“No,” she said, as took a step back. “I am pregnant, Cody, but that wasn't my test.”
“You're pregnant?” he asked.
“Yes,” she answered, as tears began to slip from the corners of her eyes.
“Why didn't you tell me?” he asked.
“Because I didn't know how,” she said, as she wrapped her arms around herself. “I didn't know what you would say or if you'd even still want me.”
“Julie,” Cody said.
“No,” she said. “You wanted me to get on the pill. I know you don't want kids yet, Cody.”
“I never said that,” he said, as he moved to reach toward her again. “Do not pull away from me, baby.”
“You even said something about Jackie earlier,” Julie said, as the tears she'd been trying to fight broke free completely.
“When did you find out?” he asked, as he wrapped his arms around her.
“Cody,” she said, as she tried to pull away again.
“When, Julie?” he asked, as he held her tighter.
“This morning,” she answered. “I had an appointment to get put on the pill, but the doctor informed me I wouldn't be needing them or condoms for a long while. I told her she was wrong, but she wasn't. She even did an ultrasound to see how far along I was.”
“An ultrasound,” Cody said, more to himself than to her. “What did it say?”
“That I'm two months along, Cody,” Julie said.
“Two months,” Cody heard her dad snap out from behind him.
Julie nodded, and Cody held her even tighter.
“How?” Julie's dad asked, and Jessie snickered. “Don't even think about making a smartass comment, Jessie.”
“When we were here,” Julie said.
“Here?” her dad asked, with his eyes wider than Cody thought they could even go.
“When I brought him home with me and you treated him like shit,” Julie snapped, as she reached up to dry her eyes. “Do you remember that?”
Julie's dad nodded, and Cody felt slightly more terrified than he'd already been.
“When we left, we went to a hotel. That was when it happened,” Julie said.
“It might not have been then, Julie,” her dad said. “Don't try and blame it on me being an asshole.”
“It was definitely then,” Julie said, as she looked at Cody and then back at her dad. “That was the only time we were together. After that, we hadn't done anything else until Thanksgiving night.”
“Thanksgiving night,” her dad said, as both of his hands went up and moved through his hair. “You'd just left here then too. That's it. You're not leaving here again. There is no way that shit is happening a third time.”
“Oh, you don't have to worry about that,” Jessie said, as she let out a loud laugh. “It's happened many times since then.”
“Jessie,” both Julie and Cody snapped at the same time.
“Fuck!” Julie's dad growled out, and everyone started laughing, including Julie.
The only one not laughing was Cody. He was too busy watching Julie's dad, who was staring him down.
“This right here,” Nate interrupted. “This is why I don't like to be here for family dinners. You're all crazy.”
“A baby,” Cody said, totally ignoring Nate's comment. “I'm going to be a dad.”
“I'm sorry,” Julie said.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Cody said. “We were both there that night.”
“Shit!” Julie's dad snapped.
“You're not mad?” Julie asked.
“Of course not,” Cody said, as he pulled back from his hold on her and looked into her eyes.
“I'm scared out of my mind, Cody,” Julie answered. “I didn't want to tell you before coming here or while we were here. I was going to wait until we went home.”
“Why?” he asked.
“I didn't know how you would feel,” she said.
“How do you feel?” he asked her.
“Happy,” she answered. “I saw the baby on the screen, and I instantly fell in love.”
“Did you get a picture?” he asked.
“I did,” she answered. “It's in my bag.”
“Our baby has a first picture,” Cody said, as he picked Julie up and spun her around. “We're having a baby.”
“You're okay with this?” she asked.
“Hell yeah I am,” he answered. “When I asked you to marry me, it was because I knew you were the one I wanted to be with for the rest of my life. I knew we'd have a family one day. That day is now. I'm more than okay, baby, so much more.”
“Another grandchild,” Julie's mom said, as she walked over to Julie and Cody.
“Hold it,” Julie's dad yelled out, and everyone stopped and looked over at him.
“What?” Julie's mom asked. “You need to knock off your whole protective thing and come hug these two, grandpa.”
“No,” Julie's dad snapped out. “I need some answers.”
“Answers about what?” Julie's mom asked.
“If that pregnancy test wasn't hers, then whose was it?” Julie's dad growled out, as he looked from his wife to Gracie and then to Jessie. “That only leaves three other women in this house right now, and that shit is from today.”
“Don't look at me,” Jessie said, as she pointed to the baby in her arms. “I've been way too busy with this one to even think about letting a man near me, and even if I wasn't, it wouldn't happen.”
Cody didn't miss the sad look on Jessie's face, but he let it go.
“It definitely wasn't me,” Julie's mom said, as she looked at her husband. “Nate was it for me.”
“Because you finally got a good one,” Nate said.
That was the moment that every eye in the place turned to Gracie and tears began sliding down her cheeks.
“A baby,” Gavin said, as his ass hit the chair closest to him.
Cody felt for the guy. It wasn't twenty minutes before that he'd had the air knocked out of him for the exact same reason. Poor guy was taking it about as well as he did.
“Oh shit!” Julie's dad snapped, as his ass hit the chair next to his son's. “Two more babies.”
“This is the best news,” Julie's mom yelled out. “I'm so excited. Three babies within one year.”
“You better keep that shit in your pants, son,” Julie's dad said, as he looked at Nate.
“Are you kidding,” Jessie said. “The only girl he's ever around is Melissa, and between her daddy, her grandpa, and Ethan, he'd be dead if he touched her.”
“She's my best friend,” Nate said. “That would never happen.”
“Better not,” their dad snapped.
“We're really having a baby?” Gavin asked, as he looked up at Gracie.
“You okay with that?” Gracie asked.
“I am,” Gavin answered. “Shit!”
He got to his feet and put his hands on Gracie's stomach.
“You were on my damn bike yesterday,” he snapped. “Are you okay? Crap! We have to be more careful. Maybe I should sell it.”
“Hell no you're not,” Gracie snapped, as her cheeks turned pink. “That is not happening, Gavin. We're having a baby, but that doesn't mean you give up the bike.”
“Gracie,” Jessie said, as she burst into laughter. “Please keep whatever thoughts you're currently having about my brother and his bike in that pretty head of yours.”
“Why is that?” Gracie asked, with a huge smile on her face. “Don't you want to hear about how he bends.”
“Stop!” Julie's dad yelled out, cutting Gracie off before she could get another word out of her mouth.
“See,” Nate said. “Even if I did like a girl, none of you would ever find out.”
“Oh, we'll find out,” Jessie said, “and when we do, you're in a world of trouble.”
“Stop,” Nate said, as he backed away from the table. “Don't you need to go home or something?”
“Not until tomorrow,” Jessie said, as she reached out toward her little brother. �
�Come give your big sister a hug.”
“Get away from me,” Nate yelled out, as he turned around and took off up the stairs.
“You going to call Melissa?” Jessie yelled.
“Leave me alone,” Nate yelled back. “Go home, all of you.”
“You know you love us,” Gavin yelled up after him.
“I love you more at your own places,” Nate yelled, as he slammed his bedroom door behind him.
“Guess we won't be seeing him at dinner again anytime soon,” Gracie said.
“You're all so mean to your little brother,” Julie's mom said.
“My parents don't know,” Gracie said, pulling everyone away from the conversation of Nate.
“Maybe we should invite them over for the count down to midnight,” Julie's mom said. “We have so much to celebrate. Maybe I'll call everyone.”
“Don't forget Melissa,” Jessie said, with a laugh.
Just like that, their small family New Year's Eve dinner turned into a huge event. The families began showing up one by one, and before long, the house was filled to the brim with people and lots of noise, but seeing how much every single one of those people loved Julie and cared about their unborn child, there was no way Cody would have wanted it any other way. He really was the luckiest man in the world, and he was going to make damn sure Julie felt like the luckiest woman as well.
Chapter 35
Julie
Four Months Later
Julie had finished the second huge project she'd been working on and had gotten three more to replace it, each one being from a new client. She'd had to bring in even more interns, and she'd gotten each of them from the same school. As much as she was beginning to kick their asses and make them nervous, both her father and Cody were very proud of her. Add to that the fact that in less than one month, she'd be moving in with and marrying Cody, the love of her life, and her life was amazing. Then add the best thing of all, that less than two months after that, they'd be bringing home their beautiful baby, the one they'd created the very first time they'd been together, and Julie's life was perfect, absolutely perfect.
There was only one enormous heartache to get through before Julie could really look ahead with excitement, and that day had come. It was the anniversary of Jack's death, and Julie knew it would hit each family and crew member in a different way but equally as hard.
For Julie, that day held both sadness and joy, and that made her feel so damn guilty. She'd lost one of her crew, and that was horrible, but she hadn't lost her brother, and that was great. As much as she tried not to think about her brother being right there, so close to losing his life, she couldn't help it. He'd been spared. He'd been saved. He'd made it. He was alive. The second those thoughts would enter her mind, she'd think of Jack and how much he meant to their whole family. She'd think of her brother and how he'd lost his best friend. She'd think of Gracie and how she'd lost her brother. Then she'd think of Josh and Lisa and how they'd lost their son. Then she'd rub her belly, thinking she hadn't even met her child yet and she loved them so much. She couldn't even imagine how Jack's parents felt losing him. It was a vicious circle, the thoughts in her mind.
Instead of having a big family gathering, Jack's parents decided to keep it only the two of them, and Gracie and Gavin of course. So, when Jessie told Julie that morning that she was taking the day off, Julie was surprised, but she took it off too. There was no way she wanted to be working, knowing part of her family, including her brother, would be suffering, even if she wasn't with them. When Julie called to let Cody know, he let her know he was on his way. She told him it wasn't necessary and that he should stay at work, but he wasn't having it, and he was on his way, just as he'd said.
The three of them, along with Jackie, spent the day together. Cody brought lunch when he came, which Julie was grateful for. Then they watched a movie, one of Jack's favorite. They talked about the wedding and ironed out a few of the final details. Then they talked about Jack, and both Julie and Jessie cried before bursting into laughter at the stories they remembered. When it came time for dinner, Cody ordered pizza so neither Julie or Jessie had to cook. Then he set some money on the table and took Jackie to her room to change her and get her ready for bed. Julie watched as her man walked into the other room holding the sweet baby girl, and she couldn't help the tears from coming to her eyes.
“What are you crying for now?” Jessie asked, as tears instantly came to her own eyes as well. “Is it something about Jack?”
“No,” Julie said. “Cody's going to make a great father. I just can't believe we're getting married and becoming parents. I love that man more than I ever thought I could love anyone, and I love our baby even more.”
Julie's hands went right to her belly, and she began rubbing it.
“You're lucky,” Jessie said, as she reached up to wipe her eyes. “You have the best of everything. Hold on tight and never let go. I've been in love once, but it was over before I could even appreciate and enjoy it. I have a beautiful little girl that I love with all my heart. She will never know just how much she means to me. I regret every single day that I didn't have both of them together. You have that, Julie.”
“I do,” Julie said. “What are you going to do when I move out?”
“I don't know,” Jessie answered.
“You could go home,” Julie said.
“No!” Jessie yelled out.
“Why not?” Julie asked. “What's the big deal? There's a hospital right there. You wouldn't have to move in with mom and dad. You could get your own place.”
“That's not going to happen,” Jessie answered. “I just can't.”
“You could always move in with us,” Cody shouted from the other room.
“Oh no,” Jessie said, as she let out a laugh. “There is no way I want to hear the two of you getting it on all the damn time. It's bad enough I hear it here. At least here, I know you're leaving.”
“What?” Julie yelped out. “You do not hear us.”
“Oh, I do,” Jessie said, as she smiled wide. “As hard as I try not to, you don't make it easy.”
Julie knew her face had to be as red as an apple, and her sister confirmed it when she burst out in laughter.
There was a knock at the door, and Jessie hurried to her feet.
“I'll get it,” she said. “We wouldn't want the delivery person to wonder what that face is all about.”
Julie watched, as Jessie grabbed the money from the table, walked to the door, pulled it open, and froze, letting the money she'd been holding fall to the ground.
“Gracie,” Jessie said, as she took a step back into the room. “Where did you get those?”
Julie watched as Gracie stepped forward into view. There were tears running down her face, and she was holding a pile of envelopes in her hands.
“Gracie,” Julie said, as she got to her feet and headed toward her.
“They were in his things,” Gracie whispered, as she looked straight ahead at Jessie, totally ignoring what Julie had just said.
“Whose?” Julie asked.
She looked at her sister to see tears moving down her face as well.
“Did you love him?” Gracie asked, as she reached out to hand the pile to Jessie.
“Did you read them?” Jessie asked, as she took the pile and held it close to her chest.
“Only one,” Gracie said. “When I knew who they were from, I stopped. The last one isn't even open yet.”
“Okay, mommy,” Cody said in a baby voice, as he walked into the room. “I'm all ready for bed.”
Julie heard his last few words trail off, but she didn't look his way, nobody did.
“Did you love my brother?” Gracie asked, as her tears began coming even faster.
“Yes,” Jessie answered, barely above a whisper. “I still do. I love him so much.”
Julie looked back over her shoulder at Cody and Jackie. Then she turned back toward her sister and Gracie.
“I'm so sorry, Gracie,” Jessie s
aid, as she fell to her knees with her arms still wrapped around the pile in her hands and tears pouring down her cheeks. “So damn sorry.”
The End.
Be sure to watch for my next novel - “Drake” (Hunter PI & Security #2).
Please continue on for the Prologue and Chapter 1 of “Working on My Brother's Best Friend”.
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All six novels together in one set. Sea of Love, Hot for Love, Battle for Love, Rescue of Love, Built for Love, and The Future of Love.
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Code of Love Page 25