The Last Woman (All That Remains #1) (32 page)

“That had nothing to do with
you. It was my own insecurity and fear at work because of the reaction I
received the first time I got pregnant. I never considered keeping it from
you.”

“I tried to call and
apologize, but she changed her number and none of her friends would help me
find her.”

“She should’ve been the one to
apologize. She used a pregnancy against you and an abortion to get revenge. You
didn’t do anything wrong. I’m so sorry she hurt you like that.”

He looks embarrassed when I
wipe a tear out of the corner of his eye. “You’re going to have a son or
daughter now, sweetheart, and if he or she has even a quarter of your kindness
and capacity for love, the world will be a better place,” I swear, gazing into
his eyes.

He blushes. I love his blush.
It’s too adorable for words. “My sweet girl,” he mumbles and kisses me in that
long, slow, soft way I love. He makes me feel so adored and cherished. “I love
you,” he whispers, after our lips slowly part.

“Even when I get big and fat?”

He chuckles. “Your breasts are
going to get huge.” He smiles lasciviously, and just like that, my sexy,
confident Airen is back. We make love before returning home.

Julie and Joseph are filling
the water tanks outside when we approach.

“We can tell Joseph if you
want, but let’s wait until I’m further along to tell the kids,” I suggest.

“So, how long can we have
sex?” Airen calls to Julie, grinning like a madman.

“That’s your first question?” Julie
laughs out loud, shaking her head.

Airen shrugs, a wide smile
plastered across his face. Joseph is confused, and I pull him aside. Airen nods
at me, and I feel shy all of a sudden.

“Joseph, I’m going to have a
baby,” I confess.

He gapes at me, and then Airen
in shock. Airen smirks at him. “Abby! Honey, that’s wonderful!” He sweeps me up
in a bear hug and kisses my cheek. “How do you feel? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I already have one
overprotective man to tolerate.”

“The morning sickness will
pass,” Julie promises. “Try to eat what you can, and I’ll get you the prenatal
vitamins. Of course, no more alcohol,” she warns, smiling.

“Or pot,” Airen adds.

I feign surprise. “I can’t do
drugs while I’m pregnant? So much for my meth lab plans.”

We caution them not to tell
the kids before Airen drags me inside. “You need to eat,” he insists.

Julie and Airen return from
town the next day with a portable ultrasound machine and prenatal vitamins. “Let’s
see how far along you are,” Julie says, as she has me lie back on the bed. She
throws a blanket to me. “Undress from the waist down.”

What
? “I thought an ultrasound was done on my belly,” I
remark, confused.

“Not this early, dear. We have
to use a trans-vaginal wand.” She holds up the wand, and it’s not exactly
small. “I need to insert this in your vagina, and it will show a clearer
picture of the embryo. You can stay covered by the blanket.”

Oh, this isn’t humiliating at
all. I pull the blanket over me from my waist down and remove my shorts and
panties. Joseph discreetly moves to the head of the bed, where he can’t see,
and offers to leave.

“It’s okay,” I whisper. Airen
takes my hand and grins down at me. Julie adjusts the screen so we can all see
and glances at me.

“Are you ready, dear?” I nod,
reluctantly. She coats the wand in lubricant and eases it into me. “Let me know
if I’m hurting you or making you uncomfortable.”

Does it get more uncomfortable
than this? My face burns when Joseph smiles at me. It’s so embarrassing having
him watch while she moves and repositions the wand inside of me. He can’t see,
but he
knows
.

“Relax, darlin’,” Airen croons,
smoothing my hair back from my forehead.

“Is everything normal?” I ask.

“Everything looks good. I’d
say you are about six to seven weeks along. That puts your due date around the
first of May.”

“Can you determine the sex?”
Airen asks.

“It’s too early for that, but
we’ll do another ultrasound around four months, and we may be able to tell
then. Any preference?” She grins at us.

“Boy,” I blurt out, as Airen
says, “Healthy.” They all look at me, and I shrug. “I realize that’s not the
politically correct answer, but I want a boy.”

Airen kisses me on the
forehead. “I’d love to have a son, but another little Abby running around would
be wonderful as well.”

I let it go. There is no need
for him to know how that possibility terrifies me.

* * *
*

The morning sickness passes,
and my appetite returns with a vengeance. I’ve lost nearly fifteen pounds, and
while I know I’ll gain it back, I’m trying not to overeat and get too big. I’m
tired all the time, but Julie assures me that will get better in my second
trimester.

We haven’t told the kids yet.
They have been occupied and happy because Uno received a clean bill of health
from Julie. I don’t think we can keep the pregnancy a secret much longer. The
way the guys are fawning over me, insisting I eat, and suggesting I take a nap
in the afternoon is making it apparent that something is up.

It’s barely been two weeks
when Jayla approaches me. We are both enjoying a rare day of relaxation. Walker
and Carson are occupied with a video game. Joseph and Airen are at Julie’s
house helping her rearrange furniture in her bedroom. Jayla and I are lounging
around the living room, reading, and I feel her eyes on me, as she stares over
her book. When I raise my eyebrows at her, she blurts, “What’s wrong with you?”

“Excuse me?”

“Something is wrong. I know
it. Dad and Joseph act like you’re made of glass. You’ve lost weight, and you
take naps when you never used to before.”

This girl is perceptive I’ll
give her that. “I’m fine, sweetie, I promise.”

Her eyes narrow, and her
nostrils flare. “I’m not a little kid anymore. It’s worse being in the dark
than knowing what’s wrong, even if it’s serious,” she snaps.

Her eyes blaze, and she could
so be Airen’s child. I sigh. “Come here.”

She sits alongside me. “How
bad is it?” she whispers, all trace of her anger dissipates as worry sets in.

“Depends on how you feel about
having another brother or sister.” I laugh as her mouth forms a perfect O.

“You’re pregnant!” she
squeals, her eyes lit with joy.

“Shh! I’m not ready to tell
the boys yet.”

“Does Dad know?”

“Yes, he knows. Julie and
Joseph do as well.”

“How long? I mean, when are
you due?”

“I’m only a couple of months
along. I’m due in May.”

She squeals again and hugs me.
“I hope it’s a girl, or it could be twins!” she gushes.

“Bite your tongue, girl.”

“I don’t know how long I can
keep this a secret,” she confesses.

“We’ll tell the boys at dinner
tonight. I should talk to Airen first.”

She nods. “Do you mind if I go
to Julie’s?”

“Go ahead. Tell Airen I want
to tell the boys tonight, together.”

Later, as I’m setting the
table for dinner, Jayla, Airen, Joseph, and Julie all file in. “Well, if it
isn’t the worst secret keeper in the universe,” Airen says, kissing the top of
my head.

“She was worried,” I cry
defensively.

“Pushover,” he scoffs.

“Stop. She was outsmarted by a
teenager. There’s no need to rub it in,” Joseph declares, laughing.

I smack him on the ass with
the spatula in my hand. He squints his eyes, purses those red lips suggestively,
and blows a kiss at me. Ever since Airen’s little comment that morning in the
barn, they love to tease me about Joseph’s lips.

“Jerks,” I mumble, carrying
the food to the table.

Carson is surprised at the
news, but not unhappy. Walker looks concerned. “Will it be a boy?”

“I don’t know yet. Do you hope
it’s a boy?”

He shakes his head. “I’m your
little boy.”

Joseph’s eyes twinkle, and he
glances at me, trying to hide a small smile.

“You are my little boy,” I
reassure him, kneeling to put my arms around him. “No matter what happens, that
will never change. I’ll always love you, Carson, and Jayla just the same. The
new baby will be lucky to have you for a big brother.”

“I can read to the baby. I can
read chapter books now.”

“You sure can, sweetie.”

“What is the baby’s name?”

“Bosephus Cletus Skeevage,”
Joseph volunteers, making the kids giggle.

“We’ll think of a name when we
know whether it’s a boy or girl,” I reply.

“Just don’t name it Walker,”
he pleads.

“Nope, there’s only one
Walker.”

* * *
*

“When do you want to have our
wedding?” Airen asks, crawling into bed.

“Do you want some time? To be
engaged, I mean. We can wait as long as you want, Air.”
Time to change his
mind and run screaming
.

A frown flits across his face.
“Why do you always assume the worst? I was thinking Friday.”

“This week!”

“It’s not like we have to hire
a caterer or book a venue. That gives you almost a week to find a dress and
write your vows.”

I turn away, trying to conceal
the small grin that blooms on my face.

“You’ve already written them,
haven’t you?” His face lights up with amusement and perhaps, joy. It makes me
blush.

“Possibly.”

“When?”

“The night you proposed,” I
admit.

He chuckles and kisses my
neck. “I’m not good at that sort of thing, darlin’. I don’t want you to be
disappointed.”

“Your proposal was beautiful,
so I’m not buying that for one second. Besides, you’ve already sworn to love me
forever. What more could a girl want?”

“My sweet girl,” he murmurs
against my neck as we pull one another close. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.”

The day of our wedding
couldn’t be more perfect. The air is warm, and we are surrounded in color. The
leaves are at the height of their beauty, ensconcing us in a red, yellow, and
orange paradise.

Julie and Jayla have baked a
huge chocolate cake with our names and the date written beautifully in white
icing. Joseph has prepared a short dedication, and then Airen and I will read
our vows and exchange rings.

I chose a simple yellow dress
that clings to my chest and waist and flares into a billowing, airy skirt ending
just above my knees. Airen loves me in yellow. Jayla and Julie look lovely.
Jayla is in a pale cream skirt and white ruffled blouse. Julie wears a little
blue dress, and appears as uncomfortable as I feel. Joseph, Carson, and Walker
all wear suits and ties.

My mouth goes dry, and I
inhale sharply when Airen appears. Damn. I could orgasm at the sight of him in
his tuxedo.  His usually messy hair is neatly combed, and he’s clean shaven.
The tux fits him perfectly, showing his lean muscular physique, and I can’t
help picturing his tight body beneath the clothes. He’s beyond handsome when he
beams at me, giving me an all out, dazzling smile that makes my knees weak. His
jet black eyes shine as he takes my hand and kisses my cheek. He is stunning.
He is mine.

“God, Abby, you look amazing.
Are you ready, sweetheart?”

I straighten his bow tie. “Of
course, I’m marrying the most gorgeous man on the planet.”

“Stop,” he murmurs.

“Ready?” Joseph asks.

“Thank you for doing this.” I
smile, and he hugs me.

“You’re more than welcome,
honey.”

“You look so handsome,” I
whisper. He does. His green eyes are bright, and his blond curls practically
glow in the autumn sunlight.

“You look radiant today, Abby.
Airen is a lucky man.”

“All right, dimples, hands off
my woman,” Airen says, as he takes my hand and escorts me to the huge pine tree
in the yard. The kids have decorated it with white streamers that hang almost
to the ground. Jayla snaps photos frantically.

Joseph stands in front of us,
and Airen and I face each other. It feels so surreal. I had been confident my
entire life that I would never be married. I can’t even say it’s a dream come
true, because it’s something I never dared to dream about.

Joseph begins. “I’m so
delighted today to unite two wonderful, beautiful people in marriage. We’ll
begin with the vows Airen and Abby have written for one another.” Joseph smiles
at me. “Ladies first.”

I’m suddenly self-conscious, but
I force myself to meet Airen’s eyes. If it’s this difficult for me to announce
how I feel, I can only imagine the extent of his discomfort. I swallow hard and
begin.