Epilogue

One week later…

Beth paced the cold tile in their master bathroom. Back and forth. Back and forth. She wrung her hands. Her heart pounded. When she reached the door, she spun on her heel and passed three different pregnancy tests sitting on the counter. She anxiously counted down the seconds until the results would come through.

She had to be sure.

In the past, every time she took a test, the results had crushed her. She had taken several without Donovan’s knowledge and kept the negative results from him, not wanting him to have the same disappointment that ripped at her heart. But that morning, she woke up in bed alone and had to rush to the bathroom. After releasing the contents of her stomach, she sat on the floor and wondered, what if this isn’t a bug? What if this is morning sickness?

It made sense. She usually never had an illness this long, and she’d been experiencing nausea every day after lunch and dinner. She had sent out a prayer as she peed on the test strips.

She paused in front of the counter and studied herself in the mirror. Her skin seemed to have a luminescence to it. Her eyes glittered. Even her hair seemed shiny with vitality. She cupped her breasts. Did they feel heavier? They were a little tender, but they usually were before her menstrual cycle, except her period was late by two weeks.

She turned sideways and examined her belly. Of course, there was no difference, but she tried to imagine herself with a large belly heavy with a baby. What would she look like pregnant? She balled up a towel and stuffed it under her tank top. With her athletic body, the bump extending from her belly looked out of place but cute. Her eyes lowered to where the towel poked out from under her tight top. The teal color where her skin should’ve been ruined the moment. Rolling her eyes, she ripped the towel away.

She checked the timer. Another minute remained. She forced her gaze to stay off the little strips, though their power was magnetizing. She knew they there, working their magic. But would that magic be good or bad?

Her gaze roamed around the bathroom. Maybe I should clean the toilet. That’ll take some time. But considering she had just thrown up in it, she really didn’t want to do that. She looked around for something to distract her. Why the hell don’t we keep magazines in here? Although she doubted she’d be able to concentrate on a magazine, she could flip the pages and stare at the pictures. That would be a lot better than going out of her mind.

She started to pace again.

Back and forth. Back and forth.

Positive or negative?

Back and forth. Back and forth.

She thought about Donovan holding a pink bundle, as a wail pierced the air. Her chest tightened. Damn, he would look so sexy as a new father. Her cheeks warmed at the thought.

But if the results were negative—three, bold, screaming negatives—she wouldn’t tell him. She’d shelter him from the devastation, and she’d take out her grief on a punching bag.

Back and forth. Back and forth.

Positive or negative?

Back and forth. Back and forth.

The rattle of the egg timer going off made Beth freeze. She took a slow, deep breath, bracing herself for the news, and turned to the counter. Eyeing her reflection, she took a step toward the counter. We can do it, Beth. We’ve got this.

Her gaze lowered.

The first test strip had a blue plus sign in the window—Pregnant.

The second test strip had two pink lines in the window—Pregnant.

The final one said it simply—Pregnant.

She clamped her hand over her mouth. Her knees gave, and she sank to the floor. Happy tears plunged down her cheeks. Her shoulders shook as she cried. Finally. After months and months of trying to get pregnant, after the bitter disappointment and the guilt, finally, she was pregnant.

She clutched the counter, as if it was an anchor that would keep her from floating with pure delight. She dropped her hand from her mouth and a laugh escaped. A laugh through the tears.

Finally.

She stayed on the floor another moment while she let her emotions ebb. Then she rose to her feet. Automatically, she double-checked the results, afraid her eyes had tricked her, but the results were the same.

She splashed water onto her face and schooled her breathing to keep more tears from coming. Now she had to tell Donovan, and she didn’t want her face to give it away. She gathered the three test strips. Her hand clutched them as if they would vanish, taking away the positive results and all her dreams with them.

Donovan was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee. “Hey, baby.”

She smiled. The term of endearment made her stomach jitter and her excitement soar.

She bent over, giving him a kiss on the temple. With her free hand on his shoulder, she stepped behind his chair. “I have something to show you.” From behind his back, she selected the strip with the two pink lines and set it in front of him.

He looked at the pregnancy test and lowered his cup of coffee to the table.

After a moment, she placed the second one next to the first.

He didn’t move.

She set the last one down.

He launched to his feet and faced her. His eyes were wide and glistening. “You’re pregnant?”

Heart bursting with love, she nodded. “I’m pregnant.”

Donovan swept her up in his arms.

She wrapped her legs around him as his mouth sought hers. She tasted the saltiness of their tears as they kissed.

She now had everything she had ever wanted—a man who was her soulmate, a home they could build memories in, and a baby who would have the best parts of both of them.