Page 92 of A Chance for Us
“I never said expert.”
“Yes, because you don’t have a vagina, therefore you can’t be.”
“Thank God for that or this conversation would be strange,” I say under my breath.
Grayson chuckles and steps back. “Retract your claws, Stell. No one is saying they know better than you. Jesus, are you pregnant?”
She glares at him and then turns to me. “Look, Oliver, Maren is a woman who was dumped a few days before her wedding. She’s in a state of trauma too. Her father is dying, her stepmother isn’t an easy person to deal with, and she faked a relationship and fell for the guy. It’s a lot, and I’m telling you now, she could be the strongest woman you know and she would still be vulnerable at the heart of it.” Then she turns to Grayson. “To answer your question, yes, I am pregnant. Jack doesn’t know yet so keep your trap shut.”
Gray and I smile. “Congratulations, Stella.”
She softens a bit. “Thank you. It’s taken a while, and it’s still early. After losing a baby six months ago, I didn’t have the heart to tell Jack yet.”
I didn’t know she lost a baby. She never said a word. “Stell—”
She lifts her hand. “It’s fine. I’m happy, and so far, everything looks great. Just, I’m apparently a bit emotional and hormonal. Now, back to you . . . are you going to Georgia?”
As much as I’d like to keep talking about Stella, she’ll never allow it. My sister loves nothing more than getting her way or her point across.
“She had a lot of chances to ask me, and she didn’t.” I take a step forward and breathe through my teeth.
“What is wrong with you?” Gray asks. “You’re walking funny.”
“I pulled a muscle.”
“What? How?” Stella switches from annoyed to concerned so fast it’s impressive.
I smirk, which causes my sister to make a gagging noise. “Gross.”
“Jealous?” I toss back at her.
“That you pulled a muscle having sex? No.”
“You should be,” I say with a bit of male pride. “I clearly am doing it well.”
Stella laughs. “That would be if she was walking funny, not you, dumbass.”
“Whatever. I’m going to my office. I want to see if there are any leads for weddings we can book. The photographer called and let me know we should have images for the website by the end of the week.”
“Good, that should help. Isn’t Maren’s aunt posting her article too?” Grayson asks.
“Yes, between that and the images on our website, we should be in good shape.”
“We are. You? Not so much,” Grayson points out as I hobble away.
It was worth it. So fucking worth it.
* * *
“Maybe you should go to the doctor . . .” Maren suggests over the phone.
“And say what? I had amazing sex with my wife and pulled something.”
We’ve been married for less than a week, and she’s already nagging. Okay, she isn’t nagging so much as pushing because she’s concerned. Still, I’m fine. It’s swollen but nothing to be worried over.
“You can leave some of the details out, but I think you should at least go so you can walk.”
“It doesn’t hurt.” Well, it doesn’t hurt enough to tell her.
