Page 64 of Capitally Unexpected

“Just another block or so babe, and then we’ll find a bathroom.”

She looks over at me, horrified. “Please never tell Duncan I said that. I’m really excited about today. It’s uncomfortable having a head of romaine lettuce sitting on my bladder.”

“It’ll be our secret. Let this experience solidify if you ever mention anything you’d like to do or anywhere you’d like to go infront of Duncan, he’ll do everything in his power to make it happen.” Duncan rented out the tearoom at The Willard for our baby shower after Michelle mentioned in passing she always wanted to do an afternoon tea. I squeeze her hand.

“Well, next time, I’ll shoot a little higher and say Paris or something.” She squeezes my hand and dazzles me with her smile. Michelle’s pretty uncomfortable all the time now, but I can’t help staring at her whenever I have the chance. She’s glowing and gorgeous, more and more every day.

“Here we are,” our driver says. I jump out and run around the car to open Michelle’s door and help her maneuver her way to standing.

“Thanks, man,” I say, and give a higher than usual tip for the trouble of worrying an accident would occur in his back seat any moment.

We walk into the lobby of The Willard and Michelle stops dead, taking in the ornate carvings on the ceiling and marble columns. I spot a discreetly placed sign directing us to the restroom.

“We better head this way, babe.” I put pressure on her back and point us in the direction of the ladies’ room.

“Yes, right. Wow, it’s so beautiful in here. It made me forget how badly I have to pee. Would be a shame to get kicked out for soiling the floor before I can enjoy the spread, wouldn’t it?” She picks up the pace and disappears behind a thick oak door.

I wait for her, checking on a few emails and tagging a few things for my assistant to deal with at the end of the weekend. After the scare at the emergency room, Duncan insisted on giving me more funds so I could hire an assistant, as well as made me promise I’d quit picking up jobs in kitchens. I insisted he take an additional five percent of the company but am doing a much better job of balancing all of my priorities, with Michelle at the forefront.

My phone buzzes with a text from Charlotte, letting meknow the room is ready for us whenever we arrive. Michelle appears at my side a moment later.

“All right, let’s get this over with,” she says, something between a smile and a grimace on her face. I hold out my elbow and she tucks her hand in as we start walking to the elevator.

“Remember, say the word, and we’re out of here,” I say, pushing the button for the Mezzanine level where the tearoom is located.

“No, I’m really touched the girls and Margaret want to do this for me, especially on Thanksgiving weekend. You’d think with being on TV for as long as I have, I wouldn’t mind the spotlight, but there I have more of a purpose than as an incubator.” She rests her free hand on her stomach.

“Hey.” I pull gently on her arm, bringing us to a stop and turning to face her. “You know I hate hearing you talk like that. You are so much more than these forty weeks of your life. What’s really going on?”

She huffs out a breath. “I think I’m struggling knowing my mom won’t be here. I put off telling her about you and Cumulus for so long because I didn’t need her negativity, but then too much time passed. Though, I’m not sure why I’m worried about her feelings when she didn’t bother calling on Thanksgiving. A tornado of emotions in here.” She taps at her head.

I pull her into me, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Well, pull me into your funnel cloud. I never want you to face gale force winds alone.” We stand there for a minute before her shoulders start shaking and I hear her giggling.

“What?” I ask, pulling back to look at her face. Her laughter is contagious.

“You are being really cute and sweet. I’m being mean.”

I raise an eyebrow. “What, because gale force winds aren’t as strong as the wind speeds with a tornado?”

She nods, her eyes shining. “Did you do that on purpose?”

I shrug. “A gentleman doesn’t weather talk and tell. Ready to greet your adoring public?”

Michelle nods and reaches up on her tiptoes to place a peck on my mouth. “With you, I’m ready for anything.”

We reach the tearoom, which Duncan alluded he traded many favors to book for us this weekend, and find it already full of people mulling around.

“She’s here!” Laurel shrieks, moving toward us at a pace I’m sure is outside decorum for this space on a normal day. Everyone’s attention is pulled toward the door, and people filter to greet us.

Dad, Margaret, and my siblings are all here, plus Charlotte and Jax. Caitlin waves from where she’s rearranging the presents on a table from across the room. Some of Michelle’s colleagues have settled at one of the tables decorated in a sage green, with dusty rose accents, digging into a tower of finger sandwiches. A few other people I don’t recognize are milling around, but my eyes snag on the woman with bright red hair standing talking to our neighbor from across the hall. The color is striking and so familiar.

“Fuck.” Michelle breathes as she stands next to me looking in the same direction. “Ready for anything but that.”

“Is that ...” I ask as the woman in question turns around and I see Michelle’s nose and eyes present on a woman in her late fifties.

“Yup, that’s my mom,” Michelle says through her teeth. A glance her way shows a forced smile as she waves in her mom’s direction. The two women start making their way to us and sweat starts to form in my armpits. Fuck, how do I not know Michelle’s mom’s name? Is her last name Lewis? I think Michelle said she’d been married at least once? Or maybe just an engagement?

Michelle squeezes my arm before stepping forward. Fuck, I should be supporting her right now, not the other way around. I step next to her, my hand on her back to assure her we’ve got this together.

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