when Jake sits down across from me and pulls up his sleeve that I notice the fresh ink at the bottom of his tattoo sleeve.
“What’s that?” I ask, pushing his hand out of the way and tracing the new design.
It’s a doodled heart. One I recognize all too well. My heart picks up to the speed of a jackhammer, pounding in my chest.
“What?” Jake deflects, so obviously pretending not to know what I’m talking about, it’s obnoxious.
“That,” I say, reaching out to touch it with my finger.
“Oh,” he says, a smile settling onto his face and lighting up his eyes. “That’s for you. I had more to add to my story.”
I almost hyperventilate, but somehow, manage to keep it together enough to speak. “It’s just like the one from the paper.”
He nods, a teasing light coming into his eyes as I take a sip of coffee. “It should be. I had your dog do it.”
I sputter and spew coffee everywhere.
Jesus. He remembers. He remembers me making a fool of myself that very first day, all the way down to the insane excuse I gave for the doodle around his ad. “My dog did that.”
Chloe shakes her head like we’re crazy, but I lean across the table and touch my lips to his.
Yep. Never been happier.
Four weeks later…
Holley
Cheryl smiles at me as she walks into the examining room, dons a pair of gloves, and dips a test strip into my cup of pee.
I shake nervously as I see her lay the strip on the side of sink and watch as it develops. It’s been about six weeks since Jake and I slept together the first time and about five since I realized I could be pregnant, and it has been the longest time of my life. Mostly because I’ve been carrying the possibility around like a secret, waiting to get real confirmation before bringing Jake into the loop. Chloe, though, having been there for my initial breakdown, has been silently supportive and celebratory ever since.
I’ve managed to talk myself into being happy with either result, but the truth is, I’ve kind of gotten attached to the possibility of growing our family a little. Because that’s what Jake and Chloe are to me—my family.
Cheryl freezes as the test strip develops, and everything inside me shatters into a million happy pieces. Her smile is huge as she turns to face me and holds the strip up in explanation.
“I guess you changed your minds?” she asks, obviously remembering my last appointment when Jake put on a whole pretend show for the office staff and told them we were together.
Now, though, it’s no longer pretend.
Thank everything for that.
I smile. “I guess we did.”
The truth is, I can’t believe how far we’ve come in such a short time. But more than that, I can’t believe how believable it feels. Right. Like the best thing that’s ever happened to me by a long shot.
“Have you told Jake yet?”
I smile and laugh at the fact that she remembers our previous interaction well enough to remember his name, and I shake my head. I guess he just leaves that kind of impression on people. Hell, I couldn’t have forgotten anything about him after the first time I met him if I tried.
“I thought I’d do that now.”
“Is he here with you?” she asks excitedly, and I smile.
“I told him I thought I had a UTI.”
She smiles hugely, then, apparently thrilled with my deception. I’ll have to tell Jake when all of this is over. Maybe he can recruit her for the KGB. “Please tell me I can go get him?”
I nod, and she shoots out of the room before any other words can be exchanged. I move my hands to the table under my butt and sit on them.
It’s the only option, really, with my nerves running this rampant. I’m jumpy and awkward still—that hasn’t changed. And I don’t need to be waving my arms around, get out of control, and end up knocking myself off the table.
There’s a knock on the door, and I suck in a huge breath to try to calm myself down. Cheryl must be back with Jake. I have to admit, though, it’s really more nervous excitement than anything. Jake Brent has a way of making me know he’ll be okay with any surprise I throw his way—even this.
“Come in,” I call, my voice shaking noticeably.
Jake’s face is immediately drawn as he steps into the room and gets a look at me, and it’s