For now, she lifted the offending hand from her body and pulled the shirt back in place. As quickly as she could, she slid from the bed and stood next to it. Placing the hand back to the mattress, she went in search of her clothing. As she bent to lift up the panties she’d kicked off in the middle of the night, she heard a groan then his body stretch and froze.
“There’s an ass I haven’t seen in a while. My question is why am I seeing it now? Not that I’m complaining.”
This. Is. Bad.
Standing as quickly as she could, she pulled and tugged on the shirt that was covering her naked body and made her way to the door.
“Sorry. Your mother said I could sleep here. She assumed you would be … she thought you weren’t sleeping in your room. I’m going to go and put on the clothes I obviously don’t have on.”
When he moved, she had no clue but suddenly he was directly behind her and taking up much needed breathing room. She felt him take a deep breath and other parts as they awakened. Serenity needed out right then. If she didn’t make her escape she was going to do something stupid.
“I didn’t know how much I missed you until I saw you again. I’ve never been this needy. I’d thought I made up my mind but this ache is there. When I look at you, feel you near it’s dulled. What is this?”
Serenity took a breath and realized her mistake instantly. They were too close in proximity for any of those types of movements to be carried out.
“I can’t.” She sniffled and hated herself for showing that outward sign of reaction. Shaking her head, she moved slightly even as she felt him breathe in again and opened the door. “Your choice has already been made. You don’t know everything. Don’t question what you’ve already put in place.”
Serenity chanced a glance at those eyes that used to call to her and realized they still did. They said he didn’t want to hear those words from her. What he wanted, she couldn’t give because he’d given it to someone else. He wasn’t hers to have. He was Lorna’s. It was something they both needed to remember even as a tear slipped from her eyes. Even as his began to water, she had to keep to the plan.
Rushing to the nearest bathroom, she quickly locked herself in and dropped to a heap on the floor to have her cry.
“He isn’t mine. He isn’t mine. I have to remember that I said goodbye, told him to go, so he isn’t mine.”
Serenity took a quick shower and knotted her hair. Putting on the change of clothes she had for emergencies in her bag, she was thrilled to be in her yoga pants and comfy t-shirt. She folded the one she’d worn the night before as a last memento and made up in her mind to avoid cornering spaces for the duration of her visit.
Serenity couldn’t avoid the cornering entirely. It would come sooner than she expected it to. It wasn’t Eric again and it wasn’t physical. She was mentally cornered when one of Eric’s sisters came out of left field with a slip of the tongue.
“Reni?” Ella smirked at the nickname. For some reason that made Serenity blush. “Are you planning any more trips for the rest of the holiday besides this one you didn’t get to go on with your family?”
Serenity gave her old friend the stank-eye before letting out an exasperated sigh.
“Sadly, no. I will be sticking close to home. Business picks up at the salon for the holidays clear through until Valentine’s Day. I will be celebrating the end of that wave by spending time with Mr. Grey. Watching him on screen, of course. ‘Stow your twitching palm, Mr. Grey.’ I, kind of, can’t wait to hear her say that.”
“Don’t you mean, Mr. Pierson?” Clarissa stated as she sleepily fed her little girl.
There it was! Right out of left field. It wasn’t until she registered Serenity’s gasp that Clarissa realized what she’d done.
“That’s it! I’m feeding my niece and you’re going back to bed. When you wake up Dr. Peterson will be here to assess if we’re expecting another Pierson-Porter combo. The two of you will wait for me before you even think of expounding on what ‘Sleepy Twinsie’ said.”
Ella waited only long enough to hear the twins on the stairs. She’d taken over making sure her niece was eating. The second she heard the twins’ feet hit the landing she began firing off her questions.
“What in the hell does this mean? Does this mean that you have feelings for one of my brothers? Have you had a thing for one of them? Have you already done something with one of them?” she pointedly looked down toward Serenity’s stomach.
Serenity didn’t speak. She simply closed her eyes and nodded. That was the only thing she offered her friend. Her meaning was clearly understood. The only word she gave her friend was a name.
“Eric.”
Ella practically hooted before taking in Serenity’s facial expression.
“I just can’t go there right now. I’m still trying to figure out how to tell him. Oh and I’m done.”
Ella’s eyes shot to Serenity’s face. “Don’t say that. You can’t say that. There’re so many reasons not to be.”
Serenity stared at Ella for a minute before bursting out laughing.
“Not that, you twit. I’m done with the prep work for dinner.” Serenity tossed back her head and laughed as she climbed down from the chair where she’d been sitting.
“Oh. Well. So am I. Let me get the pans together to put all of this stuff in then we can clean up before the breakfast crew comes in.”
Serenity snickered but moved quickly because she had an inkling that crew included Eric and she didn’t want to be anywhere near that space while he was in there. Him being in the kitchen was a weakness of hers that she didn’t want to have to entertain.
After a hearty breakfast brought together by a less disheveled looking Eric—as she thought he would be—Alyssa, and Mrs. Pierson, they all filed into the family room to watch old movies. It was nice to share the experience with the Piersons. The damper came when Lorna arrived. She showed up right after breakfast was finished and practically plastered herself to Eric’s hipbone.
Could she get any closer? Damn woman! Allow the man to breathe!
Serenity was in the middle of rolling her eyes when a little voice rang out loud and clear. Her thoughts were immediately dismissed as everyone turned to hear what the youngest Pierson was asking.
“Grammy, can we open?” Pwease! Juss one?” Kristen—Jamie’s 2-year-old—asked as she pointed to the bundle of presents sitting around the tree in the family room.
Mrs. Pierson smiled and dabbed at the corner of her eye as she lifted her granddaughter into her arms.
“Those eyes that look just like her father’s did when he was younger and a little cutie, I swear they make me melt like butter. Jamie and Clare, I’m going to apologize in advance. Your babies are going to be spoiled little beauties. The rest of you have been warned as well.”
Serenity chanced a glance in Eric’s direction and the look on his face had her wanting to go to him. He looked crestfallen for a beat and it made her heart ache. What was that look for and why did he quickly school his features when the blonde … Lorna turned his way?
“No. It’s not your concern. Move on,” she mumbled to herself and went back to the task at hand.
When she moved to reach for a miniature peppermint candy cane, Ella was looking from Eric to her and her eyes widened. Serenity quickly shook her head and used her eyes to silently plead with her former roommate to keep her excitement to herself. With what she’d learned in the last twenty-four hours, she didn’t know how in the hell she was going to spring this bit of news on Eric. Jamie’s comment to his mother pulled her out of her head.
“It’s all right, Mom. I’ve made my peace with it. Mad might not care for it. Nate and Clare don’t seem to have an opinion on it one way or the other. They have those boys pretty much under control. Little bit is too precious to terrorize anything at all. They understand the difference between life at Grammy’s and life when they are at home.”
“Don’t let Ellie fool you. She has her moments when she tumbles with her b
rothers and tests the boundaries of the rules too,” Clare called from the kitchen.
“Our kids would have that same understanding if my loving husband was more into enforcing some of the rules of our home or backing me up when I did. Not all of the time is play time, my love.”
“Oooh. My love. She’s not too happy with me,” Jamie murmured before speaking a bit louder to drown out the laughter and giggles in the room he was in. “Aww, beautiful wife, but I’ll miss out on that perfect laugh of yours if I don’t have the kids running around being silly with me. Plus, you go crazy anytime the house goes quiet.”
“I do not.” Madison moved to the counter of the built-in bar that separated the kitchen from the living room and shook her fork at her husband. “You are horrible for sharing that loud enough for the smaller Jamison troupe to hear you.”
The blush that crept across her cheeks as she responded told everyone Jamie was telling the truth well before she openly admitted to it.
“Troupe?” Serenity whispered to Alyssa as she heard Mrs. Pierson begin to giggle.
Alyssa giggled before quickly explaining, “Madison calls the kids their ‘Troupe of Entertainers’ because they are always performing for them.”
“Ah!” Serenity giggled along with Alyssa until Mrs. Pierson began to speak.
“The two of you remind me of how it your father and I were when we first started this crew. I’ll tell you what your father always said. If you want peace and quiet in your house …”
“Give your wife no reason to grouse,” every one of the Pierson children said at the same time.
The room erupted with laughter at the shared memory. Serenity smiled as she watched the joy that flowed freely around the space.
The mothers—Mrs. Pierson, Clarissa, and Madison—began the process of handing each one of the family members a wrapped package. They were beginning to sit down with their own items when sniffling could be heard. Alyssa looked to her side and noticed her twin’s youngest child didn’t seem too happy.
“Oh, precious girl, what’s the matter?”
“We … don’t … w … we don’t all have … presents.”
Everyone looked around and noticed that the only one without a package was Serenity. She hadn’t noticed or cared. Her focus was on watching to see what everyone else was getting ready to receive. She was just about to say as much when Alyssa interrupted and spoke first.
“Don’t cry, honey. Aunt Reni has presents. There all right here. See Santa brought her something to open.”
Alyssa grabbed two of the boxes from one of the larger bags Serenity had brought along with her the day before.
“Lyss, Honey. I don’t think we should open these or have her open any of them here. She may want to have some privacy when she does.”
“Oh Mom, it’s fine. We can’t have my cutie, Ellie with the huge heart, upset because the newest ‘member’ of our family doesn’t have something to open today.”
“It’s all right, Mrs. Pierson. I don’t mind opening them. May as well get this over with.”
Mrs. Pierson nodded her head as Alyssa gave her a confused glance before her attention went back to the package in hand. The opening of the packages was going to be delayed because the doorbell rang.
“Clare, Dr. Peterson is here.”
Clarissa groaned as she looked over at her husband.
“Ryssa Bear, you may as well get it over with. Let’s just find out so we know for sure. It would be a nice way to bring in the New Year.”
“Speak for yourself, Nate Bear.”
He chuckled and they shuffled off. While the family waited to learn if they were expecting another Pierson-Porter member, Serenity stole away to call her own family.
After a very necessary yet unwanted chastising from her mother and father, Serenity decided to just go ahead and bite the bullet. What was the worst that could happen?
Serenity had made up her mind. She was just going to take a deep breath and spit it out. The words were on the tip of her tongue. I’m pregnant. Two words that should be easy enough to say, shouldn’t they? As she stood in the doorway, focused on Eric in a way she hadn’t in a while she saw something that caused her heart to stutter and her breathe to catch in her throat.
Her heart felt like it was in her ears, her palms began to sweat, a ringing sound began to happen, and her breaths were too fast, not evenly spaced. She saw a box being pulled from Eric’s—father of her child, love of her life’s—pocket.
He was going to propose. To her--another woman named Lorna. She fell backward and fainted.
Serenity’s first thought when she came back from her lapse into goofball territory was: Well shit!
So much for her idea of surprising him with a Christmas gift, he’d never forget.
He had one of his own. Eric had seemed nervous as he’d looked from the box to the woman who’d finally decided to deign walking back into the Pierson home and partake of the festivities. His eyes were the first she settled on as she came around.
“I’m so sorry. I can’t believe that just happened.”
Serenity began to sit up and realized she was no longer on the floor.
“Are you all right, Reni?”
“God yes, Mrs. Pierson. I have this happen every so often. I’ll be fine.”
Eric’s, “Do you now” was ignored. She didn’t have time to think on any of that. Serenity just wanted the spotlight off her.
“I’m fine. Right Doc?” Serenity asked as she moved to sit forward again.
“Yes. She’s fine. Everything seems normal.”
He handed her a card and tapped it once. On the back, above small calendar was a date and time along with the words, “You’re pregnant?” She nodded a knowing nod and waited.
“I’m fine. We can get back to what we were doing.”
At her announcement, everyone turned slightly and waited for some silent signal or something.
Mrs. Pierson and Ella both touched her shoulder and asked her if she was all right. When she nodded, Alyssa spoke up.
“All right! Excitement’s over. Come on. I have to know. I know that it isn’t mine, but I love big gift boxes. What’s in yours, Reni?”
Serenity blinked a few times as she got her bearings again. The commotion from her episode had been pretty much forgotten. That was fine by her. Eric was seated in a chair that seemed to have him in her direct line of sight, but still across the room. She ignored the feeling that told her she liked knowing he was leaning away from Lorna and more towards her.
He is proposing to the other woman not you.
Serenity nodded and focused on the box. Making quick work of the wrapping after reading who it was from, she was face-to-face with a “Mommy’s first tool kit” that included everything she would need to care for her Punchkin. Her other best friend, Geneva, was amazing. She made a mental note to thank her for being so thoughtful. Before she could delve too deep into the package or thoughts of one of her closest friends and mentors, Alyssa was speaking again.
“Why would anyone get that as a Christmas present? I mean that’s more like a … whoa! Are you pregnant, Reni? How far along are you?”
Serenity couldn’t focus on what Alyssa was asking her. Her eyes found a pair of eyes that could melt her heart and shred her soul with one look. His head had snapped up and their gazes locked the instant the word “pregnant” was spoken.
“Yes.” The word was a whisper. She swallowed without taking her eyes off his. “Yes, I am pregnant.”
Eric stood and it was like no one else was in the room. His movements were quick. In three shorts strides he’d eaten up the distance between them and was squatting before her.
Eric took a deep breath before clearing his throat and speaking, “Answer the second question, Reni.”
It was a clear command. He knew how much she enjoyed those commanding moments with him. This was different. He wasn’t just commanding her to tell him the answer to one question. There was an underlying question within that one.
<
br /> She simply nodded as she said, “Four and a half months.”
He lifted his hand and placed it over her stomach. It was a tentative gesture that had him pausing to silently ask for permission before he touched her belly. Eric’s smile was everything she’d hoped for and never dreamed she could have then the tears began a freefall down her face. His eyes twinkled as she saw the resplendent peace that permeated his being and oozed into her. She giggled as cheering began.
It was a moment filled with joy, happiness, and the love of family.
Then. Came. Lorna.
That voice snatched all of it away. In an instant it was all gone.
5
Unwrapped
Eric
What in the hell is going on here? You were going to propose to me with a baby cooking in another woman’s stomach? You know my feelings on this. Is this your way of having both? Did you do this to me on purpose?” Lorna moved to stand and Eric fell back onto his heels before quickly scrambling up to go after her retreating form.
He caught her at the door and fired off a question of his own.
“How did you know I was planning on proposing today, Lorna?” Eric tossed out because it was the first one that came to mind.
“I found the ring?” What should have been a statement came out as a question. “All right. Fine. Your jeweler is my very best friend and she called me when you were looking at the rings. I may have nudged her to guide you to a different one than the one you’d planned to choose, but there’s no crime in that, right?”
Eric couldn’t help but take in sisters’ faces as they all clearly thought she was absolutely wrong in her assessment.
“You’ve known all of this time. That’s why you were so adamant about us going to your parents’ home instead of mine for Christmas.”
“Of course. Daddy is expecting to have a talk with you and everything. He was surprised you hadn’t already talked to him about it. That’s not the point right now. My point is you know I don’t want to have children. I’m not into this whole thing you’ve got going on with your sisters and brothers and their offspring. My family travels for the holidays and are in the South of France where we should be. You promised me this was what you wanted as well.”
Botched Proposal (Pierson Family Values #0.5) Page 6