THE BEST KIND OF SURPRISE

by Miller, Jasmin

  Hearing his footsteps behind me, I slowly turn around. Might as well face the music. I promised myself I wouldn’t run away—not that I kept it for long.

  I shrug, not sure what to say. After a moment, I decide to go with the truth. “I thought you’d prefer it if I was gone when you woke up.” Okay, so half the truth, but that seems like it’s good enough for right now.

  He stops a few feet away, close enough for me to smell the same cologne he was wearing the night I met him. The scent brings back all sorts of memories and sensations, like my body’s going through the muscle memory from that night.

  “I never said anything like that.” His face is serious, a frown deeply etched into his forehead.

  He’s so different today from our first meeting. Back then, he was fun, cocky, and incredibly flirty. Now, he’s serious and tense all over, his veins popping out on his arms and neck, distracting me even more than I already am.

  Refocusing on his face, I remember he’s waiting for an answer. “I know you didn’t say anything like that, but I guess I just assumed it’s your preference.” I shrug my shoulders several times, my nerves taking over. “Some of my friends said guys usually want it as easy as possible. It’s supposed to make it less messy and hurtful, but I’m not exactly an expert.”

  He grunts, and that’s all he gives me before we’re both quiet again.

  Minutes tick by, or at least that’s what it feels like, and I’m about to lose this intense staring contest.

  As if he knows it too, he takes a step closer. “Stella, why did you come here?” His voice is softer now, more like my memory recalls.

  Hearing him say my name, when I wasn’t even sure he remembered it, makes my heart go pitter-patter, and my mouth falls open.

  Damn him. Why does he have to be so incredibly good-looking?

  And his scent. It must have some sort of endorphins in it because I’m feeling a little dizzy.

  Reaching out with one hand, I grab hold of the back of the couch. The leather is cold to the touch, and I feel like I’m going to vomit. “I’m pregnant.”

  He rears back as if I slapped him across the face.

  I retrieve the piece of paper out of my purse, where I wrote my phone number earlier, and hold it out to him. When he doesn’t take it, I lay it on top of the couch, clearing my throat. “Well, I just thought you deserved to know. But no worries, I don’t expect anything from you.”

  Turning around, I head to the door. This time, I actually make it there.

  He finds his voice again when I’m halfway out the door. “Is this for real? You’re really pregnant?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you’re sure it’s mine?”

  I squeeze my eyes shut, taking a deep breath. The words hurt, cutting deeply into my heart, but I get it. He doesn’t know I’d never had a one-night stand before I met him. He also doesn’t know he’s only the second guy I’ve ever had sex with, and that I hadn’t had any in a long time prior. I’m sure he probably didn’t even mean anything bad by asking that question, but it hurt nonetheless.

  Without turning around, I give him an answer. “Yes, it’s yours. One hundred percent.” With that, I walk out the door, closing it behind me.

  At least that part is over and I can go back to my normal life. Well, as normal as it’s going to be with a growing baby inside of me.

  Aiden’s baby.

  3

  Aiden

  It took me a week to get my shit together. A whole week I spent mostly passed out in my apartment. I’m not proud of myself, but in hindsight, I think I needed it to wrap my head around everything.

  Today is the first day I feel more like myself again, and I’m ready to tackle the problem.

  The problem.

  I probably shouldn’t call it that, especially not in front of anyone. I can’t imagine that going well. Ever.

  I grab my phone from the coffee table and type out a message to Stella. I programmed her number in my phone the second she left my apartment last week.

  Me: Could we meet up later to talk? Aiden

  There. That sounds civilized, right? Not like any of the things I wanted to text her during this past week while I was drunk.

  Thankfully, the little dots appear at the bottom of the screen, so I know she’s typing a reply. At least she’s still talking to me.

  Stella: I’m off work at 5 p.m., so I could meet you at the Shoreline Beach Cafe around 5:30.

  Totally impersonal—not that I deserve more after not contacting her sooner.

  I didn’t make any effort to get in touch with her after she told me she was going to have a baby. My baby.

  Shit. Does she even make enough money to take care of a baby on her own? Fuck. Now that I think about it, she didn’t even say if she was going to keep it, did she? She mentioned she didn’t expect anything from me though, and she wouldn’t say that if she didn’t want the baby, right? My head’s suddenly exploding with a million questions, but I’m getting way ahead of myself.

  This is exactly why I want to see her, to clear things up.

  Me: Sounds good. I’ll be there.

  * * *

  Stella pulls the chair back from the table before I even realize she’s here. “Sorry I’m late. The last few customers couldn’t make up their minds.” Picking up one of the menus from the table, she closes her eyes and fans her face with it.

  Watching her like a hawk, my eyes move over every inch of her beautiful face, stopping at her slightly parted lips. I remember exactly what those lips tasted like, and I wonder if it’s still the same.

  She slaps the menu on the table. “You’ve got to stop doing that.”

  “Stop what?” I was so focused on her mouth, I didn’t notice her looking at me.

  Shaking her head, she leans in. “Looking like you want to do me on the table. Or am I wrong, and that’s not what you’re thinking about?”

  Well, hell. What am I supposed to say to that? “Is that a trick question?” I’m relieved when she laughs.

  “You’re something, Aiden, I’ll give you that.”

  The waiter comes to get our order, successfully breaking the awkward moment between us.

  When we’re alone again, she brushes the hair out of her face and looks at me. “So, why did you want to meet up?”

  “For several reasons.” I inhale deeply. “For starters, I wanted to apologize for letting you leave like that last week, and then taking so long to contact you. That was a jerk move. And if it’s worth anything, I also feel like shit for asking if it’s mine.” I can’t get the words “my baby” out of my mouth, but she obviously knows what I’m talking about.

  She holds up both hands. “No, no, I get it. And just for the record, I’m not one to sleep around. I hadn’t had sex in over a year when we met.”

  Well, that little fact takes a minute to sink in. Even though it’s hard to wrap my head around, with how beautiful and fascinating she is, I believe the genuine look in her eyes. “Thanks for telling me.”

  “Of course. It’s a little embarrassing to talk about, but you deserve to know. I mean, we’re talking about a baby here. A real human being. I don’t want to lie to you about things.”

  A baby.

  My baby.

  It still seems utterly surreal, and I have a feeling it will take a while for that to change, maybe even until it’s born.

  She puts one of her hands on the round table between us, lightly tapping the surface with her fingertips. My eyes follow the movement, and I find myself itching to touch her.

  “...appointment next week.” Her voice startles me.

  “Sorry, what?”

  She shakes her head and gives me her first real smile since that night we spent together. It makes her whole face shine, and I have a hard time focusing on her words. “I said, I have my first doctor’s appointment next week. I can let you know how it goes if you’re interested.”

  “No.”

  “No, you don’t want me to tell you?”

  I
t’s impossible to miss the way her face falls, and I feel like a jerk. “Sorry. I meant that I’d like to come with you, if you don’t mind. I’ve had all week to think about this little surprise, and I’d like to be as involved as possible, if that’s okay with you.” Since she doesn’t say anything, I continue, “I’d also like to take you out to dinner, or you can come to my place, so we can spend some time together. I want to get to know you better.”

  She opens and closes her mouth several times before she nods. “Oh, okay. That’s only fair, I guess. I mean, you are the father, after all.”

  It’s easy to tell she’s convinced my interest in her is only because of the pregnancy, but I don’t correct her. It might scare her more than help if she knew I’ve been dying to see her again, and that she’s been on my mind more than I’d like to admit. If the time we spend together is only half as good as our first meeting, she’ll realize over time that we could have something special.

  But first, we have to get over this awkwardness between us and back to the easy and fascinating connection we had that first night. We talked for hours until the restaurant closed before going to my place where we had the most amazing sex I’d ever had.

  It was easily the best night of my life.

  Our drinks and food arrive—simple, yet delicious sandwiches—and we eat in silence. The ocean is quiet today, with only a few occasional waves crashing in the distance. A few seagulls hop around in the sand several feet away from the café, hoping to snatch up some food.

  I pick up a napkin from the table and wipe my mouth. “So, how have you been feeling? And how far along are you? I have to be honest, I know absolutely nothing about pregnancies. I have some catching up to do.”

  “We’re in the same boat then. I know my mom will be there for me, but I haven’t told her yet. When I finally have the courage for it, though, I know she’ll understand it better than most other people, since she pretty much raised me by herself too.”

  Fuck. She really believes she’s going to raise this baby by herself. I clear my throat and lean forward, throwing caution to the wind and taking her hand in mine. “You won’t have to do this by yourself, I promise. I’m not one to back out of my responsibilities.”

  “Okay.” She says that one word so quietly, I want to pull her into my arms.

  I haven’t thought much about what she must be going through. Her whole life is about to change, dramatically, and it’s clear she doesn’t believe I’ll stick around, which isn’t anything words can fix right now. Over time, I hope my actions will speak louder than words, and she’ll know I’m not going anywhere. The sooner she understands that, the better.

  Realizing she never answered my other questions, I ask again, “So, are you feeling okay then? Any morning sickness or other weird pregnancy stuff?”

  “No. Surprisingly enough, nothing out of the ordinary so far, besides the occasional wave of nausea, but nothing too bad. I’m extremely hungry though, like, all the time. I constantly feel like I haven’t eaten in days, when it’s only been a few hours at most.”

  I want to throw my fist in the air in triumph. “Well, that’s an easy fix. I’m your guy when it comes to food, day and night.” I wonder if she remembers I cook.

  “Oh no, you don’t have to do anything like that.”

  “What if I want to?” The challenge in my voice is clear as day.

  “Maybe. We’ll see.” She looks at her phone and waves down a waiter, telling him to bring the checks. “Sorry, but I have to get going.”

  She doesn’t offer a reason why she needs to leave so abruptly, but I don’t ask either. I’m still testing the waters with her, and I don’t want to be too invasive or come on too strong.

  After paying—Stella insisted we pay separately, despite my complaints—we walk out to the parking lot together.

  When we stand in front of my SUV, I look around the parking lot, wondering which car is hers. “Where is your car?”

  “I walked here. I don’t live very far and I like the exercise. Now more than ever.”

  “I can drive you home. It’s not a problem.”

  She shakes her head. “Not necessary, but thank you. I appreciate the offer.”

  Our goodbye turns a little weird, neither one of us knowing what to say or do. All I can think of is throwing her into the car and taking her home with me for a repeat of that first night, but somehow, I have a feeling she wouldn’t appreciate that right now. “Thanks for meeting me.”

  “Of course. It was nice.”

  I nod. “It was.”

  “I’ll text you about the doctor’s appointment next week, okay?”

  “Sounds good.” I take a step closer. “Can I give you a hug?” I’m such a wimp.

  She snorts, but thankfully agrees. “Sure. Sorry, this is all a bit odd, isn’t it?”

  “A little, but that’s okay. It’s an unusual situation.” I open my arms and she steps into them, stopping a few inches in front of me. She puts her arms lightly around my waist. Despite the smallest bit of hope, she isn’t throwing herself at me, and my ego will have to get over it.

  When she pulls back, I push my luck and bend down to give her a kiss on the cheek. Unexpectedly, she turns her head my way in the same moment, our lips meeting in a surprising smack.

  Neither one of us pulls back right away, and I decide to enjoy this unplanned moment for as long as I can.

  When our lips part, she clasps one of her hands over her mouth. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize...I mean...I didn’t mean to do that.” She looks up to the sky and laughs. “Crap, how awkward could this possibly be? I’ll just leave, okay? See you next week, Aiden.”

  Before I can say anything, she waves at me and turns away.

  This time, I watch her as she walks up to the main road, a stupid smile still on my face long after she disappears around the corner—but not before she looks back in my direction one more time.

  4

  Stella

  We walk out of the doctor’s office, and all I can think is shit just got real. I saw my little tiny baby on the screen of the ultrasound machine, and I can say with absolute certainty that I’ve never seen anything like it. Nothing can possibly compare to that.

  Absolutely mind-blowing.

  “Excuse me.” A voice I don’t recognize sounds from behind me.

  A second later, a strong arm circles my waist, hauling me to the side.

  “Sorry.” Aiden’s voice pulls me out of my stupor as I bump into his chest, my arms automatically coming up to steady myself. His warm arm is still around my waist, caging me in. Holding me close.

  Apparently, I was blocking the building’s main entrance and got in someone’s way.

  Aiden and I look at each other for a moment, and I see the same mind-boggling expression on his face I must be sporting.

  He takes my hand and pulls me toward his SUV. “Come on, I know exactly what we need right now.”

  Without questioning him, I get inside and buckle up. Neither one of us says a word on the ride. My thoughts are so far away, I don’t even take in my surroundings. When he turns off the ignition a short while later, I realize we’re at the beach. Aiden parked right at the pier, and I sigh at the view in front of me.

  The blue sky is peppered with a few tiny white clouds, and the afternoon sun reflects off the water, making it sparkle, like it’s covered with a layer of diamonds. The water is calm today, only the occasional wave breaking quietly, and I’m in absolute awe every time I see it.

  “Come on, let’s walk down the pier.” Aiden puts his hand gently on my lower back, and we make our way onto the old, wooden walkway.

  After getting some ice cream from a quaint little store, we sit down on one of the benches overlooking the ocean. I take a deep breath, and it feels like the first real one in hours.

  Aiden nudges my shoulder. “Feeling a little better?”

  “Yes, thank you.” I look over at him, squinting because of the bright sun behind him.

  He has a big s
mile on his face, pausing mid-lick to look at me. “I’m glad.”

  “How did you know?” My voice is barely a whisper, the curiosity mixing with nerves about being so close to him.

  Shifting his body around, he blocks the sun, allowing me to see him better. His dark hair has gotten longer over the last few months but it suits him. It has started curling a bit at the edges, making him look even sexier than before—though, I didn’t think that was even possible.

  Aiden is someone who practically exudes sex appeal. The combination of good looks, his confidence, and charms is absolutely killer and almost impossible to resist.

  He takes a big, slow lick of his ice cream. “You told me how much you love the ocean on our first night.”

  Time stands still as I’m flooded by several different emotions. I have to admit, I’m beyond surprised he recalled anything from our night together. I’m not sure why, but I assumed he wouldn’t. I mean, when I stood on his doorstep two weeks ago, I wasn’t even sure he’d recognize me. “You remember that?”

  “I do.” His voice is low and husky, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. “I remember everything from that night. Every. Little. Thing.” The way he pronounces the last words almost makes me drop my cone, and it takes me a moment to close my mouth.

  Clearing my throat, I finally manage to tear my gaze away from him, my ice cream suddenly the most important thing in the whole world. A few seagulls fly above the pier as we both stare out over the water.

  “You know you won’t have to go through any of this by yourself, right?” His arm brushes against mine as I let his question sink in.

  I want to believe him so badly. My body still wants this gorgeous man with every fiber of its being while my brain is having a hard time reining in my overwhelming, physical reaction to him. But, as my doctor told us earlier, pregnancy hormones might wreak havoc with my sex drive, causing it to increase or decrease.