Aria lets out a deep sigh before leaning into me. I pull her in for a hug and hold her close. “It’s okay. They’ll come around. I promise,” I whisper.
When we get home, I fix a hot bubble bath and light a dozen scented candles around the bathroom.
“What’s going on?” Aria asks as I cover her eyes and lead her down the hall.
“You’ll see.” I walk her into the bathroom and remove my hands, letting her see the tub full of bubbles and all the candles.
She gives me a sad smile. “You didn’t have to do all of this.”
I pull her against me. “Yes, I did. You deserve something relaxing after the night we had.” I press my mouth to hers, and my hands get busy removing our clothes.
Finally, we slide into the tub, her back pressing against my chest. I wrap my arms around her, resting my hands on her flat stomach, but wanting to feel like I’m also holding our baby. My whole word is right here in my hands.
Suddenly I can’t remember why I was so freaked out about this to begin with. How could this scare me? Having a woman who loves me, having a child who’s part her and part me—evidence of our love—shouldn’t have scared me. I never should have run from this. I should have been running toward it.
I press my lips to her neck. “Don’t think about it, Aria.”
“It’s hard. I’ve never seen my father look more disappointed.”
“He’ll come around, baby.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“He will. Just give him some time. Let him adjust to the news. He’ll see I’m right for you, and that you’re the best thing for me.”
She spins around and climbs into my lap, wrapping her hands around my neck as her lips close in on mine. I pull her closer and deepen the kiss.
“I’ll never get enough of you,” I whisper against her mouth as I stand with her in my arms.
She lets out a squeal as I stand and walk to the bedroom.
“Ethan! We’re all wet!” she yells as we fall onto the bed.
“Who cares?” I ask, crawling up her naked, wet body. “I have to have you right now, Aria. I don’t have time for a towel.” I pull her thighs apart and position myself between them. “I’m going to fucking explode if I’m not inside you soon.” Taking myself in hand, I guide my tip between her slick folds. When I find her opening, she rocks her hips and I slide inside, right where I need to be. Home.
Chapter Seventeen
Aria
Today is my first doctor’s appointment, and I’m so excited to see my baby. It’s been a week since we broke the news to my parents, and so far, nothing. Every day at work, Daddy avoids me. He will answer any question I have, but he won’t go out of his way to start a conversation unless it’s work-related. As much as it bothers me that our relationship is strained, it doesn’t put a damper on my feelings toward Ethan and our baby.
Ethan looks like a nervous wreck as I’m lying on the table, wrapped with a sheet. I’m still too early for a normal ultrasound, so the only way to see the baby and get an exact measurement is to do the transvaginal ultrasound.
“Are you ready to see your baby for the first time?” Dr. Cruise asks when she steps in our room with a nurse.
“Yes, we can’t wait!” I turn and look at Ethan while holding out my hand. “Can we?”
He takes my hand and steps up to my side. “We’re both looking forward to it,” he tells her.
The nurse dims the lights and I lay back, placing my feet in the stirrups. They roll a cart closer to me, then slide a condom over the wand. The nurse applies some jelly, then the doctor guides it up the sheet.
I take a deep breath when the coldness slides into me, and Ethan’s grip on my hand tightens. He gives me a look that says, are you okay? But I smile and nod before turning my attention to the small screen.
“There it is. There’s your baby,” the doctor says, pointing at a little image on the screen.
“Aww, it looks like a diamond ring.”
Dr. Cruise nods. “It does. Exactly what we’d expect it to look like at six weeks.” She presses some buttons and takes some pictures, then she hits a few more buttons and we get to hear the baby’s heartbeat. It’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard, and it brings tears to my eyes. “We’re all done.” She removes the wand and Ethan helps me to sit up.
As I adjust my paper gown, the nurse hands me one of the printed pictures. The doctor removes her gloves and washes her hands before pulling out her prescription pad. “I’m going to write you a prescription for some prenatal vitamins, including some iron and B12 supplements; your blood work stated you were a little low. Make sure you take the vitamins with food every morning. They can cause you to feel nauseated, and I’m sure you have enough of that already.” She smiles, handing over the pieces of paper. “Also, the iron works better if you take it with some orange juice. It helps your body break it down and absorb it. Before you leave, set up another appointment in a month for your twelve-week mark.”
“Thank you, Dr. Cruise,” I say, unable to tear my eyes away from our first baby picture.
“Have a good day,” she says, stepping out of the room to allow us a moment.
“Can you believe it?” I ask, looking up at Ethan.
His eyes are watering, but he quickly wipes away the moisture. “She’s going to be beautiful. Just like her mama.”
I smile as my heart skips a beat. “Or he’s going to be as strong and handsome as his daddy.”
He leans in and gives me a long, slow kiss.
While Ethan goes to his doctor’s appointment for his neck, I take the sonogram picture over to show my mom. I know she may not be excited about it, but I am, and I want to share that with someone.
My nerves pick up the moment I pull into the driveway and see the winter wreath hanging on the door. I keep my eyes trained on it as I walk up the sidewalk: blue and white snowflakes, glitter, and silver tulle adorn the green leafy wreath.
I knock on the door, thankful that Daddy’s truck isn’t home. Mom answers, and her face brightens when she sees me.
She pulls me in for a hug. “Aria, I’m so glad you came by. I didn’t like the way we left things.”
“I didn’t either,” I agree when she pulls away.
She leads me into the kitchen and pours each of us a hot cup of tea. I remove my coat and hang it over the back of the chair. “I have something to show you.” I pull the picture from my coat pocket and hand it over when she sets my cup down on the table.
Her eyes tear up looking at it and she covers her mouth with her hand. Slowly, and without taking her eyes off the picture, she sits down. “Is this what you want, Aria?”
“Of course it is, Mama.” I sit beside her.
“You’re not just doing this because you feel like you have to? You love this man and you want this baby with everything inside of you?”
I smile. “I do. I love Ethan. He’s a good man, Mama. He’ll take care of us.” I place my hand on my still-flat stomach and look down. “And when it comes to this baby, I already love him or her. It’s funny how you don’t know what you want until you have it, you know?” I look back up at her.
She nods and places the picture on the table as she looks at me. “I know exactly what you mean,” she agrees, taking a sip of her tea. “I know your father isn’t happy about the news, Aria, but give him some time. You know your dad. He’s always right about everything, and no one can talk him into anything.” She smiles. “You’re a lot like him, you know.”
I scoff. “I am?”
She nods. “You are. When you say you want something, I believe you. You’ve always known what you wanted. You’ve never been the picky type who only wants what they can’t have. You know what you want and you go get it. And you cherish it once it’s yours. Your father is the same way. That’s why the two of you butt heads as much as you do.”
I pick up my cup and take a sip. “But he and Ves seem to click so well. They’re the same. They both have a one-track mind for their work
and they never settle. It took me years to decide on photography, and I still don’t have a career in it.”
“You think your dad knew he wanted to sell tractors when he was your age?” She laughs. “That was his dad’s dream, not his.”
“What did Daddy want to do?”
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t you dare tell him I told you this, but he wanted to be an actor.” She laughs. “He was good-looking enough, and he wasn’t bad at acting. He was in several local plays. He had a manager, but nothing ever came of it. When I found out I was pregnant with Vesper, he gave it up and opened the dealership like his father had begged him to do for years. So that wild streak you have, that’s all him, honey.”
“Do you think he’ll come around—that he’ll accept Ethan and me as a couple and love this baby?”
She leans forward with a kind smile as she pats my hand. “He already has, sweetheart. You just have to give him time to realize it.”
Mom and I sit and drink our tea while talking about everything. As it turns out, Vesper is only a couple weeks ahead of me, which means there’s a good shot the babies could be born around the same time.
When the sun starts to set, Mom and I call it quits for the night. She hugs me before I step out the door. I’m halfway to my car when Dad pulls up in the driveway. Seeing him causes me to freeze. He steps out of the truck and slowly walks over, eyes locked on mine.
“Aria.” He nods a hello.
“Daddy,” I reply, wrapping my arms around myself to stay warm.
“Look, Aria, I’m really sorry about the way I acted at dinner the other night.”
I press my lips together and wait.
“It was completely uncalled for. Ethan is a good guy, and I know he’ll take care of you. I was just surprised is all. But it wouldn’t have mattered if it had been Ethan or a guy your own age. I’m just not ready for my little girl to settle down yet, let alone have a baby. You have so much life ahead of you. I just don’t want to see you settle, cupcake.”
His nickname for me brings down all my walls. “I’m not settling, Dad. Ethan is it for me. I’ve known for a while now. The baby wasn’t planned, but he or she is welcome all the same. I know Ethan will take care of us, and I know he’ll be a good daddy to this baby.” I pull out the picture and show him.
The moment he sees it, his eyes tear up. He smiles, but covers it with his fist. “This baby is going to be beautiful, Aria.”
“Thanks, Daddy.” I lean in and give him a hug. He squeezes me closely, then pulls away. “You’d better get going. It’s getting cold and dark. You don’t need to be out driving. A storm is supposed to be coming through and the roads could get dangerous.”
I slip the picture back into my pocket. “Okay, Daddy. I’ll see you later?”
He nods. “I’ll see you later.” He smiles before turning and heading for the door.
“How’d your appointment go?” I ask Ethan when he walks in to find me attempting to cook dinner.
He shrugs out of his coat and hangs it up by the door. “Surgery is scheduled for next week. Did you see your mom?”
I nod. “I did. And my dad.”
“And?”
“Mom is excited about the baby. Dad is coming around. He’s talking to me again, and seems happy that he has another grandchild on the way. The issue wasn’t with you. He said he just wasn’t ready to see me settle down yet. His reaction would have been the same if I had brought in a guy my own age.”
Ethan wraps his arms around me and gives me a kiss. “I knew he’d come around. Now we can put all our energy into watching this little one grow while we start getting things ready for its arrival.”
I laugh. “We need another name other than it.” I laugh.
“Hmm, how about monster?”
I pull back quickly. “Monster?”
He laughs. “Yeah, you know, because this baby snuck up and scared the shit out of me.”
Giggles take over as I rest my head on his chest. “Monster sounds good, for now.”
Ethan ends up helping me finish dinner, and we both sit on the couch and watch TV while we eat. Afterwards, I kick my feet up into his lap, and he gently massages them while I drift in and out of sleep. I didn’t even do anything today, but I can’t get enough sleep. It’s like my body is using every last ounce of energy I have to grow this little baby.
I wake later and find myself in bed. I roll over and Ethan’s eyes are open. “You were out like a light. You didn’t even wake up when I removed your shoes or jeans.”
I let out a tired giggle. “You took off my jeans?”
He shrugs. “Jeans aren’t comfortable to sleep in. Oh, and I told my super that I’ll be moving out soon. I hope that’s okay.”
“Oh, you want to move in here?”
“Well, yeah. I figured we’d have to get a bigger place with the baby on the way anyway. And you don’t need the stress of moving while pregnant. I can pack up the few things I have and live here while I work on the cabin. That is, if you want me to. I know we haven’t talked about living in the cabin yet, but that’s my dream, Aria. I want us to live there. I want to raise our children there. There’s so much room to grow. It’ll be perfect for a family.”
I smile. “Children?”
He pulls me closer. “Now that I’ve been thinking about it, I want more than one. What do you think?”
“It sounds perfect, Ethan.” I press my lips to his, and he tugs me closer—like he can never get enough of me.
Chapter Eighteen
Ethan
I wake in the morning to find at least a foot of snow on the ground. I quickly write Aria a note saying I’m running to the store, and head out. I clean off my truck and get behind the wheel. I always leave my neck brace in the passenger seat so I can put it on while I’m driving. Normally, just sitting or sleeping doesn’t bother my neck. It only hurts when I forget that it’s hurt and I turn it—something I often have to do while driving. The brace, at least, reminds me that I am hurt—that I should be careful and turn my head slowly while using my peripheral vision as much as possible.
I make a mental list of things I want to grab from the store. I don’t want Aria driving on the snow and ice, so I want to make sure we have everything she could need. Driving by the dealership, I find Gary’s truck parked out front. Without thinking too much about it, I turn in, wanting to have my own conversation with him about our current situation.
I walk in and the first thing I hear is a loud, “Damn it!” I take a few steps inside and find him fighting with the coffee maker. Aria always makes the coffee, so I’m sure he’s completely lost without her.
I rush up to him. “Let me help with that, sir.”
He takes a step back and watches every move I make.
“Thank you, Ethan. I’ve never worked this damned machine before.”
I chuckle. “It’s not a problem. What are you doing open today? When Aria said she didn’t have to work today, I figured you were closed due to weather.”
“I called her this morning and told her not to worry about coming in. I didn’t want her driving on the roads. What are you doing out?”
“I’m on my way to the store. I figured I’d stock up the kitchen so Aria wouldn’t need to venture out in this mess.” I finish up the coffee and it starts to brew.
“Huh, looks like we both had the same idea.” He steps past me and I follow him to his office where we both sit down.
“Listen, sir…”
“No, Ethan. You listen.” He leans forward in his seat, resting his elbows on his desk. “I see the way you look at my daughter. I know you love her. But the question is, will you continue to love her? She’s brought home a lot of boys over the years—I’m used to seeing her with man after man—but none of them have ever knocked her up.”
I nod. “Sir, I love Aria. I was stupid before. I didn’t want to look inside myself and see what I truly felt for her. But this baby has changed everything. Initially, it made me act like a complete ass and run away f
or fear of screwing up. But then I realized that the fear I was feeling was turning me into the exact person I didn’t want to be: a screw-up. I want Aria. I want our baby. And I want the life we’re going to build together. And I’m sorry about what I said at dinner. I didn’t mean to be so…blunt.”
“I’m glad you were, Ethan. It showed me that you’re willing to stick up for my daughter, even against me. I like that about you. I know you’re a good guy, and I know you’ll take care of her. I just want to make sure you both know that even if you don’t work out, you’re having a baby, which will tie you two together for the rest of your lives.”
I nod. “I know that, sir, but I wouldn’t worry about that too much. There’s no way I’m ever letting her go.”
He holds out his hand to shake. “And here I was thinking I was only giving you a job,” he jokes.
I shake his hand and we both stand, walking back out to the sales floor. Gary goes straight for his coffee.
“I have one more question for you, sir.”
He turns around to face me, coffee in hand. “What’s that?”
I reach into my pocket and pull out a small box. Opening it, I show him the contents. “I’ve come to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”
He smiles and pats me on the back. “If it’s okay with her, it’s okay with me,” he says, looking down at the ring in my hand.
“Thank you.”
After the dealership, I swing by the grocery store and pick up everything Aria has been craving this past week. I walk it all up to the apartment in one trip, nearly dropping everything in the middle of the kitchen floor. I pull off my neck brace and slowly roll my neck to loosen it up, but that action shoots more pain up the back of my head and down my back.
I hear Aria in the bathroom, already losing the contents of her stomach.
I grab a bottle of water and some chicken-flavored crackers and head down the hall. “I come bearing provisions,” I say, sticking my head in the doorway.
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