Page 75 of A Highland Family Affair

Olivia shook her head. ‘At this moment in time, I feel shell-shocked. I can’t think straight. I thought it was negative. I mean, I haven’t had morning sickness or anything. I’ve felt a bit dizzy and… soooo tired but… I did a test this morning just to be able to discount pregnancy. But I never expected this. Not now. Not today.’ Her heart began to race, and a cold sweat broke out on her brow, her breathing became shallow, and her hands shook.

‘Come on, Liv, breathe, okay? Breathe. You’re panicking when you haven’t even spoken to Brodie. Why don’t we go get him and you can talk in here away from everyone?’ Bella said.

Harper nodded. ‘She’s right, Liv. You can’t worry until there’s something to actually worry about. But honestly, I think you’ll be absolutely fine.’

Olivia nodded. ‘Yes, you’re right. I do need to talk to him.’

Bella and Harper stood and helped Skye to her feet. ‘What’s happening?’ Skye asked, her eyes half closed.

‘Harper’s going to find Brodie and you’re coming outside with me for some fresh air,’ Bella told their drunk friend. ‘The last thing we need is you blurting it out in front of anyone. Loose lips and all that.’

Skye frowned. ‘Blurting what out?’

Bella rolled her eyes. ‘Never mind, come on, drunken Doris.’

Harper, Bella and Skye left Olivia sitting there on the sofa. Sir Lancelot came and nuzzled at her again. This time he was sniffing around her belly, and she gasped. ‘Is that what’s been wrong with you, Lancey? Can you tell I’m pregnant?’ She had heard of dogs being overly sensitive to such things but had never quite believed it; however, he had been so fussy with her recently. Nuzzling at her and lying close beside her. She had thought it was just crumbs he was after but now she realised it was probably not that at all.

After what felt like an eternity, Brodie hobbled into the room on his crutches. ‘Hey, wifey, are you okay? Bella said you needed to see me. You’re not going to ask for a divorce, are you?’ He laughed. ‘Because I swear my dancing will improve when the crutches are gone.’

Olivia covered her face with one hand and burst into tears that fell so fast she could barely wipe them away fast enough.

Brodie rushed to her as fast as his injury would let him and sat beside her on the sofa. She lowered her face, terrified of what was going to happen next.

Brodie took her empty hand. ‘Oh, God, Liv, you’re not really regretting marrying me, are you? I mean, we can usually get through anything so just tell me what it is, and I’ll try my best to fix it.’ His voice wavered and when Olivia lifted her gaze to look at him she saw the anguish in his eyes. ‘Oh, God, is it Kerr? What’s happened? Has he⁠—’

She shook her head and turned in her seat to face him. ‘No, no, it’s not that, Brodie. I swear Kerr has done nothing wrong. It’s just…’

He shook his head. ‘It’s just what? What’s wrong? You shouldn’t be sobbing on your wedding day.’

Slowly, and with a great deal of trepidation, she lifted her other hand and held it out flat with the positive pregnancy test resting on her palm. ‘This.’

He peered down at it, his face changing expressions faster than she could acknowledge or read them. But eventually he stood quickly and stared down at her, eyes wide, chest heaving. He leaned on the arm of the sofa to steady himself, possibly because of his leg but possibly out of shock. It was hard for Olivia to tell.

Olivia stared up at him. ‘Aren’t you going to say anything?’

He rubbed a hand over his face then pointed at the test with wide eyes. ‘Is that… Does that mean…?’

Olivia stood, leaving the test on the sofa. She cupped his face in her hands. ‘I’m so sorry. I have no idea how this happened. I know it’s not the news you wanted to hear on your wedding day. I mean, we haven’t even been married a day yet and now… this.’ Her chin trembled. ‘We can talk and make some decisions, but please let’s not allow this to ruin everything for us.’

Brodie’s brow crumpled again. ‘You’re sorry? But Liv, this isn’t something where blame needs to be placed. It takes two.’ He shrugged. ‘And… when you say make decisions, what do you mean, exactly?’

Olivia glanced back down at the test. ‘I mean… we don’t have to do this right now. We have time.’

He tilted her face to make her look him in the eyes. ‘Olivia, are you saying you don’t want to go through with this?’

She closed her eyes and more tears spilled over her cheeks. ‘No… I’m not saying that. It’s just that we both agreed we’d have children someday. And now…’

‘Open your eyes, Liv,’ he said gently. She did so and found him smiling. ‘It looks like our someday is happening sooner than we expected. But aren’t you happy?’

Olivia gave a single laugh. ‘I want to be.’

‘Olivia MacLeod, do you want to have this baby with me?’ he whispered, his gaze not moving from hers.

‘I do,’ she said. ‘More than anything.’

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her with a tenderness that spoke of how much he adored her and when he pulled away, tears were cascading down his cheeks too. He placed a hand on her flat stomach and wiped her tears away with the other. ‘I’m going to be a daddy,’ he said before kissing her all over again.

EPILOGUE