Chapter Twenty
Quinten stood at the counter, sleepily pouring himself a cup of coffee while Ben stood in front of the stove, placing strips of bacon in the skillet, wondering whether to make Camilla pancakes or scrambled eggs. Quinten yawned loudly, and Ben asked, “What time did you get in?” He’d been wrapped up with Camilla all night, deeply asleep, and hadn’t heard Quinten when he’d come home.
“Late. You and Camilla were conked out. Do you know if she’s made an appointment with her doctor yet?”
“She did. She’s seeing Emma later this week. Why?”
“She’s been pale the last few mornings when she wakes up. I noticed she’s really warm this morning.”
Ben smiled. “She tends to run just a little hot when she’s sleeping. She hasn’t said anything about feeling bad, has she?”
“No.”
“Your parents are coming in this weekend, aren’t they?”
“Yeah. Mom said they’d arrive early Friday morning. I thought we’d put them in the bigger guest bedroom.”
“Sounds great.”
Ben heard the sound of water running in the bathroom, and a minute or two later, he heard the sound of her shuffling into the kitchen. Camilla wasn’t necessarily a morning person, but even Ben noticed her drawn appearance as she went into Quinten’s arms.
Quinten’s brow creased as he looked at Ben over her head. “Baby? You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m just really tired.”
Ben pressed the back of his hand to her brow. “You feel warm. I hope you’re not coming down with anything.”
She gave Ben a halfhearted smile and went to him for a hug. She yawned sleepily as they stood there, and he repositioned her slightly so that he could check the bacon, which was beginning to curl up and sizzle. She stiffened in his arms, and for a second he was afraid the hot grease had popped her. Then he saw her distressed face.
“You okay, sugar?” His alarm grew as her eyes bulged, and she clapped her hand over her mouth and fled from the room.
He stood there in the kitchen, holding a pair of tongs in numb fingers as the bacon fried. The earth ceased to spin for that moment in time. He came back to awareness when something hot splashed on his bare foot. Quinten’s coffee mug lay shattered on the tile floor where he must’ve dropped it. Ben hadn’t even heard the impact.
“Shit.” Quinten turned, shock evident on his face, and grabbed a dish towel to soak up the spilled coffee. “Um, should we go check on her?”
Ben blinked his eyes and shook his head to get focused. He took the skillet off the burner and turned off the stove, then rushed to the bedroom. They found her crouched over the toilet in the master bathroom.
“Sugar, you okay?”
Camilla shuddered, her face hidden behind her hair. She knelt on the floor in front of the toilet and held her face in her hands. “Uh-huh. Oh no—”
She heaved for another minute as Ben got a washcloth and soaked it in cold water. Quinten looked at him in the mirror’s reflection, worry on his face, and gathered her hair back from her face as she threw up until nothing could possibly remain.
She groaned as she flushed the toilet. “I do not have time to be sick.”
Ben and Quinten glanced at each other. Ben gave voice to his suspicion. “Sugar, do you think it’s possible—”
Her voice shook as though she was about to cry as she said, “Please don’t say it. I don’t want to go there unless I have to. I see the doctor on Thursday.”
Quinten frowned, but Ben silently nodded, trying to reassure them both. “That’s fine. I think you need to go back to bed.”
“No, I need to get ready for work.” She didn’t look capable of standing, much less working. Her face was still tilted down as she crouched in front of the toilet bowl.
He squatted beside her, and stroked the locks that had escaped Quinten’s grasp back from her face. Her brow was damp with perspiration, and her cheeks were wet with tears. “Sugar? Are you late?”
When she didn’t look up at him, Ben tilted her chin. He could see the turmoil in her eyes as she finally nodded. “I’ve been so busy, I lost track.” A tear trailed down her cheek, and she fought a sob. “My dream.” The broken way she said it told him why she was crying.
“Sugar, don’t. You’re with us, okay. What did we tell you before? We’re here no matter what. Don’t get too worked up yet. You might just have a little bug. And you’re going to have your dream even if it kills me and Quinten in the process.”
“He’s right, baby. Stuff happens, and life moves on. Let’s wait and see what the doctor says.” Quinten sounded very sure of himself as he continued, “You have us to rely on, no matter what.”
Ben was even a little encouraged by Quinten’s self-assurance.
She bowed her head and caressed the tops of their hands lightly. Ben used the washcloth to gently wipe her flushed face, wishing that he could take the worry from her eyes. Given her issues, he could understand why she would be anxious, but she’d learn soon enough that they took their responsibilities very seriously. Whether all she needed was someone to nurse her through an illness or to provide the support she needed if she was pregnant. They’d prove they were men who were there for the long haul.
* * * *
Maya Warner smiled at Camilla as she directed her into an examination room. She’d called Dr. Rivers’s office as soon as Ben and Quinten had left her alone to take her shower. Maya, Emma’s registered nurse on staff, had instructed her to come to the office and they’d fit her in. If it was a bug, they could determine that and possibly give her the birth control shot. She’d just given them a urine sample. If she was pregnant, then she’d at least know one way or the other. She felt like a brick was lodged in her throat.
“Thanks for getting me in early, Maya. I’m not sure I could wait until Thursday.”
Maya smiled at her. “No worries. You’ll know soon enough. Emma will be in to see you in just a minute.”
She’d been ignoring her mostly mild symptoms for a couple of weeks now, which had been relatively easy, as busy as she’d been. The nausea was a killer, though. She’d been afraid of eating anything in case it came back, but Ben wouldn’t let her leave the house without first having a piece of dry toast. He and Quinten had also wanted to drive her, but she’d insisted on doing this herself. She felt guilty for it, but she needed the time alone to think about what to do if she was pregnant.
She sat down on the paper-covered exam table, her gorge steadily rising. The last thing she wanted to do was repeat history. She loved her late mother, but she didn’t want to be her, trapped in a loveless marriage because of an unplanned pregnancy. She didn’t want Ben or Quinten to feel that way either.
There was a tap at the door, and then Emma stepped in, a big smile on her face. Both Maya and Emma were involved in committed polyamorous relationships with more than one man. Maya had three husbands, Kendall, Boone, and Richard, who were brothers. Emma had two husbands, Duke and Gage, who were cousins and best friends.
“How are you feeling, Camilla?” Emma asked as she looked at the top page in Camilla’s file.
“Like I’m on the verge of throwing up. It’s been this way all morning.”
Emma nodded in understanding. “Something set it off?”
Camilla thought back to her first few bleary minutes after waking up. She’d gone in the kitchen feeling like a zombie, then— “Ben was frying bacon. Just looking at it in the skillet…and then the smell.” She groaned. “I’ve always loved the smell of bacon cooking, but it revolted me.”
“Cooking meat will do that.”
“Do what?”
“Set off nausea in the first trimester.” Emma grinned at her, her smile turning sympathetic as the reality and shock settled on Camilla, evidently showing on her face. “It’ll get better in a month or two. Until then just eat small, light meals, avoid greasy foods, and talk Ben and Quinten into doing all the cooking.”
“You heard?”
“That yo
u’d finally gotten together with the two men who’ve adored you for the last couple of years. Yes, I heard. No secrets in a small town. Your pregnancy test is positive.”
“You’re sure?”
“Very sure.”
“But the birth control shots…”
“Not one hundred percent effective, and you were due for your next round, though not overdue. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“We started out using condoms, but one of them broke the first night. After a couple of weeks I felt comfortable going without. I knew I’d be coming in to see you soon, so I never worried.”
“We’ll set you up with some lab work and determine how far along you are.” They chatted about prenatal vitamins, combating morning sickness, and when she should come in for her first prenatal care appointment.
What am I going to do? What do I tell Ben and Quinten? Sorry guys, I’m knocked up! Just like my mom did with my father.
“We’ll be able to listen to the heartbeat at the next appointment.”
Emma must’ve seen that she was overwhelmed by it all and had mercy on her. In the car, she looked at her phone, then looked around the pristine interior of her Camaro.
Damn it! Where will I put a car seat in this?
She already knew from Juliana that it was damn near impossible to get an infant carrier in and out of the back of that car, and hard on the back to lift a sleeping baby into one of those contraptions. Her Camaro was brand new and suddenly impractical.
She started the engine and sat listening to the radio for a few minutes. She couldn’t focus on any one thing, as though her mind had gone squirrel-on-crack on her. Queasiness assailed her, and even though eating was the last thing she wanted to do, she pulled out a sleeve of saltines and munched on one, wishing she’d remembered to bring a bottle of water with her that morning. The dry cracker settled her stomach, though. She looked at her phone again.
“Okay. Who do I call? Ben? Quinten?” She put her phone in the cup holder with a sigh and drove to work instead.
The smell of paint lingered in her new office, adding to her queasiness, as she sat sorting and shuffling the same papers, not seeing anything. She opened her appointment book and groaned when she realized she’d made an appointment in Divine. The doctor’s appointment had her morning all shuffled around, and she’d forgotten about it. That meant driving back when she’d only been in her office a half hour.
A knock came at her door.
“Hey, boss lady.” She looked up and tried to smile at Heath.
“What’s up?” His eyes flickered as he gazed at her and she was sure he knew with that one look that something was wrong.
“Ben just called me. He said he’s been calling you for the last hour.”
Camilla looked around and sighed when she realized she’d left her phone in her car, in the cup holder, right where she’d put it earlier. “I forgot my phone in the car.”
“Want me to get it for you?”
Camilla rubbed her forehead and then shook it. “No, I need to run an errand. I’ll call him from the car.” She grabbed her purse, figuring that she might as well handle it since she wasn’t accomplishing much at her desk.
Heath stopped her at the door. “You don’t look like you feel well. Why don’t you let me come with you? I’ll drive, and you can rest.”
Camilla gave him her best effort with a smile. “You just want to drive my badass car.” Which I won’t be able to drive very much longer, anyway. “Hell, all right. But it’s only a V6, so don’t go getting all excited.”
Heath chuckled and held up his hands. “I’ll treat her like the little darlin’ that she is. But I’m adjusting your seat all the way back so don’t get bent out of shape when you climb into it later.” As tall as Heath was, she knew he’d need every inch of available leg room.
He let Cody know where they were going and then escorted her out to the car. “I know it’s none of my business, but do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?” Yup, Heath’s sixth sense is definitely pinging on me. But she couldn’t talk with him about this. Not yet.
“No. I’ll be fine.”
He started the car, and she directed him to Cheaver’s Western Wear in Divine. She had a meeting with Rosemary Garner about some cross-promotional efforts with the store and The Twisted Bull and Chantilly’s. While he drove, she picked her phone up, and checked the call history. There were calls from Ben’s and Quinten’s cell phone numbers. There were also text messages from both of them. She put her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes.
I should be grateful. Affording this baby isn’t the problem. Whether I have to work or not isn’t the problem. Whether I can keep this car or not isn’t the problem. Can I handle a baby in my life right now? That’s the problem.
Her phone vibrated in her hand.
She knew if she told Ben and Quinten she was pregnant, they’d do the stand-up thing, but in years to come, would they regret it? Or worse, would they resent her? They’d only been together a little over a month.
Her phone vibrated in her hand again, and she looked at the screen.
From Ben. “Are you all right? What did the doctor say?”
From Quinten. “Please let me know that you’re okay. I’m worried about you.”
Feeling guilty for making them worry but knowing she couldn’t have that conversation in the car with Heath right there, she text messaged them both back.
To Ben. “I’m fine. I’ll call you in a bit. I’m in the car with Heath running an errand.”
To Quinten. “Please don’t worry. I’m okay. I’m running an errand with Heath and will call you in a bit.”
Heath must’ve been able to tell she had a lot on her mind and kept mostly quiet on the drive back to Divine. The mild panicky feeling that had been stirring in her mind since leaving the doctor’s office was doing its best to swell into a full-blown panic attack. Her heart was like a jackhammer in her chest and her fingertips felt a little numb. She closed her eyes and took slow, shaky deep breaths. You’re okay. You’re okay. You’re just fine. Stop shaking.
Out of the blue, she pictured her mother, in the moment she found out she was pregnant with Camilla. She’d still been in high school, same as her father. Had she been afraid? Had she known back then that Camilla’s father was unlikely to stay for the long haul? Had she been desperate for a solution and grasping at straws when Camilla’s father had offered to marry her against his parents’ wishes? What had it been like to marry him and know that she didn’t have an education or a job…or a leg to stand on? She’d probably felt trapped. Maybe even resentful toward Camilla.
Stop thinking about this! It’s not helping. The past is in the past.
She focused on her breathing again, trying to not let on to Heath that she was so upset. She imagined that the tension must’ve been rolling off of her in waves.
Right about the time the strongest of the panicky symptoms settled, her phone vibrated with a message from Quinten. “What did the doctor say? Where are you? Can I come to you?” Her heart lurched a little because she could sense his concern in wanting to come to her.
That message was quickly followed by one from Ben. “What did the doctor tell you?”
She was torn. She didn’t want to tell them that she was pregnant in a text message, and she wasn’t ready to tell them because she didn’t know how she felt about being pregnant. So she did the cowardly thing and turned her phone off. She felt like a first-class bitch as she put the phone in her purse. It was awful to acknowledge that to herself, but it was better than focusing on the fear.
* * * *
As he pushed the shopping cart down the aisle, Quinten put his phone to his ear after dialing Ben’s number. “Did she call you back?” He put a bottle of ginger ale in the cart. “Ginger ale is good for nausea, right?” He was at the store picking up items that might help Camilla’s stomach to settle.
“No, she hasn’t.” It was just one phrase, but Ben’s concern was obvious in his
tone. “Her text message said she was running an errand with Heath. And I don’t know about the ginger ale. I guess it is.”
All either of them had gotten was a simple text message reply back from her. No details. No news. He was beginning to worry. No. He was past the beginning stage and into full-blown worry. What if she became ill again?
“You gonna call Heath?”
Ben let out a long breath. “No. I think she’d appreciate it if we gave her some time. She was pretty upset this morning.”
“Did she say where she was going?”
“No. She didn’t tell you?”
“No. I’m glad she took Heath with her.” Even though it was an uncharacteristic move for her. She generally preferred to go about her day without an escort. Quinten wondered again where she was headed.
He knew Heath was capable at his job. But he didn’t like having to trust a man who’d had feelings for her with her care in a sensitive situation like this. That was his job. Quinten knew Ben’s urge to track her down and make sure she was okay was just as great as his.
“Let’s give her some time before we go tracking her down. If she’s had big news—”
“If she’s pregnant, you mean.”
“If she is indeed pregnant, she’s probably in shock. Let’s give her a chance to get over that.”
“We told her that we’d be there for her no matter what.”
“I know we told her, but I’m not sure if she heard us, Quinten. Remember, she’s got some heavy-duty issues with her parents. I’m not sure if what we told her really registered.”
“That makes me worry more, not less, Ben.” His heart clenched. “What if she’s out there thinking that we’re going to be unhappy about a baby?” He didn’t want to think what might happen if that was the case.
“Don’t go getting all worked up, now. Just give her time. It’s eleven thirty. Let’s wait until after lunch. Then if we haven’t heard from her, we’ll call Heath. Damn it, I wish she’d let us go with her to the doctor’s office. I wish it was one of us with her right now.” His disgruntled tone let Quinten know he felt the same way about Heath being the guy with her at the moment. The territorial cavemen in both of them were stirring. Quinten took a deep breath as he ended the call and went in search of the saltine crackers for Camilla. He’d just keep busy until he heard something. Despite his worry for Camilla, a little kernel of hope was growing in his heart.
Tiny Dancer [Divine Creek Ranch 13] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 26