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Kelli clung to him, her solid place when things got really shaky, and closed her eyes. “They didn’t seem to care.”
Shad didn’t say anything, probably because he didn’t know what to say. Kelli didn’t blame him. She had no idea why she’d expected them to be flabbergasted by her pregnancy news.
She stepped back and studied the patio pavers at her feet. “I don’t know why, but I wanted them to be, I don’t know, wowed or something.” She shook her head. “It’s silly.”
“I’mwowed,” Shad said. He bent down and ducked his head, then lifted hers until she looked into his eyes. “This is the most amazing, most life-changing, most wow-ful thing that’s ever happened to me.” He grinned at her. “Okay? This—between me and you—we’re the only ones who have to be wowed.”
Kelli fell in love with him all over again with those words. She nodded, the pinch leaving her chest. “You’re right.” She touched her mouth to his. “Thank you.”
Shad led her to the table. “Besides, your mom is almost here, and she’ll be thrilled, I’m sure.”
Kelli picked up her ice water and took a sip. The cold liquid carved a path through her, and she’d barely set her glass down when a car pulled to the curb. Her mother got out of the backseat, her sights already set up the steps.
Kelli lifted her hand in a wave, and Shad got up to go greet her. “Paula,” he said, laughing as he went down the steps. He hugged her, took the food she’d brought in two white paper bags, and brought her up to the table, where Kelli also stood to hug her mom.
“Where’s Parker?” her mom asked, looking toward the door.
“He’s talking to Julian,” Kelli said. “He’ll be out in a few minutes.” She looked at Shad, who started unpacking the food.
“Cobb salad,” he said, sliding that in front of Kelli. “Mac and cheese.” He put that in front of the last seat at the table, where Parker would sit.
Once he’d passed out all the food, Kelli removed the plastic top on her salad and lifted the small cup of dressing. “Mom,” she said. “Shad and I have some news.”
She looked over to her mother, filled with love for her too. Her life hadn’t been easy, and Kelli had just started rediscovering how amazing her mother was. How much she’d protected her from in the past. How selfless and how sacrificing she’d been.
Her mother looked over to Shad, who wore a smile with the wattage of the sun.
“We’re going to have a baby,” Kelli said.
Her mother’s eyes widened, and a shaking hand shot to her mouth. “You’re kidding.”
Kelli shook her head. “Not kidding. We’re due in March.”
Her mother wasn’t one for shrieking, but she made a squealing sound now and lurched out of her seat again. Kelli caught sight of her tears as she hugged her one more time. “Oh, how exciting,” she said. “What a huge blessing for you both.” She pulled away, her joy emanating from her in three-hundred-sixty degrees. “I’m so very excited for you.”
She sat down and looked over to Shad. Kelli did too, and he was just pulling his hand away from his eyes. “Are you excited to be a father?” her mom asked.
“More than I can say,” he said, and Kelli didn’t need Parker or Julian to be happy or excited for her. She knew they were; of course they were.
Shad and her mother were—and Kelli already loved the life growing inside her to bits and pieces—and they’d provided the reactions she wanted. Over and over, Shad did, and Kelli was so glad she’d moved in next door to him and then taken a chance when she’d been scared to do so.
ChapterTwenty-Eight
Laurel stepped into Aaron’s office, Paul right behind her. He carried the last box of her things, and Laurel wasn’t sure how to even speak.
Aaron Sherman, tough, tall, Chief-of-Police whom Laurel had once found so attractive looked up, then stood. “You’re all set?” He didn’t smile, and Laurel didn’t either.
He was married to one of her best friends, and they saw each other socially and casually.
She nodded. Aaron noticed her silence, or maybe the way her chin trembled, and he came around his desk and drew her into a strong hug. “Hey,” he said, his voice not nearly as gruff as it usually was inside this office. “You can come back any time you want, Laurel. Okay?”
She nodded as she gripped his shoulders. She had no idea she’d react this way. She wanted to quit her job so she could be a full-time mom. Her baby was due tomorrow, and Laurel had no idea if the boy would come in the next twenty-four hours. She had some unpacking to do from the baby shower her mother had thrown for her in Nantucket, and she got started on that.
Her parents had then come to the cove to be here when the baby was born. Kristen had filled her fridge and freezer with food, and Jean had carefully and lovingly placed at least a dozen outfits in the top drawers of the dresser Paul had finished putting together last weekend.
Robin and Alice had hung the drapes in the nursery, then set up the rocking chair and changing table. Kelli had commissioned art from a co-worker at her yoga studio who painted on the side, and she’d filled one wall of the nursery with baby animals curling themselves around the letters in Jamison’s name.
AJ had prepared a “first week of motherhood” kit for Laurel, claiming no one could really predict what those first several days would be like, but that she had a few things that could maybe make Laurel’s life easier once she brought her baby home.
