Ari smiled. “Yes, and that made it all the more special. Amanda and Heather were there, too. Hey, can I ask you something?”
“Always baby.”
“Have you talked to Josh lately? Is he still dating Lynda?”
“I talked to him earlier as a matter of fact. He’s coming to your party tomorrow, and yes, he’s still with Lynda.”
“Huh.”
“Why? What’s going on? Did you ever able to find out what happened with Heather? I asked Josh, and he’s was very vague. All I know is that what ever happened fucked him up for a few months.”
“Nope, she hasn’t said anything to Ellie, Amanda or me. She’s changed though, Jeff. She just seems so…lost. It breaks my heart. I know she loved, or loves, Josh, but this crazy idea of him leaving her or whatever bullshit she’s afraid of is just stupid. I mean, he did leave her…at her request. Anyway, she asked about him today. She wanted to know if he was still with Lynda. I told her that I wasn’t sure, since we hadn’t seen him in a few weeks. I guess she’s still dating Jerry. I don’t trust that guy one bit. Heather seems to think he would never do anything to hurt her. I just have a bad, bad feeling about him.”
I agreed with Ari. I’d already seen the asshole slip a waitress his number. Dickwad.
“You want to know what else I did today?” Ari asked.
“Of course I do. I always want to know what my beautiful girl is up to twenty-four seven.”
“I went to an appointment that I went to with my mom before we met back up with Ellie.”
“Really? About the wedding?”
“Nope, not about the wedding at all.”
I raised my eyebrows at the cute-ass little smirk on her face.
“Do I have to guess, baby, or do I need to get it out of you another way?”
Ari smiled at me with an unbelievable light in her eyes. I just wanted to take her in arms and make love to her. During the last few weeks, she had such a glow about her even though I knew she was stressed about the wedding. Thank God for Jenny and Ellie.
“I went to see Dr. Wyatt today.”
My heart started to pound. Please God...
“Yeah?”
“Yep!” Turning, she walked over to Rose’s stall and leaned against it.
“Ari, you’re killing me. Why did you go see him? Is everything okay?”
She threw her head back and laughed. Then, the look she gave me made heart drop into my stomach. God I love this girl with every ounce of my being.
“Everything is more than okay, Jeff. You’re gonna be a Daddy in about seven months.”
Holy shit. It felt like my knees were about to give out. I just stood there for a few seconds and stared at her smiling face.
She’s two months pregnant…two months ago...the day in the barn. It was the day in the barn!
I walked over to her and put my hands on the sides of her face. Leaning down, I kissed her lightly at first, nipping at her bottom lip, and then I kissed her with as much passion as I could.
After what seemed like forever, I pulled my lips from hers, both of us were breathing hard. When she smiled at me, I almost dropped to ground.
“I love you, Arianna. I love you so damn much.”
“I love you more.” She giggled.
I put my right hand on her stomach and looked down at it. I’m going to be a father. I smiled at the thought of Ari having my baby.
“When I’d asked you to marry me and you’d said yes, I thought that was the best moment of my life…” I looked into her eyes that were filling with tears.
“But I was wrong. This is the best moment of my life.”
“So far,” Ari said with a wink and a smile.
I laughed and kissed her again. “Yeah, baby, so far.”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
ARI
I woke up and instantly smiled.
Last night had been perfect…beyond perfect. It had been amazing. I didn’t think Jeff had ever made love to me so sweetly and passionately as last night. I touched my still swollen lips, remembering his kisses, and smiled.
I could still feel his hands all over my body, touching me so tenderly. The way he’d kissed my stomach and talked to the baby just about had me melting right there on the spot. I held up my hand and looked at my engagement ring. I still couldn’t believe that I was marrying this man. This man who I’d been in love with the moment my young eyes saw him.
I thought back to yesterday when I’d sat, waiting, in Dr. Wyatt’s office. When he’d walked in the door with a smile on his face, it only confirmed what I’d already known. This time, I hadn’t taken any pregnancy tests. I’d just known. Somehow, I’d known the day when Ellie and I were running all over Austin, threatening Rebecca, getting tattoos, and just being silly and carefree. Earlier that morning on the same day, I’d somehow known that Jeff and I did something amazing together. We’d had sex plenty of times since that morning, but I truly believed that’s when I got pregnant. My little angel was watching over us.
***
When I told my mother, the first thing she did was quote the great Katharine Hepburn.
“Always remember, Arianna, ‘Children need boundaries, so they can know how far they have to go to get beyond them.’
I had to laugh. “Really, Mom? No ;congratulations, Ari’? Just another Katharin Hepburn quote?”
“Hey, I’m so beyond excited right now, baby girl. That quote was the first one that came to my mind.”
“I’ll take it, Mom.”
She hooked her arm around mine as we walked to her car.
“Mom, I didn’t tell Ellie why I had her drop me off at your house this morning.”
“Okay, why didn’t you tell her, Ari? You know that she’s going to be beyond thrilled.”
“She’s been trying to get pregnant ever since this summer, and it’s not happening. I’m so worried, Mom. What if she can’t have kids? Gunner has all but stopped talking about it with her. She thinks he’s upset, but Jeff said Gunner just doesn’t want to pressure her.”
“Has she talked to Grace?”
“Yeah, and Grace pretty much told Ellie the same thing I did. She needs to take a break from trying to get pregnant and just enjoy her time with Gunner. I know Gunner is so. He’s learning about the cattle business, so Garrett and Emma can retire for good, he’s designing their house. Besides Jeff, I’ve never in my life seen a man who would do anything for the woman he loves. He absolutely adores the ground Ellie walks on. It’s so incredibly sweet, Mom.”
“He is a sweetheart, no doubt. I would have to say you and Ellie are two very lucky bitches.”
“Oh my god, Mom! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! And people wonder where I get it from.”
“Come on, let’s go meet Ellie and find you a dress.”
***
I was snapped out of my thoughts by Jeff’s voice.
“Good morning, babies.”
I had to smile. I sat up in bed and watched him carry over a tray full of food, setting it down over my lap.
“Oh my gosh, what’s all this?” I looked at a bowl of fresh fruit sitting next to a plate full of scrambled eggs, two pieces of whole wheat toast, and blueberry muffins along with a glass of orange juice.
“It’s breakfast for my two favorite people.”
“Two, huh?”
“Yep, you and the boy,” Jeff said with the cutest damn smile on his face.
“The boy, huh? What makes you so sure it’s gonna be a boy?”
“I’m not sure at all. I figured I’d just take turns each day. Today, the baby is a boy, and tomorrow, a girl That way, it’s equal time for both.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “I love that idea. Now, about all this food, Jeff. I can’t eat all of this even if I am eating for two.”
“Just eat what you can, babe, I’ll eat the rest. By the way, happy birthday, Ari. I got you just a little something to start off your day.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a jewelry box.
My stomach had butterflies in it. How does he do this to me?