Page 64 of Not Quite Perfect

Pregnant.

I shook my head in wonder. We hadn’t been using condoms since … well, since practically forever, but Victoria had been on the pill.

You know the pill isn’t one hundred percent effective,my subconscious lectured unhelpfully.

Yeah, no shit.

But it wasn’t as if I was unhappy with the idea of her having my baby. Just … surprised. And needing a minute to get my bearings. I’d known Victoria wanted kids, and I’d figured we’d get to it—eventually. Somehow, though, I hadn’t pictured eventually coming quite so soon. Then again, neither of us was getting any younger. If weweregoing to have kids, maybe starting sooner rather than later was the best approach. As it was, I’d be over fifty by the time this one graduated from high school.

Assuming, of course, Victoria was pregnant.

“Victoria?” I took a step toward her, but Alex put his body between me and her, blocking my path.

I leaned to the right to look around him. “Is it possible?”

Victoria’s eyes pooled with tears and her lip quivered. “Maybe?”

Theo moved into the fray. Setting his hand to Alex’s shoulder, he pushed the big man aside. “Come on. Let’s give them some privacy.”

Alex glanced at Theo and shook his head. “No. If he’s knocked her up, I want to hear what he intends to do about it.”

Not that it was any of Alex’s business, but if Victoriawascarrying my baby, I was going to marry her—no question about it. I’d planned on marrying her anyway. It was no great hardship to run to the Justice of the Peace next week from where I was standing. Then again, we hadn’t exactly discussed her thoughts on the subject. I’d been waiting until Christmas to broach the subject officially.

And we weren’t going to discuss it in front of her brothers now either.

“Alex, I appreciate that you’re concerned for Victoria, but I’m going to have to ask you to get the fuck out of my way so I can speak with her. Inprivate.”

Alex’s head lurched back as if he was shocked that I’d had the balls to speak to him with such force. Frankly, I could understand his surprise; Alex was a big hulking barbarian of a man, and I guessed not many people had the guts to put him in his place. Lord knew there’d been a time or two these past few months I’d wanted to tell him to shove his attitude up his ass, but had held my tongue instead.

Well, not anymore. This was way too important.

Alex glowered at me for a beat, but eventually relented. “Fine.” He stepped to the side. “But if I find out you—”

Recovering her equilibrium, Victoria smacked her brother in the back of the head with a dishtowel. “I can speak for myself, you know.” She pushed him toward the back door. “For what it’s worth, I don’t need you threatening my boyfriend.”

“I know, but—”

“No buts,” she said, her voice softening. “Thank you for being my champion, Alex, but in this case, your chivalry is misplaced.” She cast a quick glance at me, her lips flattening into a tight smile. “David and I will figure this out. Together.”

Theo pushed Alex the rest of the way out the door before turning to his sister. His eyes darted to the food preparations underway on the other side of the room. “Are we—”

Victoria laughed. “Yes, we’re still on for dinner. Go figure out what’s up with Drew, and the three of you come back at five o’clock.”

He nodded briskly. “You sure you’re going to be okay?”

Victoria nodded, her hand dropping to her stomach again. “Yes. Now go, please.”

Theo’s eyes met mine. “You good, too?”

I shoved my hands into my pockets and rocked back on my heels. There were so many ways to answer that question, but I settled on, “Yeah, I’m good.”

Theo waved, and then he and Alex made their way to Alex’s SUV and drove away.

Victoria closed the door, turned, and leaned back against it. “So …”

I stepped to her, a happy smile spreading across my face. I set my palms to her belly, cradling what I thought was a slightly small bulge. Suddenly, I couldn’t contain my happiness. We might not have planned for this, but I wanted it. I really fucking did.

“A baby,” I whispered in awe.

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