I snort. “Xander, we have a party every year. It’s tradition. I might’ve purposely not said anything because I figured you wouldn’t be that into it since you’ve been gone, but I was bored and the planning made me feel better.”
He sighs. “How can I argue with that?” He sets his fork down. “What’s our costumes?”
I smile slowly. “Don’t be mad.”
He throws his head back. “Thea, what’d you do?”
I take another bite of pancake and then scurry out of my seat and run to the hall closet, pulling out a shopping bag. I hand it to him and he inhales a deep breath, bracing himself.
He snorts when he pulls out the fabric and reads it. “Bun maker?”
“I have a shirt to wear that says Bun with an arrow pointing to my stomach.”
“You’re too much.” He puts the apron back in the bag.
“There’s also a hat in there,” I warn him.
He sets the bag on the counter and I sit down to finish eating.
“Well, it could be worse,” he sighs.
“Exactly.”
Things are always so much easier when he sees things my way.
“What are we doing today?” he asks, finishing his breakfast.
“I’m going to work. I don’t know what you’re doing.”
He makes a face. “Fuck, I forgot you had to work.”
I glare at him. “Swear jar.”
He sighs. “I’ll put a quarter in there later. Is that thing full yet?”
“Just about,” I laugh. “We’re both lousy—but I’m worse.”
Xander clears his throat. “Maybe I’ll see if Jace is free to go to the gym or something.”
“Sounds like fun.” My voice is laced with sarcasm, because exercise is not fun at all.
“Maybe I should go out on my motorcycle. I didn’t ride it much this summer and it’s pretty nice today.”
“Yeah, that’d be good too,” I mumble, half listening to him.
I finish my breakfast and clean our plates, Xander would do it, but I don’t mind.
Once that’s done I wipe the counters and check the time.
“I better be going,” I sigh. I love my job, but I’m suddenly sad to leave since I’ve seen him so little. I should’ve thought and taken off.
“Right, okay. Do you want to meet somewhere after work for dinner?”
I shake my head. “I’m usually tired after being on my feet all day, so I just want to come home.”
“Okay.” He nods. “I’ll have something ready then.” He tilts his head, thinking. “Can I drop you off and pick you up?”
I shrug. “Sure, that’d be cool with me.”
“What time do you get off?”
“Three.”
“Okay, I’ll be there then.”
He grabs his truck keys off the counter and we head out to the garage.
Climbing inside his truck proves to be difficult, but somehow I manage.
The drive into the city is relatively peaceful, though we do hit some traffic once we get close to the store.
Xander knows the way, so I don’t bother giving him directions. He drops me off in the back, where there’s an alley for workers to park.
“I love you. See you later,” I say, leaning over the console to kiss him goodbye.
He kisses me back, his fingers fisting in my hair. “Love you too.”
I slip from the truck, feeling slightly light-headed. Xander waits for me get into the building before pulling away.
I clock in and greet Laurel, who’s busy working in her office.
I straighten things a bit, though it doesn’t much need it, and flip the sign to open.
It isn’t long until people start wandering in.
I’ve learned that Sunshine’s is a popular boutique. I had no idea what it was until I wandered in that day with Jace, but it stays busy all day with a variety of different aged women. They have a bit of everything, clothes, bags, watches, jewelry, candles, and little knickknacks for your house. I’ve already bought loads more stuff, with the excuse that I’m getting it for Christmas gifts, but let’s face it, I’m keeping most of it for myself. And if Laurel ever starts selling baby things, then I’m really screwed.
The day passes quickly, and before I know it, it’s time for Xander to pick me up. At two-fifty I see his truck pull up on the street out front.
Georgie, the girl that comes in after me, hasn’t arrived yet, and since he’s early I finish with the customers in the store and fold some clothes.
Georgie breezes in through the back a few minutes later with a smile and wave.
“I can take it from here,” she assures me.
I know she can; she’s been doing this longer than I have.
I clock out and say goodbye to Laurel before scurrying out to the truck.
I grin from ear to ear, so happy to see Xander. I never thought I’d be lucky enough to fall for a man that I genuinely want to spend every moment with.
“I missed you.” I lean over to kiss him.
He smiles too. “I got you something today.”
I grin back, bouncing in my seat. “What is it?”
“It’s waiting at home,” he tells me.
I narrow my eyes. “Xander Kincaid, I swear to God if you bought a crib I will throat punch you. You know I haven’t made up my mind.”
“It’s not a crib,” he assures me.
“Then what is it?”
“You’ll have to wait and see.” He has this little grin that tells me he’s up to no good, so I’m instantly scared to death.
I spend the whole drive home racking my brain for what he could’ve possibly bought me.
When we arrive home I immediately get my answer.
“No.” I shake my head.
His smile falls. “You don’t like it?”
“It’s a tank! How am I supposed to drive that?” I point at the big white Range Rover.
“It’s an SUV not a tank, don’t be dramatic.”
He opens the garage door and my panic only increases.
“Where’s my car?”
He smiles sheepishly and bites his lip. “I traded it.”
“You’re fucking kidding me, right, Xander? This is a joke. I’m being Punk’d. I have to be.” I look around for the cameras.
“We needed a family car,” he mumbles.
“Yeah, I get that, but you should’ve talked to me about it before going out and buying a … What is that, a seventy-thousand dollar car?” I clutch my chest. “Oh, my God!” I scream, staring at him horrified. “Where’s your motorcycle?”
He looks away and won’t meet my eyes.
“Where’s. Your. Motorcycle.”
He twists in his seat to face me. “I went to take it out today, and I got to thinking, I’m going to be a dad, which means I need to be responsible. So I sold it too.”
I scream. Like an inhuman, blood-curdling scream.
I glare at him, warning him with my eyes that I’m this close to reaching over and strangling him. “I love the motorcycle and now it’s gone? I can handle my car, but not that. And you know what, you said nothing would change when I got pregnant, and now everything’s changing.” I shout the last part at him at my wits end.
Normally, I agree that I’m being dramatic, but this is one instance where I think I’m being perfectly reasonable. He should’ve talked to me before he did this.
I begin to cry, unable to help myself.
I rub my chest where it feels tight.
“I think I’m having a heart attack,” I mumble.
“Thea, you’re not having a heart attack.”
“I’m having some kind of attack!” I yell, unbuckling my seatbelt. I desperately need out of the truck.
I tumble outside and sit down on the middle of the driveway.
I hear Xander’s door open and close, then he walks across to me.
He squats down, draping his arms over his knees.
“Thea, this isn’t the end of the world. It’s
a car, and the motorcycle isn’t as important as being safe.”
I wipe at my tears. “This just sucks. I don’t want everything to be different.”
“Maybe you should stop thinking about it being different and think of it instead as the new normal.”
I sniffle. “I’ll try—but next time, don’t by a fucking car and not tell me.” I hold out my hands for him to help me up and he smirks, opening his mouth. “And do not tell me to put a quarter in the Swear Jar. I might stab you if you do.”
He laughs. “All right, deal.”
He helps me up and leads me over to the car. It’s nice, I won’t lie, I mean it’s a freaking Range Rover, but I just keep seeing dollar signs.
He opens the door and motions for me to sit in the driver’s seat.
“Look how much room is in the back. There’s plenty of space for a car seat, and there’s even a DVD player, granted she won’t need that for a while but I thought it was a good thing to have,” he rambles.
I shake my head, looking in the back, imagining a car seat and screaming kid there.
It’s still slightly terrifying, but yesterday’s babysitting adventures honestly helped a lot.
It’s crazy to think she’s going to be here in practically four months since October is almost over.
Xander continues to ramble about all the different features and why he chose this car out of all the other ones he could’ve gotten.
I interrupt him just as he sits down in the passenger seat. “Thank you.”
“Really? You like it?”
I nod, rubbing the steering wheel. “Yeah, but I love the thought behind it more—that you cared enough about mine and our daughter’s safety to incur my wrath.”
He lights up, grinning at that. “I have to say, I’m impressed that you’re not still mad.”
I smile back at him. “What can I say, I’m maturing.”
He laughs heartily at that. “I don’t know if I’d go that far with it.”
“Hey, I’m trying,” I defend.
“You are,” he agrees. “So you like it?”
I nod. “Yeah … I couldn’t have picked anything better.”
Xander honestly did a really good job. I understand why he chose the car he did, and while I don’t agree with him going behind my back, the deal is done so I might as well embrace it.
“Want to take it around the block?” he asks.
I nod enthusiastically. We buckle up and I adjust the mirrors before pulling out.
It’s a smooth ride, and I instantly fall in love.
Yeah, the boy did good.
Thea
“What are you doing?” I yell. “Get in there and take him down!”
“All that yelling can’t be good for the baby, right?” I hear Jace ask someone. “All the jumping too … I’m scared the thing is going to come sailing out.”
“Trust me,” Nova says, “childbirth is unfortunately not that easy.”
“I feel like we need a doctor in here, though, in case she goes into labor. I don’t want to deliver her baby.”
“And I don’t want you to see my vagina, Jacen, so stop worrying,” I interrupt, but my attention is quickly pulled back to the game. “Hey! Hey! Hey!” I shout down to the field where we’re losing terribly. “Throw the fucking ball, you shitstick ball hog.” I glare at my friends in the box. “I fucking hate this game sometimes.”
I collapse into my cushioned seat—a perk of having a box seats. I used to hate the box seats, preferring to actually be with the crowd, but now that I’m pregnant there’s no way I’m passing this up.
“I need a drink. Where’s my lemon water—and better yet, where’s the lemons? I need one.”
Cade hands me my glass of water and the plate of lemon wedges.
The lemons were meant for the water they provide us with, but I can’t help but eat a few. Or all of them. But who’s counting?
Cade and Jace watch me in horror as I eat the lemons.
“Is your tongue made of steel? Isn’t that sour?” Jace asks me.
“Yes, and it’s delicious.”
Jace shakes his head. “That’s the fucking craziest shit I’ve ever seen.”
“I craved soap when I was pregnant,” Nova tells him, and his jaw drops. She shrugs. “I didn’t actually eat the soap, but I really wanted to.”
“Man, pregnancy is weird,” Jace groans.
“Don’t talk to me about how weird it is.” I glare at him. “You’re a guy, you don’t even have to be pregnant or give birth to the thing.”
He smirks at me, still tearing into my lemons. “At the rate you’re going, the kid’s going to be born a lemon.”
I gasp. “That’s just mean.”
He laughs, and starts to hear something but I hear a roar in the crowd so I look back through the glass and jump up, nearly losing my lemons in the process.
“Yes! We finally scored!”
I scour the field, looking for Xander’s jersey number.
He’s the wide receiver and number 26. I wear a jersey that matches his. I had to get a new one for this game, since my old one was much too small and nearly ripped at the seams when I tried to put it on.
I finally spot him, and like always, I light up.
No feeling compares to seeing Xander playing on a NFL field.
I press my face to the glass like a little kid and wave. He’s not even looking, but I always like to wave.
“Sit down, sis, you’re blocking the view,” Cade groans.
“Look around me then,” I snap back. “I’m not a blimp.”
“Yet.”
Brothers are so annoying.
I turn, giving him my deadliest glare. “What did you say?”
He gulps, his eyes wide. “Nothing.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” I turn back to the glass.
The game starts to get exciting then. The other team was ahead, but we finally start pulling our weight, which makes things interesting. We just might pull off a comeback, which would be awesome.
I can see Xander’s coach down on the field yelling, red-faced, urging them on.
I sit back down, and sip at my water, needing a breather.
This game is making me way too stressed, and it’s probably not good for the baby.
“I wish you’d change your mind and tell us the name,” Rae pleads beside me, giving me puppy dog eyes.
I snort and shake my head. “You’re my best friend, but no.”
“Why?” She frowns.
“Because you guys will hate the name, and then I’ll doubt it, and we’ll be in trouble and I’m not going there because I actually really love it and it’s perfect for her,” I tell her the same thing we’ve already told them all.
“If it’s perfect then you won’t doubt it,” she reasons.
“That might normally be true, but I’m pregnant, and pregnancy does weird things to your mind. Trust me.”
“Like craving lemons?” Jace asks from where he’s reclined in a chair. His eyes are closed and he’s not even pretending to watch the game.
I snap my fingers together. “Exactly like craving lemons.”
“I just really want to know her name.” Rae frowns.
I laugh. “How do you think Xander’s and my mom feels? They’re driving me nuts. Xander’s mom is worse. She texts me at least every day and she tries to be crafty about it.”
“How?” Rae asks, her lips lifting in amusement.
I sigh heavily. “Well, first she said she was getting a monogramed blanket and I thought that was so sweet but then she said she needed the name and I saw what she was doing. Then she said, just the initials, but I didn’t want to give those to her either. I think she’s kind of mad at me about it, but this is a decision Xander and I made together. The name is special and we’re waiting to reveal it until she’s born. The way I see it, we could’ve kept the gender a secret too, but we didn’t, so at least you all have that.”
Rae grabs my hand then. “Nova and I were talkin
g about it, and we want to throw you a shower. I’m sure you’re already going crazy buying stuff, but a shower is like a rite of passage when you’re having a baby.”
I purse my lips, thinking it over. A baby shower isn’t something I’d thought much about. “Yeah, I guess that’d be okay, but can you plan it for after the holidays? I can’t handle all these holidays and a baby shower. And your wedding,” I add. “I need time to breathe after all that.”
Rae laughs and glances at Nova. “I think we can accommodate that. But Thea?”
“Yes?” I hedge, not liking her tone.
“We’re planning this.” She wags a finger between Nova and herself. “So that means, no texts about colors, or food, drinks, music, games. None of it. Understand?”
I frown. “It’s like you’re intent on sucking all the joy out of my life.”
Rae narrows her eyes on me. “Promise me, Thea.”
“Fine, I promise,” I reluctantly agree.
I’m probably going to end up with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shower. That’s something those two would do just to spite me and my love of pink.
My gaze wanders back to the game and I look down to see us in possession of the ball again.
I jump up. “Run! Run! Run!” I yell again. “You can do it! Almost there! Yes! Touchdown!” I collapse back in my chair and let out a heavy breath. “Man, I’m exhausted now.”
Jace snorts. “Yeah, it’s like you were down there running the ball or something.”
I throw a lemon wedge at him, and it sticks to the side of his face.
“What the fuck is that?” he cries, since his eyes are closed, and he jumps, batting it away. “Oh, fuck, it’s just a lemon.”
The lemon wedge rolls away onto the floor and I sigh. It’s a shame to waste it, but it was too funny.
The other team captures the ball again and I hold my breath, but we manage to get it back.
I spend the rest of the game alternating between screams, gasps, and peering between my fingers, but somehow we manage to pull off a win.
“You all are all coming on Tuesday for the Halloween party, right?” I ask my friends. It’s more of a warning, but asking sounds better.
“Yeah, we’ll be there,” Cade promises.
“Even you guys?” I ask Jace and Nova.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Nova vows.
When Constellations Form (Light in the Dark Book 4) Page 21