Next to Forever (Never Letting Go) (12 page)

Just looking at her makes me realize how lucky I am to have her. There’s no guarantee that everything will be happy for us
. I’m no angel but I love her and she’s my life. I’ll do anything to make her happy and keep her safe.

“Stop worrying.” Her eyes flutter open and a slight smile forms on her face.

“No matter what you say, I’ll never stop worrying about you.”

Erin jumps out of bed and starts to get ready for work.
“Well, my amazingly sweet fiancé, as you can see,” she points to herself, smiling, “I’m okay!”

“Alright, alright. I believe you.” Looking at the clock, I notice it’s almost seven in the morning. “Well
, looks like you better hurry and get ready.”

“Ah
, shit!” Erin turns around and runs to the bathroom to shower and get ready.

When I’m done getting ready, I give Erin a kiss and head out of the house and to the office. The drive is easy and quiet but my thoughts are taking over. I can’t stop thinking about Erin and the baby. The doctors all tell us that she’s okay
, and I need to believe that but after a rough start, and then having her have to be in the hospital, it’s hard to think that she’ll be okay. Sometimes, I wish she’d listen to me, and stop being stubborn. I want the best for her and our baby.

I park my car in the parking garage, grab my messenger
bag, and head inside. Aly meets me by the elevator with coffee and a smile.

“Good morning
, Aly. You look happy this morning.”

“Good morning
, Connor.” She hands me my coffee, and we both enter the elevator. “It’s just a great day.”

Sipping my coffee, I eye her and wonder. “So I take it that you and Joseph are doing well?”

“Uh, well,” she stumbles over her words and looks at the ground. “Yes,” she shyly responds.

“Hey, you don’t have to be embarrassed.
Adam, Father, and I are happy for the both of you.”

Aly softly laughs and nods her head. We get off the elevator
, and she lists all of my appointments and meetings for today. I start getting a headache thinking about everything I have to do.

“Alright
, that sounds good.” I get settled in my office and hand her a few files. “Can you look over these and make sure I’ve signed everything? Once everything’s been checked, can you Fed Ex them? The address is on the top sheet.”

“Sure thing, Connor. Anything else this morning?

“No, but thank you, Aly.” She smiles before heading out of my office. I check my emails and answer a few. The morning goes by quickly, and before I know it, it’s almost two in the afternoon.

Adam comes walking in with lunch
. “You’re the best. I’ve been so busy with these meetings that I didn’t think about eating.”

“Thank Soph. She came by earlier and brought us lunch.”

Adam heads over to the table in my office and takes out the food. “Where is she now?” I ask, helping Adam take out the food from the containers.

“She left to go home. She’s tired and wanted to go home and rest.”

“Ah, okay.”

Adam and I start eating and talking about the meetings for today. Things are going well but every day will be pretty busy for the next few weeks.

“Has Vander been coming around lately?”

Adam stops eating and leans back in his chair. “Yeah,” he answers.
“It’s annoying, but Soph freaking loves the guy, and I don’t see why. There’s something off about him, but I can’t figure it out.”

“Yeah
, I’ve been thinking the same thing, but Erin keeps telling me not to worry. I came home one night and he has her in his arms. I almost decked him.”

“Same thing with Soph. But get this,” Adam looks at the door to make sure it’s closed. “I came home and Soph’s head was on his lap
, and he was just staring at her. When I asked her about it, she brushed it off and told me not to worry.”

I’m trying not to have anxiety or be jealous of Vander
, but he needs to get a life away from Erin and Soph. After everything we’ve been through, you’d think I’d be okay and secure with our relationship, but Erin’s too trusting and with her past, I’m nervous about what’ll happen. Losing her would break my world and I’d fall apart. I couldn’t handle it, so the thought of possibly losing her makes me the way I am.

I try
to reason with Erin and encourage her to spend more time with her girlfriends, but as usual, my stubborn fiancée thinks it’s all in my head and tells me to stop worrying.

Adam and I finish lunch and decide to take the girls to dinner this weekend. It sounds like a good idea
, and it’ll be good to have the four of us spend time together. When I get back to my computer, I call the florist and have a dozen red roses and pink calla lilies delivered to Erin.

“Would you like to include a message, sir?” The woman on the other line asks.

“Yes,” I pause, thinking about what I want to say. “Can you write this on the card?

Erin,

I hope that you’re having a great day. I’m thinking about you and counting down the hours until I get to see that beautiful smile that makes me weak. You and our baby are my world.

See you later, all of my love,

Connor.

The lady on the other line sniffles and says she’ll get everything together.

My cell phone starts ringing, and I look to see that it’s Sophia calling. I answer but can’t help but wonder what’s going on. “Soph?”

“Hi,” she weakly says
. “Can you leave work and come over? I don’t feel good, and I don’t want to bother Adam. Please don’t tell Adam.”

Quickly, I shut off my computer and grab my things. “I’m on my way.” It’s a little after four
, and I tell Aly to let Adam know I had to leave but that I’ll talk to him later. I get in my car and drive over to Sophia and Adam’s house. On the way over, I can’t help but wonder what’s going on and why she didn’t call Adam. I wonder if I should call Adam, but Sophia did ask me not to. I hate being in the middle.

I pull into their driveway and run inside. “Soph?”

“In here,” she faintly says.

When I enter the living room, Sophia’s on the couch in the fetal position. “Hey,” I kneel in front of her, pushing her hair back
. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m just in a lot of pain,” she cries. “I didn’t want to bother Adam.” She starts crying
, and I get up and pull her on my lap.

“Shhhh, it’ll be okay. What can I get you?”

“Heating pad, please? And some sweet tea?” I slowly get up and get what she wants.

“Soph, I need to call Adam. We can’t keep this from him.” I hear her sigh and she doesn’t respond. Without wasting any more time, I call Adam and let him know what’s going on.

About twenty minutes later, Adam comes bursting in and runs over to Sophia.

“Pretty girl?” he asks with his tone full of fear and worry.
“What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“I’m better now,” she answers, touching his face and giving him a reassuring smile.

“Why didn’t you call me?”

Sophia looks at me before answering. “I
, um, didn’t want to scare you. I knew Connor wouldn’t freak out like you are now.”

Adam hangs his head and holds Sophia’s hand. “You need to call me whenever you feel this way.”

“Hey, guys. I’m going to head home. Soph, I’m glad you’re okay.” I kiss her on the forehead and shake Adam’s hand.

“Thanks
, Connor,” Adam says, giving me a hug. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. I appreciate you being here for us.”

“No worries.”

I walk out of the house and get in my car to head home to be with Erin. While driving home I think about Erin and wonder if she’s done the same thing.

As soon as I get home and walk inside, the aroma of chicken fills my senses. “Erin? Cooking?” I mumble. This girl
has never cooked a day in her life. I have to see this. I walk into the kitchen and my sexy girl is by the stove, shaking her ass, and singing, ‘I Want Crazy’ by Hunter Hayes. I lean against the wall and admire the view from where I’m standing. Damn. There’s nothing sexier than seeing her like this.

As she continues to sing at the top of her lungs, I begin clapping
my hands together, and Erin turns around and her face turns bright red. “Connor!” She screeches. “What the hell?” I put my hands on her face and kiss her, plunging my tongue in her mouth, and she lets out a soft moan. “Why, hello there, handsome.” She kisses me again and then turns back to the stove.

“You okay?”

I grab a beer from the fridge and lean against the door. “I’m good now that I’m home.”

Erin flashes me her smile and every single fear I have leaves my body.

* * * * *

Sitting at my desk, I can’t help but wonder how Erin’s doing. Things seem fine and she’s happy. I know I’m being overprotective, but when it comes to her, that’s the only thing I know.

It’s fairly quiet in the office today. I check the time and it’s a little after noon. I decide to take an extended lunch and go to the park for a walk. When I get outside, I start walking, and it feels good to be away from the office. There are people walking around, some on their cell phones, some talking to their friends, others quiet but determined to get to their destination.

“Connor?” I turn around and see Olivia walking
toward me. Great, more stress that I don’t want to deal with.

“Olivia, what’s going on?” My tone is a little on the tense and direct side
, but with Olivia, I never know what she’s up to or what she is doing.

“Nothing, I was just walking to the store to get some things.” There’s something different about her
, and I wonder why she isn’t asking about the check or trying to hold my hand or hug me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad she’s not trying to touch me but still, something’s off. “Listen, Connor. I know this is weird, and I’m sorry for being a bitch before.”

“Ah, okay?”

Olivia starts laughing. “No, I’m being serious. Listen, I gotta run but can we meet soon and talk?”

A little hesitant to respond, I figure it’ll just be one of our monthly meetings. “Sure, I’ll text you.”

“Sounds good! Have a good day!”

What the fuck just happened?

Erin

Connor and I are sitting in the exam room, waiting for Doctor Benson to come back in. Today we get to hear our baby's heartbeat and see how everything is going.

"Are you nervous?" I ask Connor.

"A little but I'm excited," he kisses my hand and we sit in silence, waiting for her to come back in.

Doctor Benson comes in and takes a seat next to us. "Alright, you two, let's see how your baby is doing!" She takes out a tool, and Connor's eyes go wide.

"Where does that go?"

We both laugh. "Connor, just watch the screen."

Once the tool is in, the most beautiful sound comes alive in the room.

"That's our baby," Connor gasps, staring at the screen.

"Our baby."

"Everything is looking great so far!" Doctor Benson takes out the tool and goes over some second trimester information.

* * * * *

September flies by so fast
, and I’m slowly starting to show. I can’t believe I’m a little over four months pregnant! Everything is going by smoothly with no complications or issues except that I’m tired most of the time. Albert keeps telling me to take some time off and not to worry but I feel bad. The company is doing well, and I’m one of the top agents. I’m good at my job and it’s a rewarding feeling to help people. Doctor Benson reiterates no coffee, and I groan every single time someone walks by with a Starbucks cup in their hand.

Connor wants me to stay home at all times
, but he knows that’s a losing battle. I hate not having my own money and being able to provide for my own things. It kills Connor that I want to be independent, but he still loves me nonetheless. Plus, he knows better than to argue with me.

We start
to fix up the nursery, and Sophia’s been helping me figure out how to design the room. I want everything to be perfect but not overdone. Our baby will have everything in this nursery and a great life, but I have to slow down and stop buying everything I see. Our credit card bill came yesterday and Connor may have yelled a little. I guess spending a thousand dollars at Target isn’t a good thing to do.

Besides the little credit card incident, it’s been going great and I love every stage of planning. Connor’s been a huge help
, and he loves shopping with me even though he denies it when Adam’s around. We have everything pretty much planned and soon everything will be ready for our precious baby. There’s a rocking chair by the bay windows, and lately, I’ve been sitting in the rocking chair, looking out the window, and listening to music with baby bump. When we’re listening to country music, especially Blake Shelton, baby bump is moving around like crazy. Connor doesn’t know about our little dancer, and I can’t wait to feel our baby moving.