Page 15 of The Blowout

Well, I guess I could. Charlie and I hadn’t used protection all that often—too overcome with need to pause and search for a condom. The thought of becoming pregnant had crossed my mind a time or two but it never really sunk in what we could be making…

Not until Shelly got in my head. Then the possibility became real.

“Oh my God,” I say again, this time coherently to the empty room. Lifting my head, I slowly hoist myself to my feet and look in the mirror. I looked like a hot mess, with tears still running down my face and giant red splotches across my face. There was a glow to me though. Not a pregnancy glow—I think it’s too soon for that. No, it was a glow of happiness. Of rightness.

I am going to have a baby with Charlie. The man that I loved more and more each day.

Holy heck. How did I get so lucky?

Running a hand down my stomach didn’t feel any different than before. There were no outward signs of the life growing in me yet other than the random bouts of dizziness that had started. I had chalked it up to allergies, the air pressure affecting my head and stomach, but this morning I couldn’t ignore what it really could be.

Wow. I still couldn’t believe this was real life. My life!

I need to tell Charlie.

Splashing cold water on my face and untangling my hair from the braid it’d been in all afternoon, I flip my head over and shake. My fingers get stuck in the strands as I try to finger comb through. I eventually give up. My hair doesn’t look too bad actually. It’s a unique take on a blowout. I have the same volume and shine, it’s just a bit…wild.

Chuckling, I give myself a nod in the mirror before heading into the bedroom to change. With a water bottle in hand, I leave the apartment and begin the short walk to Charlie’s work building. I know I could call his driver to come get me but I need the time to sort out how I’m going to tell him.

Would this also be a good time to tell him I love him? I snort at the idea. Of course it would! I can’t believe I’ve been able to hold back the words this long. A month felt like forever when you were holding in a big emotion like that.

I want to scream out in the streets that I’m a love-drunk fool and I don’t care who knows it!

Okay, maybe I do care a little. I think Charlie should be the first person I tell.

The building comes into view faster than I anticipated. I’ve been so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t realize how quickly I’ve been walking. That’s fine, everything’s okay. I’ll just wing telling him I love him and he’s going to be a father. No biggie.

I push open the front door of Charlie’s work building and wave at the security guard who’s standing off to the side. She nods, buzzing me through the electronic gate. I’ve been here so often over the last few weeks that they all know me. Every moment we’re not working—and even when we are sometimes—Charlie and I are together. We’re not keeping track of each other or anything like that. I just always want to be near him. I feel brave and more confident when his eyes are on me. He takes on a bit of a softer edge when I’m around too. Especially here at his work. He’s still a stern and straight-to-the-point boss, but he doesn’t bark as much at people when I’m near.

I’m so in love with him. I have been since the first week we got together.

I’ve been holding back on telling him because I thought it was too quick. Too much. And really, I was afraid. Saying the words out loud, and not in my head, is a huge deal. I’m pretty sure I know what his response will be—he shows me how much he cares for me every day—but I’m nervous about the baby news honestly. He may love me but is he ready to be a family man? We’ve talked about the future but never in the context of a growing family.

Running an excited but nervous hand down my stomach, I head for the elevator bank. There’s no turning back now. It’s a small blessing that no one gets on the elevator with me as I head up. As soon as the doors close, I feel queasy and have to wedge myself in the corner and brace myself. I zoom out as soon as the doors are open, needing air and the open space to calm my stomach and nerves.

“Kimberley. I didn’t know you were dropping by today.” Rory, one of Charlie’s assistants, beams as she walks over to me. “Are you okay?”

Swallowing the bile in my throat, I nod. Giving her a shaky smile, I stand tall. “Yeah, sorry. The air pressure today is messing with my head,” I lie to her, using my old faithful explanation.

She makes a grunting noise. “I hear that. My sinuses last week were the worst. Can I get you anything while you wait for Mr. Van Ravenswaay?”

I love it when she uses his full name. Rory is a gorgeous woman in her early fifties who no matter how many times Charlie tells her to use his first name refuses on principle. She’s the best.

“Oh, I didn’t realize he wasn’t here this afternoon.” Uncertainly churns in my stomach.

“He’s here,” Rory corrects me. “He’s just down on ten overseeing the test shoot for next year’s active line. You’re welcome to head down there.”

Agreeing that I’ll head down, I eye the elevator. I really don’t want to get back in that thing, but there’s no way I’m waiting up here for Charlie. I know how much he likes to be in the action when it comes to the launch of new products.

The ride down isn’t terrible. I count in my head, using a distraction technique. I still dash off, but at least this time I didn’t get dizzy. This floor is dim and cooler than the other levels. I feel like I’ve entered a different building altogether. Nothing in here looks familiar. It’s a world apart from the other floor layouts.

I nervously fiddle with the fabric of my dress as I walk farther into the space. I can see silhouettes behind a curtained-off area and the soft voices of unknown people. Slowly I make my way to the edge of the sectioned-off area, pushing the material aside to get my first look at what’s happening. I expect to see models dressed up, striking weird poses, and a wind machine. What I don’t expect is to see a gorgeous blonde model hanging off my boyfriend—who doesn’t look bothered by her as he reaches for a donut on the nearest table. I immediately let the curtain fall back into place, stepping away.

What the—

How could he do this to me? I trusted him.

I turn for the elevator, poised to march back to my apartment and wait for him so we can hash this out. But when I take my first step away, a burning fury overtakes me. No, I’m not going to run away and act like this doesn’t bother me. I’m a knockout. A friggin’ blowout. And I wasn’t going to let this slide. Flipping my hair over my shoulder in a dramatic arc, I prepare for battle.

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