Making the Cut (40 page)

“Wait.” I commanded, trying to get down.

“Stop it Gwen, lets get you into bed.” He replied softly but firmly, pushing my damp hair out of my face.

“Can I at least brush my teeth?” I requested quietly but my voice had a bit of a bite.

Cade set me carefully down and handed me my toothbrush and toothpaste before landing a kiss on my forehead.

“I’m going downstairs to get you some water and dry toast baby, will you be okay here for a couple of minutes?” His arms were at my shoulders like he was afraid I would collapse. The concern in his face and his actions made me warm up a little inside and I smiled at him.

“I’ll be fine honey, thank you, I’m starting to feel a bit better.” I told him truthfully.

He raised an eyebrow like he didn’t believe me but squeezed my arms. “I’ll be right back.” He promised.

I watched him a second, wondering how he could be the fiercest man I know when it came to dealing with kidnappers and such, then also be heartbreakingly tender.

“Cade I promise the chances of me dying of the stomach flu in the short time you are away are slim to none,” I said to him, my joking words deepening his scowl.

I sat up slightly in bed to meet his stare, he was standing beside the bed with his arms crossed.

“I’ll be fine.” I tried to convince him. I was feeling much better than I had an hour ago. Cade obviously didn’t believe me.

“It doesn’t sit right with me. Leaving my woman sick in bed, I wouldn’t be going unless I had to. But this is a pressing security job, I’ll try and be as quick as I can.” He said looking more than a little conflicted.

I took his hand pulling him down to sit on my bed.

“I’m
fine
.” I repeated. “It’s a bug, and I am already starting to feel better, and unfortunately it is beyond all your manly powers to heal me anyway. So instead of sitting here watching me get over this when there is nothing you can do, go and provide some security for someone who I’m sure you can help much more than me at this moment.” I told him softly.

He paused for a beat then responded. “My manly powers?” He expression had changed and the corner of his mouth turned into a slight smirk.

I smiled back. “Yes your manly powers, which include but are not limited to; saving me from kidnappers, chasing away my demons, and giving me the best orgasms of my life.” I declared, watching Cade’s face grow soft.

“Well you better rest up and get better so I can give you some more of those orgasms when I get back.” He ordered in a tone I couldn’t decipher.

He leaned down and kissed me tenderly on my forehead before walking towards the door, he turned back to me.

“I talked to Amy and she said she is coming home at lunch to check on you, and I want me to call you if you feel any worse, then no arguments I will be taking you to the doctors.” His was firm.

“Yes sir.” I replied with a smile. “Now go and put those muscles to good use.”

The corner of Cade’s lip twitched slightly. “Love you Gwen.”

My tummy dipped in a good way when I heard those words, which I would never tire of hearing.

“Love you Cade.”

He watched for me a second then left.

Pretty much as soon as Cade left I felt heaps better, so I got up and showered, dressed and had a small breakfast. I still was feeling slightly queasy so I quelled the idea of going into the store and passing along my germs to customers. Well that and the fact that I knew Cade would be pissed if he knew I wasn’t resting. I had gotten used to his over protective ways, and sometimes even liked it, knowing it came from a good place. But there were still other times when it pissed me the hell off. I was lying on our couch in the sun, typing orders on my laptop when I heard Amy arrive home.

“Hey Gwennie, just come to make sure you haven’t carked it.” She called from the door, entering the room with a bottle of lemonade and a brown bag. “I also have brought supplies known to settle a stomach bug.” She declared, sitting on the couch beside me and pulling a sandwich out of the bag.

“I’m actually feeling much better now.” I told her, sitting up and placing my laptop beside the food. Which I immediately ripped into.

“That’s, weird considering Cade told me you were super sick this morning.” She mused while I took a bite. “You’re not preggers are you?” She joked, retrieving a salad out of the bag.

I froze mid chew, frantically thinking of dates in my mind while struggling to swallow. Amy noticed my reaction and turned towards me, salad forgotten, her expression disbelieving.

“Your on the pill. You couldn’t seriously be pregnant could you?” She questioned seriously. I remained frozen, and shrugged, silently freaking out.

“Okay when was your last period?” She asked rationally.

“I don’t know.” I replied, trying to think back.

Amy sat back and narrowed her eyes. “You don’t know when your last period is? Seriously you are not the woman who doesn’t know she is pregnant until she pops the fucker out are you?” She was half serious.

I scowled at her. “I’ve been skipping my period since I’ve been here.” I muttered, silently cursing myself for wanting uninterrupted sex with Cade. Which he had by the way noticed and that conversion was only slightly awkward. My stomach began to drop as I realized this was an actual possibility. The pill wasn’t 100% effective and we hadn’t been using anything else.

“Holy shit I can’t be pregnant.” I said, more to myself than Amy. I shook my head, “No I’m not, just because I was sick one morning does not automatically mean I am up the duff.” I decided. “I probably just ate something weird yesterday.” I said firmly, convincing myself. Amy, unfortunately, was not convinced.

“How about you take a test just in case, you really want to be sure about these things.” She stood. “I’ve got a pregnancy test in the bathroom. I always keep one, you know just in case.” She tugged me up off the couch, depositing my forgotten sandwich on the coffee table.

“I really don’t think I need a test.” I argued as she pushed me into the bathroom.

“I disagree, and it’s better to be safe than sorry right?” She turned and handed me a test.

I took it, convincing myself I didn’t need it. I moved my attention to see Amy standing in front of me expectantly.

“Oh fine, just to get you off my back.” I declared, moving towards the toilet.

Amy settled down on a plush chair, not caring that I was going to pee right in front of her. Mind you I didn’t care either, we were best friends, and due to long lines in nightclubs and lack of bathroom space, we had peed in front of each other many a time.

I awkwardly took the test and laid it on the counter before I started pacing.

“I won’t be pregnant, I can’t be right? I take the pill religiously. I have never missed a day. Nope I’m not.” I ranted to Amy while pacing, certain that I was right.

“Welp. It’s official you are knocked up.” Amy stated, looking at the pregnancy tests that were scattered around me on the floor of our living room where I was currently sitting. Freaking the fuck out. I had made Amy run out and get five more tests, convinced the first one I took was wrong. It wasn’t, considering the second, third, fourth and fifth were all positive.

“Holy shit, this so isn’t happening.” I muttered, while going through all the possible reactions Cade could have to this information, then thinking I was going to be a mother. A mother. I hadn’t really thought too much about kids, yeah I thought they were cute and all but I didn’t have that yearning in my loins like a lot of my other girlfriends. I thought one day in the future I could be open to the idea, and lately I had been more than open to the idea after how things were going with Cade and I.
But I was thinking in the future.
Not now, when Cade and I had barely been together four months, when I had just opened a new business. I was twenty freaking five. I still had at least four more years of child free party life ahead of me.

“Oh my god Ames,” I groaned looking up at her. “I’ve been drunk. Like a lot. I don’t know how pregnant I am, holy crap what if I have like totally fucked up my child just because I can’t pass up a good cocktail? Fuck! I am a terrible mother and I haven’t even given birth yet.” I whined, sounding near hysterical.

Amy bent down and gave me a firm slap on the cheek. “Slap out of it.” She ordered.

I held my cheek in shock. “You just hit a pregnant woman.” I gasped, even though it didn’t actually hurt that much, it was the principle of the matter.

“No I slapped some sense into my best friend to stop her freaking the fuck out. You are not a terrible mother, especially when you just found out you were pregnant twenty minutes ago and have not chugged down a tequila shot in that time.” She explained, kneeling beside me.

“No I haven’t but I could seriously use one.” I groaned thinking about the fact I would have to say goodbye to tequila for months, nine of them. I stared at Amy seriously.

“What if I have actually hurt my baby?” I asked voice small, feeling fear for the little being growing inside of me. And feeling already attached to it.

Amy looked at me softly. “I’ll call the clinic now, get you in. But I seriously doubt a little bit of booze will harm Cade’s child, his super sperm bet birth control, it can probably handle anything.” She joked, pushing up and giving me her hand to pull me off the floor. “And my friend Tina Blackstone, didn’t know she was pregnant until like four months, and those four months just happened to be when we were on a bender in the South of France. Seriously she partied
hard.
Kids fine, even a little too smart if you ask me, little fucker is better at math than me.” She told me, smirking.

I smiled weakly back at her, unable to muster much more with all the thoughts swirling in my head. What if Cade thought I did this on purpose? What if he doesn’t want our child? My heart plummeted and I placed my hands protectively over my still flat belly.
No
, I argued with myself, Cade would want it. He declared he wanted me pregnant on the side of the road, not one month ago. Granted he was reeling from my kidnapping and probably meant a little further on than this.

I started pacing, scattering the pregnancy tests across the floor, all the while trying to prevent a mental breakdown. Okay I was pregnant, it’s not like this didn’t happen all the time. I should be happy that this wasn’t the result of a night of too many tequila shots and too little inhibition. This baby was conceived out of
love
. I just hoped Cade was ready to be a father. Cause I didn’t know how ready I was to be a mother, I had passed out sunbathing a week ago and the burns were only just starting to fade. How could I keep a tiny human alive when I couldn’t even properly apply sunscreen?

I was still pacing when Amy walked back in, my gaze darted up to her.

“You get me in?” I demanded, maybe a little sharply. But I was worried about the health of my child.

“Got us an appointment in an hour.” She looked pleased with herself.

“Okay great thank you thank you!!” I didn’t stop pacing.

Amy leaned on the doorjam, looking more calm and collected than I could ever be.

“How can you be so calm?” I all but shrieked. “I am knocked up and it is so not planned. I haven’t even been with the father a year. I don’t even know if Barney’s carries a proper maternity line! I’m going to get fat, and my feet will swell. Holy fuck, I won’t be able to wear heels and if I do I’ll look like Kim Kardashian.” I panicked and glared at Amy who doesn’t look at all concerned about the very real possibly I could be facing elephant feet. And
flats.

She strode over and gripped my arms, eyes twinkling. “Chill Gwennie. This is freaking awesome news.”

My eyes bugged out at her statement, and I opened my mouth to repeat everything I had just said, maybe a decibel louder so she could get it.

“I grant you maybe not the best timing.” She said quickly before I could get started. “But you have a man that friggin adores you, and will be over the fucking moon about you having his bun in your oven. Not to mention, I will make sure we get you the most kick ass maternity wardrobe. I’ll research options today.” She said thoughtfully, and seriously.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, but failing. “Okay, just tell me something to take my mind of my freakout.” I ordered, needing to be distracted.

She thought for a minute, then her face got serious. “Well, I’ve finally made up my mind about what’s happening with Ian and Brock.”

“WHAT?” I all but screeched, my mind well and truly off the bun in my oven.

Amy flinched at my yell but I ignored it. “When did you decide this? Oh my god did you choose Ian? Are we finally going to be sisters?” I asked, all but jumping up and down. She opened her mouth but I interrupted. “But then again, I really do like Brock. He is super dreamy and bad ass. And he’s one of Cade’s best friends, so I’ll finally have someone who can relate to all the bad ass biker shit.” Oh crap, I actually found myself conflicted about her decision, even with my brother and potential nieces and nephews on the line.

“Well?” I demanded impatiently.

I didn’t get to hear her answer because the front door opened and Bull strode in. No one knocked anymore. He did a chin lift to Amy then focused on me.