and, once done, she clicked the guard back on and set it on the counter. The second the toilet started to flush, Christie burst into the room.
“Privacy?” Sara asked as she was shoved aside.
“I let you pee in peace, didn’t I?”
“Standing outside the door, yelling obscenities, is not peaceful.”
“It would be if you were in a Zen trance—oh my…” Christie turned back to Sara, wide-eyed.
“What?” Sara said, her insides going hot and cold and spastic and wound up. She glanced down at the blue plus. Her world went white, and then bled through in color. “I’m pregnant.”
Chapter 20
“You have to tell him,” Christie said, pacing across the room. “I mean, this is a wonderful thing. And he wanted it, right? So this is no big deal. I mean, it’s good. A good, big deal.”
“Oh my God, I can’t believe this. This is a very big deal, Christie.” Sara sat on the bed all dolled up in her black dress, wringing her hands. Mikey would be there any minute. “What am I going to say? Should I wait? Aren’t you supposed to wait until after the first three months to tell people?”
“Not the father. You have to tell him.”
“Oh my God, Mikey is the father of my baby. I’m having a baby. Christie, I’m having a baby!” Sunshine and flowers filled Sara to the brim. “I’ve always wanted a baby. And he really would be the best dad. He always looked after me. And holy moly, I love him so much. So, so much. To the point that I miss him constantly when he’s not right next to me. I feel like I’m coming apart when he touches me. In a good way. Oh!” All the breath exited Sara’s lungs in a rush. “I really hope he wants this as much as I do.”
“Of course he does. He does, Sara. He said so, right? Kept bringing it up?”
“Okay, yes, but the idea of a thing, and the actual thing, is a very big difference.”
Christie nodded, a crease forming in her brow. “Well, he doesn’t lie. And he doesn’t blow smoke. This is a good thing.”
“I’ve only known the adult version of him for a month.” Sara got up and started pacing. “I don’t have my life in order, I don’t have anything figured out, I don’t… Oh God, I’m not ready. This is real. This is really real. And I have no husband. Or boyfriend.”
“No one is ever really ready for a baby. If you wait for the right time, you’ll just keep waiting. My sister was trying for one for a year. She was so excited when she got pregnant. Then totally freaked out with all the unknowns and insecurities and all that stuff. This is normal. Freaking out is normal.”
Sara stopped pacing for a moment and faced Christie. “You’re right. Okay. What do I say?”
“You say that you’re pregnant, obviously. Or just hint that you haven’t got your period—”
“Monthly visitor.”
“—and then just kinda… drop it in.”
“Oh holy moly, this is… I don’t even know. I’m knocked up. Out of wedlock.”
“Is that a big thing? Being out of wedlock?”
“Well, yeah, kind of. I mean, what will my mother say? Oh God, what will his father say?” Sara started pacing again with vigor. “Mikey’s dad thinks I’m trash. He’ll be pissed about all this. He’ll think I tried to trap Mikey. He’ll probably take Mikey out of the will. Oh no, and it’ll be all my fault.”
Christie started laughing and stopped Sara’s pacing by grabbing her arms. “Okay, you’re officially freaking out. You need to calm down. Plus, last I heard, semen is required to make a baby. It’s not all your fault.”
“Ew. Not helping.”
“You did take sex ed, right? They had that in your generation?”
Sara shot her a glare. “How old do you think I am?”
“Well, if not old, then certainly dense.”
A knock sounded at the door. The girls froze.
“You have to tell him,” Christie whispered furiously.
“I don’t want to ruin my first date. Not tonight.”
“If you don’t tell him, it will ruin tonight.”
The knock sounded again.
“This isn’t a house, Sara, it doesn’t take five minutes to get to the door. Answer it.”
“Pushy!” Sara whispered back as she grasped the handle and swung open the door.
His fabulous broad shoulders filled the doorway, his crisp white button-up straining at the seams. As she stared up into that classically handsome face, butterflies filled her stomach and her tongue became thick. How could she ever have thought Duke was hotter than the man