Page 37 of A Baby to Make Her His Bride

“Well, I’m telling you I’m all in, one thousand percent.”

“Please think about what you’re saying, Jasper. You don’t know what my life is really like.” She rose to pace with agitation. “You’ve had a taste of the Waverly drama. We’re very messy.” She was. “Ask your sister how she likes it.” She flicked her hand toward his phone.

“Is that what has you worried? That I’m afraid the press will say something ugly about me?”

“I promise you they will,” she said with the agony of experience.

“I genuinely don’t care. This baby has become my highest priority.”

“Just like that?” She shook her head and flung out a hand. “You only found out about it twenty minutes ago.”

“How long did it take for you?” he challenged, gaze clashing into hers.

Not even that long. In fact, she was already distressed that the press might denigrate their baby because they weren’t married.

“Things have happened so fast. Can we take a beat?” she pleaded. “There’s actually a three-month rule—guideline, I guess—where you keep your pregnancy private in case...” She didn’t even want to say it.

“Is that a concern? How are you feeling?” He came to stand in front of her, holding out one hand as if she might feel faint and he would have to catch her. “I should have asked already.”

“Everything is fine.” She laughed with bemusement at that hand, still offered for her to grasp, but there was a bleak fear behind her shaky smile that she couldn’t completely disguise.

“What aren’t you telling me?” He frowned.

“Nothing. I swear. It’s me. The doctor said everything is normal.” She absently rubbed at the cobalt blue polish staining her cuticle. “But I’m very aware that my body didn’t cooperate with getting pregnant. I’m afraid to get too attached in case it lets me down again. I’m not being rational, I know that.” She lifted her gaze, embarrassed at her irrational fears.

“Your caution is understandable. No part of this belongs online unless you choose to share it. If you want to keep this between us for now, I support that.” He nodded. “What about physically? How do you feel?”

Her heart gave another swerve as he accepted her wishes without batting an eye.

“I feel okay.” Her mouth didn’t feel quite steady as she smiled wryly. “Normal for early pregnancy, I guess. I’m nauseous and tired. Some foods taste funny. Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Good.” He nodded again, more thoughtful. “I don’t mind waiting to announce things, and we can even keep this from family for now if that’s what you prefer, but I want to operate on the assumption we’ll be welcoming this baby together in...?”

“May,” she provided, all of her beginning to tremble. This felt really monumental. She wasn’t prepared for it.

“I was born in May.” His harsh features eased into bemusement.

“Taurus. Stubborn.”

“So I’ve been told. I refuse to believe it.”

“Shocking.”

They shared a faint moment of amusement, one that almost gave her a ray of optimism that they could at least go back to the companionable friendship they’d shared in Tofino.

“We’ll go through this pregnancy together so anything that happens, happens tous.You won’t have to face it alone,” he said somberly.

Was he trying to make her cry?

“I think that’s naive on your part, since it’sallhappening to me,” she joked, but she understood what he was saying and she was deeply touched.

“I’m as invested in this baby as you are,” he said, spelling it out.

She swallowed, blinking her hot eyes. His words were beyond heartening, especially given how alone she had felt through all her past disappointments.

“Besides, we should take advantage of this time to get to know each other before the baby changes everything.”

“You want to live together? Here?” She glanced around the penthouse with fresh eyes, thinking she might like that, especially with Amelia and Hunter so close by.

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