daughter,” I say. They’re going to get everything they ever needed.”
“Not too much,” Opal jokes through her tears. “I don’t want them growing up spoiled.”
I can’t help but laugh.
I can’t believe just how much my life has changed in the last day. It wasn’t that long ago when I was absolutely certain Opal was about to tell me to stay out of her life.
I’m having a child with the woman I love more than life itself. It isn’t ideal and there are a lot of things to work out…but suddenly, it all feels okay. Opal is in my life, in some way, and we’ll work it all out together.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Opal
There’s no denying that I’m absolutely terrified.
From the moment I saw the results of that test, there has been a tight ball of fear curled up in my stomach, flaring up into a sharp anxiety every time I thought about what I had to do now. I was a total wreck while waiting for Jason to get here, wearing a hole through my carpet with my pacing even though I had calculated what time he would get here based on when he normally left work.
Then he arrived early and everything changed.
As I sit across from him at the table, his hand gently curled around mine, I realize that I’m not scared anymore. There’s still a lot of stress, of course, especially when I think of everything that still needs to be done, but that bone-deep terror has gone away.
Despite what I previously thought, I’m not alone in this. Jason is here, promising me that he’ll be there every step of the way, and I believe him. He’s going to support me and our unborn child through it all.
There’s a warm feeling in my chest. It’s the same feeling that I’ve been getting more and more recently as I started to see different sides of Jason at work. I find myself smiling at him, though I’m certain I must look like a wreck now that my tears have cleared up.
“So, anything we need to discuss now?” Jason asks, smiling back. “Any upcoming doctor appointments, or…” He makes a face. “Anything we need to sign?”
The disgust on his face makes me laugh. Jason despises paperwork, which is why he’s always falling behind on it. I can’t imagine how high it must be stacked on his desk now that I’ve been gone for so long.
“Nothing right now,” I say. “I only took a home test. Now I need to book in with the doctor again to see what to do next.”
“Do you want to go back to Doctor Lovett?” Jason asks.
I consider this. I did actually like her.
“Yeah, I think so,” I say with a nod.
At least I won’t have to explain the situation again to a completely different doctor.
“I’ll book you with her in the morning,” Jason promises.
“Thanks,” I say gratefully. “As for everything else…let’s just let things settle for a few days, okay?” I stand and stretch, my hand, which I just realized Jason was still holding, falling from his. My skin feels oddly cold when I stop touching him. “We can let everything cool down before we start planning.”
“Sounds good,” Jason says, standing. “What about work?”
“Well…I’m pretty sure pregnancy isn’t contagious,” I say dryly. “So I think I’ll come back to work. If I spend any more time cooped up here, I’m going to go crazy.”
“I’m glad,” Jason says, grinning at me. “Work isn’t the same without you.”
There it is again, that warmth, though this time it spreads through my body, sending pleasant tingles down my spine.
And then something strikes me like a bolt of lightning.
In the wave of everything else that’s happened, I had forgotten my earlier realization. I have feelings for Jason. I don’t know what type of feelings those are, yet, but I have them. He makes me feel happy when he’s around. He makes me smile and laugh and relax. Having him here, now, makes me feel secure and content.
It’s why I can’t get away from him. It’s why I’ve never been able to walk away from him. Over and over, we butted heads in college and, with clearer eyes now that I’m an adult and not so angry about it all anymore, I can admit that there were times that I went looking for a fight. Even back then, Jason was magnetic.
It’s him. Somehow, for whatever reason, it’s always been him for me. I draw in a deep breath.
“Thank you,” I say quietly. I reach out