by Tia Wylder
Michael laughed. “Please tell me it was Derek,” he said. “He’s so fine, I swear, I can’t even handle looking at him.”
I bit my lip.
“Oh, god, was it Derek?” Michael asked. “You can’t be serious, Emma!”
“It was worse,” I moaned, burying my face in my hands. “It was so much worse than that!”
“What happened, did someone hurt you?” Michael demanded. “Emma, I’ll kick their ass!”
“Nothing happened like that,” I flushed. “I just…I slept with both.”
“Oh my god,” Michael said. “Ana! Did you hear that?”
Beside me, in the driver’s seat, Ana did a double take. “Oh my god,” she shrieked. “Emma! I can’t believe you!”
“I know,” Michael said. “It’s incredible.” He clapped me on the shoulder and then clasped both hands under his chin, fluttering his eyelashes like a girl. “I’ve never been so proud.”
“Oh my god,” I said. “I actually want to die right now.”
Ana turned to me and raised an eyebrow. “So…the baby could really be either twin’s?”
I flushed hotly. “Stop it,” I said. “You’re making me feel like I live on a daytime TV show!”
Ana giggled. “I’m sorry, Em,” she said. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just…well, I guess I don’t know how I meant it. Are you going to tell them?”
I sighed. “I…I don’t even know that I’m pregnant for sure,” I said quietly. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea, not until I know for sure.”
Ana nodded, “I know.”
“Wow,” Michael chimed in. “Emma, geez. I never would have thought it. Who’s better?”
“Michael!” Ana exclaimed. “I can’t believe you! Emma, you don’t have to answer that,” she said. “He’s just being rude.”
“Noooo,” Michael whined. “Emma, you have to tell me!”
I flushed hotly. “I feel so weird talking about this,” I said. “Is it normal for friends to talk about sex?”
I watched as Ana and Michael exchanged a look in the rearview mirror.
“Yeah,” Ana said after a moment. “We just…never wanted to scandalize you.”
“Yeah,” Michael echoed. “You and your fragile little virgin brain, we didn’t want to break you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Thanks,” I muttered sarcastically. “I feel so much better now.”
“Well, come on, dish,” Michael said. “Who was better? I bet it was Derek – he seems like the type who’d really take his time. Damien always seemed too selfish to care about whether the girl came, too.”
“Oh my god,” I moaned, burying my face in my hands. “Michael! I can’t believe you!”
“I bet I was right,” Michael said smugly. “Wasn’t I?”
I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath. “It was...different,” I said. “Damien was…more intense. Derek was sweeter.”
Michael raised his eyebrow. “Oh yeah? So, Damien was hot and nasty? And Derek was the sweet one?”
I flushed so hotly that I felt like my face was on fire.
“Something like that,” I mumbled.
“Here we are,” Ana chirped as she turned into the local clinic. “Want us to come inside with you?”
I nodded. “I didn’t have time to make an appointment, I have no idea how long we’ll be waiting.”
Ana nodded. “I see,” she said. “That’s fine. We’re not going anywhere – I don’t want you to think that I’d abandon you like that.”
“Thank you,” I said quietly.
Inside the clinic, the three of us waited nervously until I could be called into a room with a nurse. It felt like it took forever, but after an hour so, my name was finally called.
“Emma Rogers?”
I stood up too quickly, and the blood rushed to my brain. The smiling nurse led me into a room where she weighed me and took my blood pressure.
“So, Emma, what seems to be the issue?”
“I think I’m pregnant,” I said softly.
“Date of your last period?”
I pulled out my phone and scrolled through the calendar before giving her the date.
“Hmm, Emma, looks like we’ll only be able to do a blood test. Is that all right with you?”
After I had given my consent, the nurse took blood and then had me sit in a room while she ran the test. I fidgeted and twisted my hands, wondering what the hell I was going to do. When the nurse got back, she nodded at me.
“Emma, yes, right now it looks like you’re about six weeks pregnant,” she said. “Now, depending on how you feel, we can talk about some options.”
I took a deep breath. “I should…speak to the father,” I said. Or, fathers, I added mentally with a silent groan.
She nodded. “That’s a good idea.” The nurse pulled some papers from her pocket and handed them over to me. “Here are some phone numbers of centers you can call, and a free counselor. None of these people are biased, they will only tell you about your available options.”
“Thank you,” I said shyly.
The nurse showed me out into the waiting room. Ana and Michael stood up and rushed over to me.
“What happened?” Ana asked.
I pressed my lips together and gave a brief shake of my head. “I am,” I said softly.
Ana took my hand and squeezed it. “What do you want to do?”
I bit my lip. “Can you…can you drive me over to Damien’s condo?”
Ana narrowed her eyes. “Are you sure?”
I nodded and took a deep breath. “Yeah,” I said. “I…I have to talk to him.”
Ana nodded. “Okay,” she said. “Let’s go.”
Twenty minutes later, I stood nervously and shaking at Damien’s door. When he answered, he leaned down and kissed me.
“Hey,” Damien said. “I wasn’t expecting you – everything okay?”
I took a deep breath. Just get it out, I thought. Like ripping off a band-aid.
“I’m pregnant.”
Damien stared at me. “Are you kidding?”
“No,” I said softly, shaking my head. “I just got back from the clinic. They did a blood test. I’m about six weeks.”
Damien took my hand and pulled me into a hug. “God, Emma, are you doing okay? Do you want to sit down?”
Why is he so calm? I wondered nervously. Why isn’t he freaking out and screaming at me and calling me a slut?
“No,” I said. Tears filled my eyes, and I blinked, spilling hot salt water down my cheeks.
“Don’t cry,” Damien said fiercely. He led me to the couch and had me sit down, then sat next to me. “What’s wrong?”
“I…I don’t know if you still want me,” I said, my chin trembling. I could feel that I was blushing hotly and I suddenly hated myself. This was all my fault – if only I’d been careful!
“Emma, of course, I still want you,” Damien growled. He pulled me close and kissed me. I melted against his frame.
“But…what if it’s Derek’s?” I asked softly. “I…I have no way of knowing.”
“Well, we used a condom the first time,” Damien said. He raised an eyebrow.
“The only time I slept with Derek, we used a condom,” I said meekly.
Damien shrugged. “Well, then it’s probably mine, and if it’s not, I don’t care. I love you, Emma. And I’m sorry I wasn’t able to say it until now.”
My jaw dropped. “You…love me?”
“Very much,” he nodded. “I know, it surprised me, too. But I love you, Emma.”
I stared at him in shock.
“And I want to stay together, as a family, and raise the baby with you,” Damien said firmly. “If that’s what you want.”
I nodded weakly. “That’s…what I want more than anything else in the world,” I said. “I…can’t believe it, Damien! I can’t believe you’d do that for me!”
Damien smirked. "Well, that’s how it’ll be,” he said. “I love you, and I can’t wait to raise this bab
y with you. But you have to do me one favor, okay?”
I frowned. “What’s that?”
“Come with me,” he stood up and grabbed his car keys. “I have a surprise for you.”
I blinked. “We’re…we’re not going to Derek’s, are we?”
“No,” he laughed. “Come on. The sooner the better. This is something I should have done days ago.”
Summoning my courage, I followed Damien outside into the bright sunshine. We climbed into his sports car, and he drove into town. We didn’t talk much – I could barely think; my mind was racing. How were we going to tell Derek? And what about Mom and Jack? What would happen to Damien’s job – would Jack kick him out of Empire Mesa? What would we do for money?
I shivered.
“I’m frightened,” I cooed “I…this is all happening really fast.”
Damien reached for my hand and squeezed my fingers reassuringly. “I promise, Emma, nothing bad will happen.”
“What…what about Derek? And Mom? And Jack?”
“Who knows,” he shrugged. “But we’ve got each other, and that’s what counts, right?” He grinned, and I flushed, licking my lower lip.
“Okay, I’ll try not to worry.”
When he parked in the lot of the biggest jewelry store in Rolling Hills, I gasped. My heart thumped wildly as Damien led me inside.
“Pick any ring in the store and then marry me.”
My jaw dropped. “Are you…are you serious?”
Damien dropped to one knee, and everyone in the store burst into applause.
“Emma Rogers, I love you, and I know I’ll love you until the day I die,” Damien said. “Please, make me the happiest man in the world and marry me.”
Fresh tears came to my eyes. All I could do was nod as the tears streamed down my cheeks.
“Yes,” I whispered. “Yes!”
Epilogue
Six Months Later
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. Damien, you may kiss your bride.”
Damien took hold of the delicate veil shielding my face and pushed it over my hair. He winked at me and put a hand on the small of my back, pulling me close and dipping me into a deep, dramatic kiss.
“I love you,” Damien whispered. He kissed me again, gently, then brought me back up to my feet and put a hand on my growing belly. “And I love this little one,” Damien whispered in my ear. “I can’t wait to meet them.”
I grinned happily before slipping my arm through Damien’s. Damien escorted me down the grass aisle as our family and guests applauded happily. I must admit – I’d never thought I’d be one of those people who gets married while pregnant – but I felt radiant and glowing, like everything was perfect.
Mom and Jack met us at the end of the aisle.
“This was amazing,” I looked all around. “Mom, you did a wonderful job with the planning!”
Mom beamed. “Thank you, sweetie,” she said. “Pretty good for only five months’ notice!”
I flushed. Damien and I had kept our engagement secret for a month…but I’d finally blurted it out to Mom one night when we had stayed up watching old movies. She hadn’t exactly been thrilled at first, but Damien had worked hard on winning her over during the past few months.
“I’m just happy you’re happy, darling,” Mom said.
“Congratulations, and welcome to the family,” he smiled. “Now we’ll all be Wilsons.”
I laughed and flushed. Damien rolled his eyes. “Dad, Emma was always family ever since you married Nadine.”
For once, Jack looked embarrassed. “You’re right,” he apologized. “That was rude of me, forgive me, Emma,” he said. “If you’ll all excuse me, I’m going to get some champagne.”
As soon as Jack had walked off, I turned nervously to Damien. “Do you think he’s ever going to be okay with this?”
“I don’t know,” Damien said. “Give him some time. Dad doesn’t like change.” He rolled his eyes. “You should see him at Empire. It’s like he can’t believe that his son is finally taking an interest in the family business.”
I nodded. “I get that, it’s a big change,” I murmured.
Damien smirked. “Have I told you how beautiful you look?”
I flushed, “About ten times.”
“Well, let’s make it twenty,” Damien said. He pulled me into a close embrace and kissed me passionately, wrapping his arms around my waist and pressing his body against mine. I moaned softly and wrapped my arms around his neck as our kiss grew more intense.
“I hate to ruin the moment, but I need to congratulate the bride.”
At the sound of Derek’s familiar voice, I jumped apart from Damien.
“Hi, Derek,” I said shyly. “Thank you for coming.”
“Congratulations,” Derek nodded. “And I mean it.”
“You look good, bro,” Damien said. “I mean that, too.”
Damien wasn’t wrong – Derek did look good. After he’d found out about the engagement, Derek had quit Empire Mesa and moved out west to start his own consulting firm. He was tanned and more taut-looking than before. But most importantly, his eyes were friendly, and I knew that his thanks were genuine.
“I hope you two are very happy together,” Derek said. “I’m going to say hi to Nadine and Dad.”
Derek and Damien half-hugged, then Derek sauntered off to find our parents.
“I hope it’s okay he came,” I said nervously. “I just…wanted to make sure things were okay between the two of you.”
Damien smiled as he pulled me close. “I don’t know that we’ll ever be that close,” he said quietly. “But I have you, and that’s what counts. I love you, Emma.”
I flushed with happiness. While I wasn’t sure what the future would bring, I knew that as long as I was with Damien, life would always be happy and perfect.
"I love you, too,” I said softly.
“Come on, Mrs. Wilson,” Damien winked. “Let’s go dance.”
As my new husband and I walked to the dance floor, I couldn’t believe it.
I’d finally found my perfect fairytale ending.
*****
The Texas Rancher’s Bride
By Anne Ulsterman
Chapter One
Of the two sisters, Joanne was the pretty one. Jennifer was the brain of the family; the one with the good grades who did well at school, acing the debates and winning medals at the spelling bee. But this never seemed to come close to Joanne’s lighter complexion or her hazel eyes, which changed color with the weather or her mood.
None of this mattered once Joanne disappeared, shortly after leaving home to get married. Jennifer was as worried about her sister as her mother was. She knew something had to be done when she came home one afternoon to find the apartment quiet and dark, the curtains drawn and the television off. There was no sign of her noisy twin brothers who were usually jumping on the sofa watching cartoons this time of her day. And her mother wasn't cooking dinner, as usual, filling the house with delicious smells of home cooking. Instead, she found her mother, Angela, in her room, sitting on the bed, staring in front of her.
"What's wrong, mom?" Jennifer rushed to her mother's side. "Are you all right? Where are Ty and Damian?”
Angela inclined her head slightly. “Downstairs,” she whispered.
Jennifer nodded. The neighbors in the flat below them also had children, and the twins liked to play there sometimes.
“I had a call from Arthur. He drove over to the ranch. In Bonham.”
Jennifer felt her heart starting to beat faster. She knew her mother was going to ask a cousin of hers who lived in Texas to drive over to the farm where Joanne was heading to after she left. She had given them the name of the farm and the man she was going to marry. Sean Perry and Valley View. This was all they knew. She had left over a month ago and apart from one phone call shortly after her arrival in Bonham, they had not heard from her since. This had been her mother’s last resort, actually sending someone to go to the farm to check
if anyone had any information about Joanne.
Tears streamed down Angela’s face. “They’ve never heard of Joanne! Arthur spoke to the maid and some of the farm hands there; no one has seen her. No one fitting her description even visited the farm!”