AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Cole
Almost Exactly Eight Months Later
The jackhammers pound away almost gleefully as I pull into the parking lot. Our newest hotel, all steel beams and scaffolding, is nothing but noise at this point. For the moment, it’s just an eyesore that we'll have to pretty up for the tourists.
Savannah's perched on my desk when I enter the office, legs crossed, skirt riding high on her thighs. Before I can say good morning, she pounces, kissing me hard.
I slide my hands under her knees and lift her up. She wraps herself around me like a koala clinging to a eucalyptus tree.
"Missed you," she murmurs against my neck. Her floral perfume fills my nose.
"Missed you more." I carry her to the couch and sink down, keeping her on my lap. She plays with my tie, loosening the knot.
"How's the construction coming along?"
"Loud." I brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "But we'll have another five-star hotel on the coast soon enough."
"My hero." She kisses the tip of my nose. "Building up the family empire one giant baseball training camp and concierge hotel at a time."
I chuckle. Savannah nuzzles against my neck, her breath warm on my skin. I run my hands slowly up and down her back, content to hold her close.
"So where've you been all morning?" I ask.
She sits up, an impish grin on her face. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
I raise an eyebrow. "I would, actually. Spill."
"Okay, okay." She takes a dramatic pause. "I had a doctor's appointment."
The way she says the words makes them sound important. My pulse quickens. A doctor's appointment could mean...
No. I shouldn't assume. But the possibility takes root in my mind.
Could Savannah be pregnant? We've talked about having kids someday. But are we ready for that step?
I search her face, looking for any hint, any sign. But she just smiles innocently back at me.
"Everything okay?" I ask, trying to keep my voice casual.
"Yup, all good." She hops off my lap and heads to the Keurig. "Want some coffee?"
I nod absently, my thoughts racing ahead. Savannah pregnant. A little boy with her eyes, a little girl with my smile. Our own family. The idea fills me with a warmth I didn't expect.
I want that. I want that with her.
But I don't press for more details. If there's news, she'll share when she's ready.
Savannah hands me a mug of coffee, then settles next to me on the couch again. She's quiet, staring down into her own mug, and I wonder if she's working up the nerve to tell me something.
Finally she looks up, a blush spreading across her cheeks.
"It was a false alarm," she says softly. "I was a few weeks late, so I thought… you know, why not. But I'm not pregnant."
"Oh." I try not to let my disappointment show.
She bites her lip. "But it got me thinking. I know we said we would have kids someday, but... why not now?”
I feel like someone socked me in the gut.
