You’re pregnant?”

I nod. “I’m pregnant. Looks like we’re going from zero to two before our first wedding anniversary.”

“Son of a…how…”

Ottiline covers her ears and sings “Lalalalala.”

“Pretty sure you know how,” I laugh.

“I meant, how far along? Do you know?”

“I suspect maybe eight weeks or so, if I counted correctly. I’m sure the doctor can give us a better idea.”

“Wow. I…damn. We’re…Yeah. Best day ever,” his grin widens. “Ottiline, you realize this is the first big secret you’ll have to keep right? We can’t tell anyone just yet.”

“Except Willow, right?” she asks.

“I suppose we should tell Willow. But you need to let us do that. Okay? Not a word to anyone else.” Jude tells her.

“Fiiine. I won’t say a word. Promise,” she holds out her pinkie.

Jude hooks his pinkie with hers and shakes on it.

“Could I go find Willow now though and start getting ready for tonight? I won’t say a word to her about the baby.”

Jude nods. “Go on. We’ll come find you both in a bit and deliver the news.”

With Ottiline and Günter out of the room, Jude flips the lock and stalks his way toward me.

“And just how long has my wife been keeping that little secret?” he asks, backing me against the conference room table.

“I’ve had my suspicions for a few…days. I asked Doctor Llewelyn for a test. He confirmed with me two days ago.”

I had been feeling a little off but brushed it all off because of the stress in my life. Heck, I hadn’t even noticed my period was late though that wasn’t uncommon for me either. When it didn’t seem to be going away and I realized that maybe there was something more going on. Especially after the night when Jude mentioned this place and filling it with children. Then I just had to find the courage and the time to meet Doctor Llewellyn in private for a test and some bloodwork to make sure everything was a-okay.

“Charlie. You’ve been keeping that from me, for two days?” he stars me down with a glare that sends my body into overdrive.

“You heard me. I was waiting for the right time. I wanted it to be special,” I weakly defend.

“You’re pregnant, with my child,” he growls.

“Y-y-yes.”

“I finally have everything that I ever thought I wanted,” he says before devouring me with kisses. “It’s all because of you, Charlie.”

CHAPTER 15

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