Trials weren’t fun, even when you won. It had been grueling days of testimony—including Felicity’s own and Gage’s. On the stand she’d had to relive shooting Ace, and she wasn’t particularly thrilled about it.
Especially with what else was twisting inside of her, uncertain and scary and huge.
But it was over now, Ace guilty of too many charges to count and being moved to a higher security prison much farther away.
It was relief, even if it wasn’t full closure. They walked out of the courthouse, a group of four Wyatt boys and three Knight foster girls who’d survived Ace’s influence. Out into a sunny day that felt completely right.
Gage’s hand slid over hers. Her stomach jittered with new nerves, because now that the trial was over she couldn’t ignore her suspicions. And she could hardly not tell him.
Still, she smiled easily and exchanged hugs and goodbyes with her sisters. They shared something now, and even without that, Felicity had come to understand some things about growing up the way they had that made it easy to forgive Liza and Nina their choices to leave. And embrace their decisions to come back.
Gage said his goodbyes and gave Brady a gentle hug. He’d had a setback with his gunshot wound, an infection, that had left him on desk duty for way longer than any Wyatt should have to endure.
Still, she liked to think the trial’s outcome had taken a bit of a weight off his irritation.
She and Gage went to Gage’s truck and slid in. He would drive her home, and spend the night in her cabin, but he’d be gone before she woke up—to get back to Valiant County and his job.
Her stomach jittered more. Things would have to be different. She hadn’t figured out a way that would make them both happy.
“Nothing quite like testifying together, right?”
She forced a smile. “Better than doing it alone, I think.”
“You think right,” Gage said, patting her knee as he pulled out onto the highway.
Gage chattered the whole way home, and though Felicity tried to keep up, she was caught in her own loop of thoughts and worries and what she had to do.
Gage pulled to a stop in front of her cabin and she quickly slid out, afraid if they dawdled she’d blurt it out.
It needed more finesse, and she should be sure.
But Gage was right behind her, his arm around her waist as she walked up to the door. “All right. What’s up, Red? Something’s freaking you out, and it’s not the trial. Tucker himself is going to oversee the jail transport. Ace won’t—”
“I think I’m pregnant.” She closed her eyes as the words fell out. Flopped there in between them as they stood awkwardly on her front stoop.
He didn’t say anything. Didn’t move. And she just stood there with her eyes squeezed shut, not having a clue what to do.
She’d tried to plan it out, tried to know what else to say and how to handle his reaction, but she always reached this point and then shut down. She could only wait, eyes closed and panic keeping her frozen.
“I guess it’s a good thing I applied for the opening at Rapid City.”
Her eyes flew open. “What?”
“Rapid City is hiring. I was tired of being that far, and you could hardly leave your dream job.”
“But you work with your brothers, and now...”
“And now, God willing, I’ll get the position, and we’ll be in the same county and...and...” He inhaled sharply. “You sure?”
“No.” She shook her head a little too emphatically. “I bought a test, but I didn’t want to take it until the trial was over. I should have taken it first. I just had to tell you.”
“Well, hell, go take it,” he said, all but pushing her toward the door.
She nodded. Her keys shook in her hands, but she finally opened door and went into the bathroom to take the test. She went through the motions, set the timer on her phone and then let Gage into the bathroom.
“We have to wait three minutes.”
“Okay.” He swallowed, looking down at her, but the concern and worry in his expression slowly changed into something else. Then he pressed his mouth to hers in a gentle, calming kiss. “I love you, Felicity.”
“I know, but before we know for sure, I don’t want you to feel like... Duke isn’t going to hold a shotgun on you. I mean, he might, but you don’t have to marry—”
“I applied for that job for a reason, Felicity. Yeah, to be closer, but because I wanted to start getting things situated for the future. And maybe I was waiting for a little kick in the butt—but here it is. I was getting there before this.”
“This is faster.”
“Yeah. But I think we can do it.” He lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to it. “I know we can do it. And so do you.”
The timer on her phone went off and they both jumped.
“Okay.” She did know they could do it, but it helped to hear. Helped to be steadied by someone else. She took a deep breath and looked at the test sitting there.
“Translate for me,” Gage said, his voice a bit strangled. “What does two lines mean?”
“Pregnant,” Felicity said, staring at the results window, where there were two lines clear as day.
“Pregnant,” he repeated. Then he laughed and lifted her clear up off the floor, still laughing. Happy.
“You’re happy,” she murmured, because he was a constant marvel. She knew they were good together, knew he’d want to do the right thing, but she wasn’t sure he’d jump right to happy.
“Yeah, hell of a thing, but yeah.” He put her back down on her own feet. “Are you happy?”
Since her throat was clogged with tears, she could only nod and rest her forehead on his chest. Happy didn’t seem a big enough word. But there was reality, too.
“He might get out some day. That trial wasn’t the end. God knows he’ll appeal. Ace touching our lives isn’t over.”
“Maybe not,” Gage agreed.
It was scary, especially with this new life growing inside of her, but he was holding her. They were in this together. She lifted her head and looked up at him. “But we’ll have even more to fight for, right?” She put her hand over her stomach. It was impossible to believe something was there—a life. Impossible to fully grasp, and yet true.
And right. So right.
“We have everything to fight for,” Gage agreed, sliding his own hand over hers. “And we already have, so we know we can again.” He pulled her close, tucked her hair behind her ears. “So, you going to marry me? Before the baby, just in case Duke gets any ideas about making me disappear.”
She tried to say yes, but her throat was too tight with tears. And hope. And joy. So, she nodded, and he kissed her until she thought her knees might dissolve.
“It’s going to be a good life,” he said, a promise and a vow.
“Yeah, yeah, it is.”
Keep reading for an excerpt from The Hunting Season by Janice Kay Johnson.