True Grit Spirit: A Maddie Graves and Hannah Hickok Mystery
Page 20
“You keep saying that. I don’t think it’s true, though.”
“Well, it is.” Maddie made a popping sound with her lips and looked to the window. “How long do you think they’ll be down there?”
Hannah held out her hands and shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m guessing you’ll have your answer before they get up here, though. Cooper mentioned taking everybody out to dinner once they were finished with the Bickersons downstairs.”
“Dinner sounds nice.” Maddie’s voice was low, vacant.
Hannah leaned forward. “Maddie, it’s going to be okay either way. I know you’re afraid. Personally, I don’t understand why you’re so afraid, but I guarantee everything is going to work out.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because you and Nick love each other. I knew that the first moment I saw you together.”
“Yeah.” Maddie rolled her neck. “We’ve talked about kids. They were always going to happen. I just thought we would have more time.”
“Well, life doesn’t always work out how you think it’s going to work out.” Hannah used her most rational tone. “I’m willing to bet that even if you think you’re not ready, this is going to turn out to be one of the best things that’s ever happened to you. If anyone is geared to be parents, it’s you and Nick.”
“In my head, I know you’re right,” Maddie said. “It’s just ... it feels like a lot. We’ve only been married a few months.”
“And yet it seems you guys were destined to be together since kindergarten.”
“Yeah.” Maddie rubbed her hands on her knees and looked toward the bathroom. “The test should be done.”
Hannah waited for her to get up. When she didn’t, the amused witch decided to take it upon herself to move things along. “Do you want me to read the test?”
Maddie looked grateful at the suggestion. “Would you?”
“Absolutely.” Hannah was on her feet in a flash and heading toward the bathroom. Honestly, she was convinced she was more excited to know the news than Maddie.
In the living room, Maddie sat ramrod straight and stared at the wall. She barely noticed when the door opened to allow Nick and Cooper entrance.
“What are you doing, Mad?” Nick asked, pulling up short.
“What?” Maddie’s lips were unnaturally dry and her heart felt as if it was going to pound out of her chest. “What do you mean? I’m not doing anything.”
“Um ... .” Nick broke off when he saw Hannah rush out of the bathroom, holding what looked like a plastic pen of some sort. “Is something going on?”
“I’ll say.” Hannah waved the pen in the air. “Maddie took a pregnancy test.”
All the bravado fled Nick’s face as he looked between the two women. “And?”
Hannah looked to Maddie. “Do you want the news in front of everyone?”
Maddie swallowed hard and nodded. “Just tell me. Not knowing is worse.”
Hannah flipped the test around. “Two lines. You’re definitely pregnant.”
All the oxygen whooshed out of Maddie’s lungs as she tried to wrap her head around her new reality. Despite her words — to anyone within earshot — she’d known in her heart what the outcome would be.
“A baby, huh?” Nick recovered quickly, his grin lightning quick. “Well, I don’t want to be that guy, but I believe I told you this was a possibility this morning.”
Maddie’s mouth dropped open. “Are you really going to ‘I told you so’ me right now? This is a big deal, Nicky. We’re going to have a baby.”
“I know.” He swooped in and slid his arm under her legs so he could slide into the chair underneath her and hold her on his lap. “I can’t believe it.”
With more trepidation than she thought possible, Maddie cast him a sidelong look. “Are you upset?”
“What? Don’t be ridiculous.” He shook his head and planted a kiss on her cheek. “I’m happy, Mad. I just ... I have so much to do.”
She frowned. “I think you’ve already done enough.”
He chuckled at her faux outrage. “I was talking about the other stuff ... like a nursery ... and a crib ... and one of those colorful mobiles for above the crib. Oh, we need to decide on a theme. I’m thinking turtles.”
Maddie was absolutely flabbergasted. “That’s it? You don’t want to freak out about this for a few minutes with me? Instead you want to go to wallpaper and mobiles and forget about everything else.”
“Ooh. Do you think they make Petoskey Stone wallpaper? We could do the nursery up right if we did a wall in Petoskey Stone wallpaper.”
Maddie’s face was a blank wall. “Nicky ... .”
“I need to get those things to cover all the outlets so the baby doesn’t electrocute himself. I really do want a boy to start with so he can watch out for any future little girls, but I know you can’t control that. A little girl would be fun, too. I really need her to look like you, though.”
Cooper chuckled as he flopped onto the couch next to Hannah, amusement washing over his handsome features as he watched the happy couple discuss their future offspring. “How are you doing?” he asked, linking their fingers. “Are you okay?”
Hannah nodded as she rested her head against his shoulder. She was enjoying watching the Nick and Maddie Show. “I’m a little disappointed because it was over before I could even get involved but, in hindsight, that doesn’t seem like such a bad thing.”
“I agree.” He brushed his lips against her forehead. “It’s a great relief to me that nobody almost died today. Maddie kept things calm and was completely in control of the situation for the entire time. Nobody was hurt. There was no magic flying around. It was a good day.”
“Yeah.” Hannah shifted so she could study Cooper’s strong profile. “I still feel as if it was a letdown. I didn’t get to curse anybody or anything.”
He chuckled. “You are ... so much work.”
“You like the work.”
“I love the work.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Do you want a rundown of what we know so far?”
Hannah nodded without hesitation. “Lay it on me.”
“Carrie killed Velma because she found out Velma got a lucrative contract with a cruise line that was worth a seven-figure advance and an additional seven-figure backend. Guess who she was taking with her.”
“Melanie.”
He nodded. “Carrie was about to be cut out. Velma let the information slip right before her big announcement and Carrie freaked out.”
“I don’t think Carrie was wound too tight from the start.”
“No,” Cooper agreed. “She’s still trying to paint Cadence as the bad guy — and I think there are definitely a few skeletons in her closet — but we have the gist of it. Boone is taking them both in for now.”
“That’s probably for the best.”
“Yeah.” He sighed into her hair as he snuggled her close. “So, what should we do for dinner? I’m thinking an expectant mother needs protein. We could take them to that awesome chophouse.”
Hannah perked up. “You know that place is my favorite.”
“Oh, wow, fancy that.” His grin widened. “Are you saying I can make you happy and help Maddie protein load at the same time? What a happy coincidence.”
“Every day with you is a happy ... something.”
“Right back at you.” Cooper dipped in for a kiss, only pulling back when he realized Maddie and Nick had gone silent. When he shifted his gaze to them, he found them fused together at the mouth. “And another happy ending,” he whispered.
“They’re all happy endings now, even when they’re not, because we’re together,” Hannah said.
“So, you’re no longer disappointed you didn’t get to whip out your magic?”
“Oh, I’m going to be ticked about that for days. This, though, helps ease the pain. And, when we bring two huge containers of dessert home later, we’ll be able to eradicate the rest of it with cheesecake and chocolate cake.”
His smirk
was so wide it almost swallowed his entire face. “I love the way you think.”
She repeated his words back to him and snuggled close. “Right back at you.”
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About the Author
Amanda M. Lee and Lily Harper Hart
I want to thank everyone who takes the time to read my novels. I have a particular brand of humor that isn’t for everyone – and I know that.
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