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Larissa was the one who spoke first. “Oh my God.”
Melinda shook her head slightly. “Amelia, how…”
Their shocked expressions were proof that I had done something horribly wrong. But what was going on between Nathaniel and me couldn’t be wrong. Not when I cared for him so much, and I knew he felt the same.
Despite my sisters’ shock, I felt relief at finally admitting my secret to them. A weight had come off my shoulders. All my life, I had been close to my sisters, and even though I was scared and nervous about how they would take the information, I was glad to say it out loud.
Larissa spoke up again, still looking taken aback. “How long has this been going on?”
“A couple of months now,” I said, realizing that ever since we had started seeing each other, I had thought of little else other than Nathaniel. My sisters had suspected something, asking me what was going on when we had dinner at our parents’ house. Now, they finally knew the truth. “It started at Dad’s client party. We didn’t plan it; we just couldn’t control our attraction.”
They shared another look, and this time, it was loaded with more recognition than confusion.
“Is it a fling?” Melinda asked.
“No,” I said, emphatically. “It’s not a fling. Nathaniel is… special.”
Larissa shifted in her seat. “So you’re serious together?”
I considered it, and in spite of all my confusion regarding what to do and how my parents would react, I knew one thing to be true, no matter what. “He’s important to me.”
“At dinner the other week,” Melinda said, her gaze drifting away, thinking. “When Mom had been so annoying about setting Nathaniel up with one of her friends. You wanted to leave right afterward.” She smiled slightly. “It makes more sense now.”
“Well, now we know why you don’t want Dad to find out,” Larissa said matter-of-factly, slurping the dregs of her juice. “Have you thought about what you’re going to tell him?”
“I don’t know,” I said truthfully. I hadn’t expected any of this and hadn’t had a chance to think that far ahead yet.
“Whatever you decide to do,” Melinda said, “we’re here for you. We’ll support you.”
Larissa nodded, agreeing. “Yes, no matter what, we’ve got your back.”
I managed a weak smile, still worried but grateful for my sisters more than ever before.
Melinda squeezed my shoulder gently. “Amelia, I think the first thing you’ve got to do is tell Nathaniel. If he’s so important to you, if you two have something special together, you can’t keep this from him. He deserves to know he’s going to be a father.”
“I know,” I said, taking a deep breath. “I will. I’ll tell him. Soon.”
“And in the meantime,” Larissa said, pushing my unwrapped sandwich across the kitchen table, “you need to get a little lunch in you.” She winked warmly at me.
I let out a little laugh at how Larissa was so predictable–always wanting to make sure people were fed and healthy. I took the sandwich, unwrapped it, and scarfed it down, amazed at how famished I had been. Skipping breakfast was apparently not a good idea when pregnant.
My sisters were understanding when I told them I wanted another day or so before talking to Nathaniel. I promised again that I would tell him as soon as possible, I just needed some time to process everything that was happening, time to think a little, on my own.
My life was about to change.
In many ways, it already had.
It was a lot to take in, and even more to come to terms with emotionally.
Fortunately for me, I had the best sisters in the world by my side.
Chapter 22
Nathaniel
Ihad been trying to get a hold of Amelia for a few days, but she was hard to pin down. My texts were answered with “yes” or “no” or “I’m not sure”–always short and to the point, unlike Amelia’s usual warm, friendly way of communicating–and despite knowing she was busy at work, I couldn’t help but worry that something was off with her.
Maybe something had gone wrong. Maybe she’d had a change of heart about what was growing between us.
