Page 37 of Five Babies for the Boss

Becky stills. She’s pale. Livid. Her hazel eyes may pop out of their orbits if she’s not careful. Meanwhile, John and I are staring at them, even though I seem to be the only one left on the outside looking in because John starts laughing wholeheartedly. “No way—you’re kidding,” he exclaims.

“Kidding about what?” I ask.

“You’re pregnant,” Tamara concludes, a cool grin splitting her face ear to ear as she scoops up some of the honeydew melon cubes from the fruit platter and adds them to her cheese plate. “You are absolutely pregnant, Rebecca Connors.”

“Huh?” I whisper, now looking to Becky and praying that she might say something to dispel the madness I’ve somehow waded into.

She gives me a slight nod, then takes my hand and laughs lightly. “Todd and I were keeping it on the down-low, actually,” she says, and the words feel like a kick in the groin, but I play along and chuckle nervously in order to save face. “We’ve only just found out ourselves…”

“What…”

“Oh my God, congratulations!” Tamara cheers and jumps from her seat. She rushes around the table and comes over to hug Becky, dropping a kiss on her temple for good measure.

John reaches across the table to shake my hand, then Becky’s. I’m still smiling like nothing has happened, like the news of her pregnancy didn’t just turn my world upside down and shake everything loose. I feel his firm grip and struggle to remain conscious while Tamara resumes her seat, giggling with childlike enthusiasm.

“This is exciting! My sincerest congratulations!” John says.

“Yeah, thanks, John,” I manage.

“You’re nervous and then some!” he laughs.

“Oh, shush, remember how paleyouwere when I told you we had a second on the way,” Tamara cuts in, nudging him playfully. “By the third you were much better equipped. But the news always packs a punch, doesn’t it, Todd?”

“Absolutely. It knocks the air out of your lungs, quite literally,” I reply, giving Becky another long look. She still won’t meet my gaze, though. She’s been holding out on me, clearly, but it makes sense, in retrospect. All the times Piper or Vincent saw her getting sick, her pale complexion as of late. Yeah, it makes sense now. Holy crap. I’m going to be a father. Holy. Crap. “I’m the luckiest man in the world…”

“I’d appreciate it if we kept this between us,” Becky says, still squeezing my hand. Her touch is supposed to bring me comfort, but I’m clinging on to the anxiety of the great unknown instead. What does this mean for us? For my future? “It’s still pretty early and you know the first trimester can be tricky,” she adds. “My first pregnancy wasn’t an easy one, either, and according to the doctor, this time will be quite the doozy as well, so I’d rather be cautious and not get too many people excited too early, if you know what I mean.”

“Absolutely,” Tamara says. “My lips are sealed. But if you need anything, any advice, a good ob-gyn, the best Lamaze trainer in the state… honey, just reach out; I’ve got you covered.”

“You’re too kind,” Becky replies.

“I guess we could at least pop open a bottle of champagne today?” John says, giving us both a warm and tender look. “I know Rebecca here can’t drink, but surely, Todd, you could have a glass for her as well. This calls for a celebration…”

“Yeah, let’s drink,” I quip, resigned to my uncertain fate.

I’m ready to drink myself into a coma if that’s what it takes to numb the sting I’m feeling in this moment. Becky just announced that she’s pregnant with my child. What the hell am I going to do now?

This wasn’t part of the plan.

CHAPTER22

BECKY

Yet another charade is over, except this time the truth slipped out.

The way Tamara looked at me, I could see it in her eyes. She knew. Before I could confirm or deny, she already knew. The woman was on me like a hawk, and judging by the sharpness of her gaze, she wouldn’t have let go until she had an answer. It was like pulling a Band-Aid off. I did it as fast and as smoothly as I could.

Of course, it worked out for “the happy couple” and Todd’s deal with John. The family men were in perfect sync, guzzling champagne and celebrating the future birth of a child. It’s a good thing I managed to keep the other details to myself, otherwise I’m sure Todd would’ve suffered an instant heart attack. I felt bad enough for him as it was. Maybe I should’ve told him sooner, but I was still processing the news myself.

We’re in the back of a cab now. The silence is heavy, the air thick. I know I sort of messed up, but I did the best I could in a situation I didn’t see coming. At least he had the sense to pretend that he was in on it. At least he didn’t appear like the ignorant fool that he actually was. That kind of embarrassment would have been difficult to live down.

We drive down one of San Diego’s busiest boulevards. At this hour, it’s pretty packed, and it makes the moment increasingly harder to bear. Were I not living on the other side of town, I’d be jumping out and walking home at this point. Todd stares ahead absentmindedly and slightly inebriated by the mixture of champagne and chardonnay from earlier. His appetite ran out the window the moment he learned I was pregnant, anyway. But he’s leaving, and I need to make sure he never looks at me like I’m the one who ruined his life. I can’t. I won’t.

“I should’ve told you,” I say.

“You should’ve told me,” he replies calmly.

We’re so close, yet so far apart. I can feel the heat of his body radiating toward me. I can almost hear his heartbeat drumming in my ear. His anxiousness is mine, too, although I’m the one who has to carry the whole lot to term. I wouldn’t even know where tobeginexplaining the madness that awaits me. The risks involved. I don’t want to scare him. I need him to sign off on the sale and move on with his life. I won’t say no to any financial support that he might offer—both Callie and Laura have made it clear that they wouldn’t have it any other way, that they would follow him to the ends of the earth to tell him the truth about this pregnancy if I don’t.

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