Overcome with another burst of elation, she spun around in a little pirouette in the middle of her living room, arms open wide, and whooped with pure joy. Bubbles came running, barking and prancing in little circles at Tess’s feet. Laughing, she bent over to scoop up her dog and hug her. After, she wrapped her arms around her middle and stared down at her still flat belly. Her breath caught and her eyes stung with happy tears. A baby.
God, she had so much to do. People to call, plans to make . . . Well, she couldn’t really do some of that until she was safely out of the first trimester, and this baby wouldn’t arrive until sometime around Thanksgiving, which seemed both light-years away and too soon when there was so much to do to get ready.
But she knew who had to be the very first to know. And she wanted to see the look on his face when she shared the news. Hey Thor, she texted. Can you come over as soon as possible? Need to see you. I’m fine, don’t worry.
Logan’s text came back immediately. Sure you’re okay?
Swear it. But come over ASAP.
Finishing up here. Just on the other side of the mountain. Give me half an hour.
Great, she texted back. See you soon.
Bubbles barked and jumped at her feet, the familiar dance of need.
“You gotta go, Bubs? Come on, sweetie.” Tess took her outside for a few minutes, then went to the kitchen to change the water in Bubbles’s bowl. She sat on the couch as she made a call to her ob-gyn’s office back in New York and stared out the enormous glass wall at the picturesque scenery beyond, her beloved mountaintop view. Damn, she’d miss that view when she went home.
And it hit her: She’d be leaving sooner than planned now . . . and she didn’t want to. The thought of not seeing Logan regularly made her heart twist in her chest. She wanted to tell him how she felt. She wanted to proclaim her love for him, shout it from the rooftop . . . but he’d pull away from her. He wanted to be alone; he’d made that clear from the start.
The doorbell rang and she swallowed those thoughts. She flung the door open wide and beamed at him. “Hi!”
He stood there, the sun shining down on his golden hair, and studied her for all of two seconds before he said with a grin, “You’re pregnant, aren’t you.”
“I am!” she cried, and flung herself at him. “I just got back from the clinic. We did it, Logan. I’m going to have a baby!” His arms came up to band around her . . . and as a new wave of emotions battered her—gratitude, relief, and joy, mixed with the sadness of knowing she’d be leaving him soon—she started to cry.
“Hey now . . .” He held her as he edged her back into the house, closing the door behind them with his foot, never letting her go. “You okay? Are these happy tears?”
“Yes,” she whispered. Mostly. “I’m overwhelmed. I just . . .” She sobbed into his shoulder.
“Shhhh.” He held her for a few minutes, rubbing her back, whispering sweet nothings into her ear. She lapped up his affection, bathed in it.
Finally she sniffled and pulled back enough to look at him. “Sorry,” she croaked.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” He reached up and wiped her wet cheeks with both big thumbs. “It’s huge, life-changing news. That’s got to be a lot to take in. You hoped, you went after your dream, you planned . . . and your plan worked. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted.”
No, it’s not, a voice whispered in her head. I want you too. I want it all. I want the baby and I want to be with you. We could be a family together. A startled gasp flew out of her at her own thoughts, and her face heated.
“What?” he asked, brows furrowing with concern as he stared down at her.
She shook her head, her mind racing for a cover. “Just overwhelmed.”
“Okay,” he said, but his searching gaze still lingered, as if he sensed she wasn’t telling him the whole truth. “I think a celebration dinner is in order too.”
Tess reached up and cupped his face, letting her fingers play in his thick, soft beard. God, she loved his beard. “That’s very sweet. Thank you.”
“It’ll be nice. You okay now?”