by Natalie Ann
Mason had the gall to start laughing. “You’re dating the owner and she’s telling you about free beer. Come on, Jessica. She was trying to fish for information.”
“Oh,” Jessica said, not thinking of that. Why didn’t she think of that? Guess she really didn’t make friends here after all.
“Hey,” he said, hugging her again. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sorry I said that.”
“You’re really okay?” she asked, pushing back and looking him over. It didn’t look like there was anything wrong with him. Not a scratch or a ruffled nerve. Unlike her.
“Yes. I am. Did you skip your last class?” he asked, looking at the clock on the wall.
“No. I was there and got the text and just got up and left. I couldn’t stay after hearing that.”
“Why don’t we go get some lunch and we can talk?” he said.
She was about to say yes but then started to feel lightheaded and everything went black.
***
“Jessica? Jessica?” Mason was patting her cheek and praying he wasn’t having a heart attack right now, but his heart was pounding so hard against his chest it felt like a jackhammer getting ready to break through concrete. What he’d felt when Dale had him wrapped or Travis’s gun on him was peanuts to what he felt when Jessica went down. “I think she’s coming around.”
“Mason?” she whispered.
“Yeah, it’s me. I think you passed out. Damn it, don’t scare me like that,” he said. He wanted to shout at her but didn’t think it’d be a good thing for either of them.
“The ambulance is on the way.”
Mason turned his head to Mac who had been turning the corner to Mason’s office when he yelled the minute Jessica went white and crumbled to the floor like a wet noodle.
She started to sit up. “I don’t need an ambulance. I was just lightheaded. I’m hungry. Nothing more. I just need something to eat.”
He helped her up and into the chair. “They can check you out just the same. When was the last time you ate?” he asked, frowning at her. She was looking way too fragile to him, like the good china in his mother’s house that no one was allowed to touch for fear their big hands would break it on contact.
“I had oatmeal this morning, but I’m starving right now. I came right here instead of getting food though.”
He went around to his desk and opened a drawer, then handed her a protein bar. “Here. Try that and see if it helps.”
She wrinkled her nose. “They taste like paper.”
“But it’s food.”
“Not good food,” she argued.
He couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. “Just eat it. I hear the ambulance coming now.”
“Just great. Talk about embarrassing. As if everyone isn’t already talking about me.”
He wanted to ask what she was talking about but decided it didn’t matter. “Sit tight.”
“Like you’re going to let me get up and walk downstairs,” she said.
The paramedics came upstairs with bags in their hands, checking Jessica over, taking her blood pressure and her pulse.
“Blood pressure is pretty low. Same with your pulse,” one of the paramedics said.
“It normally is,” Jessica said. “I’m anemic too.”
“Have you ever passed out before?” the paramedic asked, putting his stethoscope back in his bag.
Jessica shook her head. “No. It’s probably nothing more than too much excitement for the day and I’m hungry.”
“Don’t blame this on me,” Mason said.
“Do you want to go to the hospital?” the paramedic asked, ignoring her and Mason’s conversation.
“No,” Jessica said firmly.
“Then I need you to sign this release. I do recommend you get in to see your primary though.”
Mason watched while Jessica signed the release and everyone left. “Can we go get some lunch now?”
“After we go to urgent care,” he said.
“I’m fine, Mason,” she argued.
“Too bad. I’m bigger and stronger and that is where I’m taking you. Try to fight me.” When she narrowed her eyes, he only laughed.
***
“This is a complete waste of time,” she said, sitting on an exam table. “I feel fine. They aren’t going to be able to tell me anything.”
“Maybe they’ll draw some blood. Don’t you want to know for sure?” Mason asked.
“I guess. It was scary. Still, I’m sure it’s nothing.”
“Let the doctor make that assessment.”
There wasn’t much more she could say before a nurse walked in and went through all the same questions the paramedics did, then took her blood pressure again, commenting on it being low. “Any medications you’re taking?”
“Nothing other than birth control. I haven’t been sick at all either.”
“I’m going to have you go to the lab and draw up some blood just to be on the safe side. Is there a chance that you could be pregnant?”
She laughed. “I’m on the pill, I told you. So no.”
“We’ll still test for that too. The pill isn’t foolproof.”
“Whatever,” Jessica said. “I’m not even due to get my period for another few days.”
The nurse left the room a few minutes later after handing over a print-out. “Just take a left and go down the hall, then through the doors.”
“Could you be pregnant?” Mason asked her, not looking all that steady right now.
“I doubt it. Like I said, I’m not even due to get my period. Wouldn’t I know if I was?” This had to all be a joke right now.
“But you’ve never had to worry about it before,” he pointed out.
“Still. I take my pill at exactly the same time every day and I’ve never missed one day. Trust me. It’s something else.”
Only it wasn’t. She was pregnant.
Breaking the Silence
Later that night Jessica was quietly looking through the cabinets in her small kitchen while Mason watched on. He wasn’t saying much, but that wasn’t uncommon either. She’d probably be more concerned if he was talking to her.
“Are you okay?” Mason asked, finally breaking the silence.
“I’m in shock. I guess that’s to be expected though. How about you?” She’d turned and was leaning against the counter, now staring at him. He was holding her gaze and still thinking, she could see it. If thinking could be sexy, that was Mason Fierce as he tried to form his words.
“Still processing it,” he said.
“Are you mad?” She needed to know if he was. It’d kill her, but she’d rather he told her than find out later that he resented her over this. “I didn’t know this would happen. I’ve never missed a pill a day in my life. I might be one of the only women I know that takes it at exactly the same time every day for the last four years. I always feared this could happen.”
“I’m not mad at all,” he said. “Why would you ask that?”
“You’re quieter than normal,” she pointed out.
“So are you.”
“True. I think I know when it happened,” she said, forcing a grin.
“When?”
“That night you all but attacked me from behind. You were pretty fierce that night...no pun intended. I’m thinking your little swimmers had a dose of something potent that nothing could stop.” She was still smiling when she said it, but he didn’t seem to react much and her smile started to crumble like one of those cookies you bought in the store that was so stale nothing held them together. “Sorry. I was trying to make a joke out of it.”
He jumped up and rushed to her, then pulled her into his arms. “It’s funny. I swear it is.”
“Then why aren’t you laughing?” She was crying now. The front she tried so hard for just wasn’t going to work. “I’m so scared.”
“Shhh. Don’t be scared. I’m sorry if my being quiet is making it worse. I’m thinking. I’m planning. That’s all. Nothing bad. It’s the way
I am. I’m not mad. I’m not even upset over it. It’s a shock, sure, but it’s not really a bad one if I think about it.”
“Yes, it is,” she wailed. She wasn’t sure she’d ever wailed a day in her life, but if a time ever called for it, she was thinking it was now. “I haven’t even graduated yet. I’m twenty-two and am going to be a single mother with nothing more than a part-time job. I was valedictorian of my class. My mother is going to freak.” That might be the biggest problem she was having right now. The bitter sound of disappointment in her mother’s tone.
He pulled her over to the couch and forced her to look at him. “You’re less than two months from graduation. That isn’t going to change. You’re still going to get a degree and a damn good one. You’ve got me, so that doesn’t make you single. You aren’t doing this alone. Matter of fact I think you should move in with me now too.” Her jaw dropped, but he kept talking. “Who gives a shit about being valedictorian? That was high school. No one cares about that once you’ve been accepted into college. And last. You shouldn’t let what your mother thinks bother you.”
He was right on most of his points—she shouldn’t care what anyone thought. Especially her mother, but that was easier said than done. As for college, again right. Not much longer, and being pregnant wouldn’t affect that in the least.
“I’m not moving in with you,” she said.
“Why?”
He looked confused. “Because my apartment is closer to school. It’s more convenient for me to stay here. There is no reason for us to live together right now.”
Or at all, but she didn’t say that because he might not be happy to hear it. She didn’t want him to ask her out of obligation. She wanted him to ask her because he cared about her. Because he still wanted her.
Because he loved her.
“Then once school is over you can move in. Right?”
She was shocked he wasn’t arguing with her...wasn’t pushing her. And because of that, she said, “I’ll think about it.”
“Tell me why you’re really scared then.”
She liked that he knew her well enough to know there was more going on. “I don’t know how to be a mother.” She wiped her nose on her sleeve, then she cringed. Who does that? See, she couldn’t be a mother!
“We’re both smart people. We can figure it out. If Brody can glide into it, anyone can,” he said, laughing.
“But Sidney isn’t a baby,” she argued.
“No. But Aimee did it on her own. Lots of people do. And you won’t be on your own. I’m scared too, but we’ll get through it together. I know it. So really, I’d like you to move in with me. Give us time to work this all out. Plan and prepare like I know you want to.”
“I’ll think about it,” she said again. He was right, she needed to plan it out and it wasn’t fair to do it without him. They’d made this child together and she had to be mature about this.
Which was why the rest of that week and the next they were never apart at night. If she didn’t stay at his house, then he stayed at hers and it seemed he’d gotten his way after all. Funny thing was, she wasn’t the least bit bothered by it.
***
Easter Sunday, Mason was driving to his parents’ house. It was going to be the first full family function that Jessica had been to with him. He was looking forward to it, and it seemed she was too.
“We aren’t saying anything,” Jessica reminded him on the way over…again!
“I know,” he said. He wanted to though. Desperately. He wanted to share the news with his family and it was killing him not to. But he’d heard all her reasons about it being too early and understood it.
Nah, he really didn’t. But he’d respect her decision...for now.
“Jessica,” his mother said, coming forward and hugging her when she walked in the door. “I’m so glad you’re joining us.”
“Thanks for inviting me,” she said, looking around the room. It was just the three of them at the moment. His mother always came rushing forward to hug people.
“No hug for me, Mom?” he asked.
His mother wrinkled her nose and gave him a hug and kiss too. “You’re just trying to show off in front of your girlfriend,” his mother said.
When Jessica laughed he knew it was working. He wanted them back to the way they were before. Or maybe not completely because they did seem to be closer now. Just not as carefree and he was missing that with her since it seemed he never had it with anyone else other than his siblings.
Their time together lately was spent talking about the future and trying to figure things out. She wanted it all mapped out and he was holding off for now. Giving just enough, but not everything.
He kept telling her to just get through school and focus on that only, then they’d work out the details as there was still time. She was barely six weeks pregnant at this point since they’d found out before she would have even had any indication.
“Everyone is here but Cade?” Mason asked. He recognized the cars in the driveway.
“Late as always,” his mother said. “He should have been the last one out, not Ella.”
“I pushed him out of the way,” Ella said, walking in the room. “He was crowding me like he always did.”
It’d been a running joke that Cade seemed to want to crowd and torment Ella the most. After all, they did work in the same office and even went to college together too. Someone had to watch out for her and since they both were majoring in business Cade seemed the likely choice.
“Everyone is on the deck,” his mother said. “It’s a beautiful day and Aiden and Nic have banished us from the kitchen. Let’s get a beer and relax.”
His mother always loved a good beer and made her way toward the deck, with Ella passing them and going in the other direction with her phone in her hand. Must be she wanted to make a call. Probably work and Mason wondered if Ella worked more than all of them combined.
“Mason,” Jessica whispered. “Grab me a water or something before we get out there.”
“You go,” he said. “I’ll take care of it.” He leaned down and gave her a kiss on the lips and pushed her along, then made his way to the kitchen.
“Smells good in here,” he said to Aiden, interrupting him and Nic during an embrace. “You better not be burning anything because you’re too busy with your hands roaming on something other than the food.”
“Nice,” Aiden said. “Gross, but funny.”
“It wasn’t meant to be gross, but if your mind goes there, that’s not my fault.”
“All right, you two,” Nic said, turning to move back to the stove. “Be nice, Mason. My grandparents are out there. No dirty talk.”
Aiden laughed. “They’re probably saying all sorts of stuff about us in Italian and you know it.”
Nic walked over and kissed Aiden quickly. “Then you need to learn Italian to find out.”
Mason shook his head, opened the fridge and got himself a bottle of beer and a water for Jessica. At least he didn’t have to hide how he felt about Jessica in front of anyone anymore.
Which he didn’t do when he walked out to the deck and handed her the water, pulled her up from the chair she was on and put her back on his lap. If that got his mother smirking over that move, he ignored it.
What couldn’t be ignored, though, was two hours later when they were all seated at the table for dinner, and his mother got up to get herself a beer and asked Jessica if she’d like a glass of wine because she hadn’t been drinking anything but water. “No, I’m good with water.”
“Still a little off from when you passed out?” his mother asked, not letting it drop. “That had to be so scary. Did they find out what caused it?”
“I feel much better, but I’m steering clear of alcohol for a bit,” she said quickly.
Considering what their family did for a living, Mason knew it wouldn’t be dropped that fast. Of course Cade had to pipe in. “So how does that make you feel, Mason? Your brew is making Jessica ill and she’d rather drink
water.”
“Don’t be an ass,” Brody said. “Cade, she isn’t drinking any alcohol at all.”
Mason thought that would be the end of it, but when he looked around the table his mother and Aimee were looking at Jessica in an odd way.
Get Out of This
When dinner was done, Jessica was out on the deck playing with Sidney, blowing bubbles and giggling up a storm. She’d been happier today than she’d been in a few days and Mason was thrilled to see that. That maybe life could settle down and move on in the right direction soon.
She fit in so well with his family, not that he’d thought otherwise.
He went into the house to get her another bottle of water. The two of them had been reading everything they could about pregnancy and vitamins and diet. So far Jessica was doing everything by the book, not that he expected any different.
When he went to leave the kitchen, his mother walked in. “Walk with me in the other room,” she said and he followed because he had no choice. She’d chase him around the house jabbering in his ear if he didn’t. They all learned a long time ago to do what she asked or what she said the first time; otherwise she’d make it worse and you’d end up listening anyway.
“What’s up?” he asked when they went into the front living room.
“What’s wrong with Jessica?”
“Nothing,” he said. “Why?”
“Is she pregnant?”
He opened his mouth and then shut it again. How the hell did she know that and what was he supposed to say? “Why are you asking that?”
His mother’s eyes just lit right up and she started to bounce on her toes. She was like a windup toy getting ready to have the string pulled away so she could ricochet off the walls.
“Is she or not?” He didn’t say a word, so she jumped back in. “She had more to eat than you today and she’s had nothing more than water to drink. And she passed out last week. I passed out a few times early on in my pregnancy too. Scared the crap out of your father.”