Page 27 of Halloween in Sleepy Hollow
I reach over to put my hand on his thigh. The heat of his leg sears into my chilled fingers. “I won’t. But spending a couple of hours with our friends tomorrow night won’t hurt me.”
Oliver slows at the exit of the parking lot before making a right turn onto the road. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.” Leaning over, I kiss his cheek again. “And I’ll take it easy tomorrow. I have an article to finish, but it’s mostly done already. So I can get plenty of relaxation time in.”
His hand covers mine. “That reminds me. I talked to Jasper. He’s going to cover my shift tomorrow. So I can stay home with you, instead.”
Warmth blossoms in my chest. “You’re staying home?”
He turns to smile at me. “If that’s okay with you?”
I grin back at him, feeling the lightest I’ve been all night. “It’s more than okay. We can have a lazy morning,eat breakfast in bed, maybe break open that new massage oil I ordered…”
“New massage oil? What flavor?”
“Salted caramel. I thought it seemed fitting for the season.”
Oliver’s hand moves to my thigh. “Oh, I think it’sveryfitting. And I can’t wait to try it.”
We drive in silence for the next couple of minutes, both of us lost in our thoughts. The roads are quiet and most of the jack o’lanterns and Halloween lights have long since been extinguished. It’s peaceful; a welcome contradiction to the chaos of earlier.
As I stare out the window at the darkened houses passing by, I think about my plans for the night and how different they turned out to be.
When the evening started, I thought I’d visit with my friends in the park for a bit. Then Oliver and I would meet Jess and Kane for some wings. We’d head home by eight, so there would be plenty of time to watch a scary movie together and test out the new massage oil I ordered.
Then I would tell Oliver the news I discovered this morning.
The news I feared I might never get to share with him only a few hours earlier.
While we were trapped in the vault, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
How I wished I hadn’t waited.
How I wished I could have seen Oliver’s face when I told him.
But now isn’t a good time. Not when it’s past eleven and we’re both exhausted after an incredibly stressfulnight. I should wait until tomorrow, when things are more settled.
Should.
“Home at last,” Oliver says as he turns into our driveway. He stops the car in front of the closed gate—because of course we have a gated driveway—and punches in the code. As soon as the gate opens, he pulls through it, watching carefully in the rear view mirror to make sure it shuts securely behind us.
From there it’s a quick drive to the front of our house. I hit the button for the garage door, and it lifts smoothly to allow us inside.
Once we’re parked, Oliver shuts off the car and closes the garage door behind us. The garage is well lit from the automatic overhead lights, so when I look at him, I can see clearly the smudges of blue beneath his eyes.
“You ready, love?” he asks. “How about once we get inside, you take a shower and I’ll make you some of that tea you like? And I can give you a little massage—” He smirks. “Not a sexy massage. Not tonight. Just one to help you relax.”
“That all sounds really good.” As Oliver reaches for the door handle, I blurt out, “But. There’s something I want to tell you first.”
He draws his hand back. “What? Is something wrong?”
“No.” I touch his leg again. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s just… I was going to tell you tonight. And then… I was afraid I might not get to tell you. It’s why I was so scared tonight.”
“Shea.” His voice is achingly gentle. “I’m so sorry you were scared.”
“I was scared I wouldn’t—” I take a deep breath and letit out in a gust. “I took a test this morning, Oll. I’m pregnant. I was going to tell you tonight when we got home. But then in the vault, when I wasn’t sure… I was so sorry I waited. And I was so scared?—”
“Shea.”Oliver grasps both my hands tightly. Wonder lights his eyes. “You’re pregnant?”
