Gemma and Grace gawk at me, not saying anything for a moment, and I grow more panicky by the second. Until Gemma finally says, “So, what you’re telling us is that you and Graham are…together now?”
The blood rushes to my cheeks. I don’t know why, but the question irks me.Are neither of them listening to me?“No, Gemma, what a stupid question,” I snap before I can stop myself.These goddamn hormones, my gosh.“We are just going to raise this baby together. As friends. Although, he did kiss me on the forehead before we left the clinic. I’m sure he was trying to be comforting, but I’ve kind of been in my head about it ever since.”
“Hold up,” Georgia blurts out. “Why didn’t you tell me that part?”
“Oh, would you hush,” Grace says. “I think you’ve been told enough things before us, thank you very much.” Her tone is teasing, so I know she’s not mad, and somehow it helps me breathe a little deeper. Teasing is a good sign.
“So, our niece or nephew is growing inside of you?” Gemma asks softly, a smile spreading up her face.
My eyes well up because,of course, they do. “Yeah,” I croak around the ache in my throat.
“Charley…” Gemma’s eyes are just as wet as mine. “This is so exciting. Wait, we are excited, right?”
Laughing as my vision blurs, I nod. “Yes, we can be excited. Even though I’m nervous. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, or how this is all going to work out, but we can be excited.
“It’s okay to be nervous,” Gemma says. “This is big and life changing; I’d be worried if you weren’t nervous. But you have us, and Graham, and our parents. You know they love you like their own. We’re all in your corner.”
“How far along are you, then?” Grace asks, emotion thick between her words too.
“About nine weeks.”
“A little you and Graham,” she murmurs. “Oh my gosh, you and Graham can fall in love and get married, and then you’ll be our sister for real!”
I choke out a laugh. “Not happening.”
“Ah, never say never, my friend,” Georgia muses beside me.
Rolling my eyes, I say, “Be so for real, you guys. Not only would it complicate all of this, but his wifediedlast year. Remember, the wife he’s been with since high school. He’s not looking for something like that, and neither am I.”
I’m not.
They share a look before Gemma says, “You’re right, he did lose his wife, but speaking from experience, that doesn’t mean he’s never going to love again.” Like her brother, Gemma has also lost a spouse. But eventually, with time, she met Everett, her now husband, and I swear those two are soulmates. My throat tightens. I know what she’s trying to say, but no.
“I hear you,” I murmur, afraid if I speak too loud, I’ll start crying again. “And I’m sure he will, but not with me. This isn’t that.” The words are like sandpaper on my tongue.
“Fair enough,” she says.
“But you know…” Grace interjects. “If this were to turn into that, we’d be totally on board.” She winks, and I can’t help but laugh.
They know.
I did it, and now they know.
And Georgia was right. I made it way worse in my mind.
12
Graham, 12 weeks
Meandering out of the kitchen, I stroll up to the front counter, but pause as soon as I step around the corner. Charley’s checking in a guest, and I allow myself the opportunity to watch her in her element. Despite working at the same inn, we rarely run into each other. I’m back of the house, and she’s up front. She’s got her long, inky-black hair tied up in a ponytail on the top of her head, but there’s a few strands falling around her face, probably from her wearing it up all day. The sleeves on the white button-up she’s wearing are rolled halfway up her forearms, revealing her tattoos, and I picture what she’ll look like in a few months, when a baby bump has popped. I can’t lie… The image makes my blood pump a little hotter, and it brings a small smile to my lips.
Once she finishes up and the guests walk off, I head over to the desk, coming to a stop in front of her. “You about ready to go?” I ask, pulling my phone out of my pocket and checking the time.
Charley nods. “Yeah, Debbie is running a couple minutes late, but she should be here any time now.”
My dad and I helped her move in her stuff yesterday, and since we both had a shift this morning, I insisted we carpool. It makes the most sense, but you would’ve thought I asked her to go to mars, with how she looked at me when I suggested it. I won’t lie; yesterday was pretty darn awkward, which I kind of expected. It was my idea to have her move in, and it’s an idea I fully stand by, but I can admit that, given our history and how this all happened, it’s a little weird… Us going from barely talking and being just friendly, to now being roommates while she carries our child. It’s not ideal, and it’s not something I ever thought would happen, but I’m still happy she agreed to move in.
After Debbie shows up, Charley clocks out, then follows me out to my truck in the employee parking lot. Tossing her bag on the seat between us, she buckles her seatbelt, then flits her gaze over to me. “Phone,” she says plainly, holding out her hand.
