The app finally opened and she pushed down the lump that had suddenly formed in the back of her throat as she swiped to the calendar and stared at the little red dot that should have happened a week ago.
“No, no, no,” she muttered to herself as she sprang off the couch and paced to nowhere in particular.
This was all just a little glitch. Never mind that she’d been always been as dependable as any Swiss watch…This was just a hiccup because of the move.
Dina let out a shaky breath and knew no matter what she was telling herself, she needed to get a pregnancy test.
But she was in no condition to drive.
Still holding the cell in her hand, she dialed Autumn’s number and the moment she picked up, Dina could only speak two words.
“I’m late.”
Autumn gasped and put her hand over the phone, mumbling to Joel that she’d be right back. Dina heard footsteps and then a door closing.
“I’m in the bathroom upstairs. What’s going on?” Autumn asked.
“With everything going on, I totally spaced, and I finally got a few moments of peace to myself, and all of a sudden, I realized it had been a while since you know, and the next thing I know I look on my phone’s app and then—,” She paused only to take a breath. “I realized it had really been a while. Like late like never before. I think it’s the stress. I don’t think I’m pregnant but just to make—” Dina wasn’t even giving complete sentences or thoughts as her mind whirled deep into the rabbit hole of unexpected parenthood.
“Dina, stop and take a deep breath. You don’t need to explain a thing. Don’t stress yourself out. Just breathe, sit on your couch, and put on a movie. I’ll be right over with a test.”
Dina let out a shaky breath and sat back on the couch, exactly as her friend had instructed.
“Please don’t tell—”
“I’d never in a million years say a word,” Autumn cut her off.
“Thanks. I’ll see you soon.” She squeezed her eyes shut.
“See ya soon and don’t panic.”
Dina ended the call and let out a groan as she leaned her head back on the pillow.
Easier said than done.
Her business was finally taking off to extraordinary levels. She’d slept with a man who didn’t even want to commit to a puppy, let alone another human being or two, and she’d been going out of her way to stay as disconnected from Sam as possible.
She couldn’t suddenly buddy up to him if she were pregnant. That wouldn’t be right.
Dina let out another groan. She needed to get a grip. There were lots of possibilities as to why she was late, and they didn’t all involve pregnancy.
“What’s meant to be will be,” she whispered to herself with her eyes shut. “If I’m pregnant, I can still work. I can still run my shop. I’ve got Anton, at least for now. It’s going to be okay. Not a big deal. Maybe, I need to eat more regularly, get more sleep, and my body will get back to normal.”
Dina didn’t believe the words were coming out of her mouth.
For some reason, she just knew.
She knew she was pregnant. The exhaustion fit. A lot of things she’d been ignoring fit.
But they’d been extremely careful that night.
But that night did offer a lot of opportunities for something to go wrong.
And so many wonderful rights.
At least it was memorable.
Dina’s eyes blinked open, and she rested her hands on her flat stomach, trying to imagine what it might be like to actually be pregnant.
Would she tell her family right away?
If at all?
Would she tell Sam right away?
Would she stay in Silver Ridge?
Would she—
Autumn knocked and let herself in with her own key. The plastic bag rustled behind Dina signaling that she was moments away from finding out something that would change the rest of her life forever.
She was scared.
But something more surfaced.
She was excited.
Thrilled, actually.
Dina stood up and took a deep breath as Autumn’s gaze connected with hers.
“You ready?” Autumn asked.
“No, but I don’t think anyone is, right?”
“That’s what I’ve heard.” She smiled, handing Dina the plastic bag. “Want me to stay out here?”
“Okay.” Dina took the little box out of the plastic bag and opened it up, reading the instructions over and over again on the way to the bathroom.
Pee on stick. How hard can that be?
“Okay. I changed my mind. Can you stand outside the door?” Dina called to her friend.
“Of course.”
Dina closed the door and pulled the plastic off the tip of the tester and positioned herself just right.
Except all of a sudden she felt as dry as the Sahara with not even an ounce of liquid to give.
She stared at the tile floor and let out a sigh. Now was not the time to be dehydrated. Waving the stick over the bowl as if to concoct some sort of spell, she felt a little trickle about to emerge.
Concentrating on the task at hand, she quickly put her hand where it needed to be and let out a relieved sigh when it all lined up.
“Well?” Autumn asked through the door.
“I had stage fright.” Dina chuckled and walked over to the sink, placing the stick on the counter and washing her hands. “But in two minutes, you’ll know if you’re an aunt.”
“And if Joel’s an uncle.”
Dina turned around and opened the door, her expression in a state of shock.
“He could literally be an uncle.”
Autumn laughed. “I know. That’s why I said it. They’re brothers.”
“Which would really make you an aunt.”
“Boy, you are tired.” Autumn’s eyes twinkled as her gaze landed on the stick. “Do you think it’s normal to see the results already from this far away?”
“It’s only been like thirty seconds.” Dina’s brows pulled together, but she turned around.
A little gasp escaped her lips as she spotted two bright pink lines next to each other.
“There’s nothing subtle about those results,” Dina whispered, slowly walking over to the test stick.
“That must mean you are super pregnant.” Autumn’s eyes were wide as she stared at her friend staring at the stick.
“As opposed to a little pregnant?” Dina turned around, holding the stick close as a smile began to spread across her lips.
Autumn nodded and gave her friend a big bear hug.
“Well, I think I’m in a state of shock. I’d suggest we have champagne to celebrate, but I’m guessing that’s not the best idea.”
Chapter Fourteen
It was only right she reach out to Sam North to thank him for the cashmere set. With the exciting news she’d been bottling up for the last three days, she’d forgotten to call him to thank him.
Boy, did she have a lot to thank him for.
Plus, since she was wearing the scarf, and the hat and gloves were tucked in her purse, it was the least she could do.
She walked into the workroom to see Anton staring in disbelief at their email. She’d just finished her last consult and was ready for lunch.
“Remember that bride who came in last week who wasn’t sure if she wanted a big wedding or a small wedding?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder.
“Yeah?” She loosened her scarf and peeked over his shoulder. “She had her mom and soon to be mother-in-law with her?”
“Yup. That’s the one. Well, she decided to go the big route and has eight bridesmaids.”
“Eight?” Dina repeated. “That’s the one in in June, right?”
“Yeah. We’re talking eight bridesmaid dresses, a flower girl dress, and a dress for each of the moms, and of course the bridal gown.”
Dina did the quick math calculation, and theoretically, she shouldn’t be in labor, but nothing in Dina’s
life ever seemed to go according to plan.
“Whoa.” Her gaze flashed to Anton. “And you might still be here, I hope?”
“I certainly hope so.” He grinned and hit print before clicking off the order. “But we might need another one of me.”
His gaze fell to her hands, which were resting on her flat belly, and she quickly pulled them away, leaving him to stifle a chuckle.
Dina grabbed the signed contract off the printer and read over the details. Nothing except the quantity of bridesmaids had changed since their meeting.
“I wonder if Trina will be done with classes by then.” He pushed his smile into a contemplative scowl as he thought about the calendar ahead. “She could be a lot of help.”
“I have no problem keeping it all in the family.” Dina chuckled. “We’ll cross that bridge as it gets closer, but it looks like we might need to start updating our calendar online.”
The chime sounded out front, and Dina patted Anton’s shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”
As she rounded the corner, she saw Sam North and her heart skipped a beat. He was staring at the tulips he’d delivered to her, and the sight of him nearly took her breath away. She didn’t know if it was because she was now linked to him for life or if he just looked especially good today with his leather jacket, jeans, and a grey knit beanie. These new hormones were a tricky thing that she’d have to learn to navigate in the coming months.
“Hi, Sam.” She tried to sound as normal as possible but wasn’t sure how well that would work so she stopped talking until his gaze met hers. Now wasn’t the time to say a word about anything.
“Hey,” he said, smiling. “Have any lunch plans?”
He flashed his dazzling smile, and she realized how hard it was going to be to pretend she didn’t like him, at least a little bit.
The thought of going to lunch with Sam sounded like a great idea. Actually, just lunch in general sounded wonderful.
She’d brought a sandwich, but it didn’t seem as appealing as going out. Since finding out she was pregnant, she’d been trying to be more thoughtful about things like food. Usually, she’d go all day without a bite of food, but today, she even remembered to have breakfast.
“That would be nice.” Dina smiled and touched her scarf. “And thank you so much. I was going to call you today to thank you for the cashmere set you sent. It was really thoughtful and so unexpected.”
“I didn’t want you to freeze to death,” he said matter-of-factly, leaning against the counter. “Simple as that.”
“Well, as practical as that sounds, I still think it was a sweet gesture so thanks.”
“Absolutely. I can’t let anything happen to you.” His eyes slowly canvassed her body, and a wave of goose bumps fell across her skin as she wondered what he meant.
Dina suddenly imagined herself back in bed with Sam, and her entire body lit up like the Fourth of July. At least if she went for round two, she didn’t have to worry about getting pregnant.
Or what if Autumn had let it slip?
“You okay?” he asked, tilting his head.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry. Just zoning out.” She glanced back toward the workroom and sucked on her lip for a split second. “Let me go tell Anton I’m headed out.”
“You can invite him too.”
“Oh, really? That’s okay?” Disappointment filled her chest, which she knew was ridiculous. They’d slept together once. She had promised herself it was a one-night stand, and by most measures it was. It wasn’t fair of her to start wanting to change the rules on him. Of course it would be a group lunch. Why wouldn’t it be?
“Totally fine. It’s Cinco de Mayo and our chef has done a whole Mexican buffet—”
Dina’s brows pulled together in confusion, and she shook her head. “You do realize it’s October, as in almost Halloween, and Cinco de Mayo is in May?”
“Sure, but what fun is it to have to wait until May? Our chef does Cinco de Mayo at least once a month, which we’re all eternally grateful for because he makes the best enchiladas this side of the mountains.”
Her stomach growled, and she clutched it quickly.
“Sounds like it’s a big yes.” He straightened and glanced toward the workroom. “There’s a group of us headed over for lunch so the more, the merrier. Grab Anton.”
“Sounds like a good way to spend a lunch hour to me. Thanks for thinking of us.” She spun on her heels to grab Anton.
“I don’t know if you’ll actually make it back from lunch. He also makes a mean batch of margaritas.”
Dina laughed and shook her head. “I’ll have to remember that, but not in the middle of a perfectly good work day.” Dina wandered to the back and drew in a deep breath. She needed moral support, even if Anton didn’t know that was part of his job description, she needed a buffer. “Lunch plans?”
Anton’s eyes met hers. “Not a one. Why?”
“I guess there’s a Mexican buffet over at—”
“It’s Cinco de Mayo.” Anton bolted off the stool. “I can’t believe I almost forgot.”
Dina’s brow arched and she smiled.
“Well, I mean I know it’s not technically Cinco de Mayo, but the whole town knows when and where to get free Mexican food.”
“Free?” Dina asked surprised.
“Yeah. The resort has been doing it for years. Once a month from lunch until closing, they offer an all-you-can-eat buffet that is completely free. It’s tradition around here.”
Dina couldn’t help but smile. Of course there was some sweetheart thing about it. The Norths put it on. They might own most of the town, but they certainly knew how to give back.
“All right then.” Dina grinned, grabbing her hat and gloves out of her purse and tugging them all on. “Let’s go get our enchiladas.”
Dina noticed Sam’s smile widened as she walked toward him, and she wondered how that might change once he learned of the news. Would he be the one running in the opposite direction?
“That’s a pretty color on you,” Sam whispered, and Dina caught Anton hiding a grin.
“What can I say? You’ve got good taste.”
Anton flipped the shop sign to closed, and Sam slid his arm around her waist as they walked toward the lodge. She glanced up at him and smiled. At least she was getting a personal escort up to the buffet. That had to count for something, right?
No, she couldn’t start reading things into small gestures. That was precisely how she became engaged so many times.
“It was really nice of you to think of us,” Dina told him.
“I’ve got to get you accustomed to the traditions of Silver Ridge. You already went to the Fourth of July celebrations at the lake.”
“True.” She nodded, thinking back to the party with Autumn last year. Sam wasn’t there, but Joel was and it turned into quite the headline.
“And this is an important one,” Anton added and Dina laughed.
As they walked up the slight hill to the lodge, Dina noticed how much she enjoyed being in Sam’s arms. There was something comforting about it, safe. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and knew she had to tell him. She just didn’t know when or even how.
The moment they walked into the lobby, the warmth of the fireplace coated her skin, and she took off her hat and gloves, stuffing them back in her purse.
“Again, thanks for these.”
“Of course.” Sam pointed her in the opposite direction of the restaurant. “Right this way.”
“Don’t we need to go that way?” she asked and Sam shook his head.
“We hold this in our banquet room so it’s almost like family style. People just sit anywhere so they can gather with neighbors and friends. It kind of forces people to remember we’re all a community.”
“Interesting.” She eyed Sam and he shrugged.
“It can be.” He bent down to whisper. “Unless you get stuck next to someone you don’t like.”
“Has that happened?”
“Once or twi
ce.” He grinned, his fingers gently resting on the small of her back. “Back when we did the spaghetti feeds before we switched to Cinco de Mayo, two neighbors who’d been involved in a property dispute for years wound up sitting across from one another.”
“Did they work things out?” she asked.
“If you call dumping plates of spaghetti on one another and the police being called, then I’d say yes.”
Dina laughed and shook her head. “Well, I suppose it would be like getting stuck next to Dom.”
This time Sam laughed. “He was certainly a character.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Not exactly what I’d picture as husband material.”
“Yeah. Well, hindsight is 20/20 and all that.” Dina rolled her eyes as Sam grabbed her hand and led her into the banquet room. Anton had already beelined to the plates for the buffet and Dina just laughed. So much for her buffer. “The kid eats like a horse.”
“You might not want to call him a kid. It could really wound a guy,” Sam whispered.
“You’re right. I’ve got to quit doing that.”
“At least I know he’s not competition.”
Dina’s gaze flashed to his. “Competition?”
Sam gave a coy smile. “Things are looking up.”
“I didn’t think that was in your DNA?”
“What?” he asked innocently.
“Worrying about competition or staking a claim?”
“I guess everything and everyone has a season.” He patted her shoulder and headed toward the nearest table where she spotted Autumn and Joel. She immediately wondered if Autumn had said something to make Sam change his life view.
It would be unlike her, but Dina wasn’t sure what else might make Sam suddenly sing a different tune about being attached or at least gently linked to someone.
“You came,” Autumn squealed, bounding up from the bench to give Dina a hug. “I was hoping you would. I knew if I tried to get you to come, you’d come up with some lame excuse about working.”
“Hey, working isn’t lame. It’s a necessity.” She hugged her back and glanced at Sam who was already wandering over to the buffet line with Joel. When he was out of earshot, she leaned over to Autumn. “You didn’t tell anyone, did you?”
A Little Secret About Love Page 11