Players, Bumps and Cocktail Sausages (Silence #3)(65)

“I love it when you blush.”

I didn’t. It was embarrassing. “You make me do it a lot.”

He smiled. “I know. Think we’re gonna get fed soon?”

I laughed, shaking my head. Moment over.

When it was time to go through for the meal Jasper and I took our seats along with my parents, Brad and Casey.

I fell into conversation with Mum and Casey while Dad, Jasper and Brad chatted about football. My cheeks ached from smiling so much, especially when Jasper’s hand found mine under the table. It was so easy to pretend that we were together, or that he was open to it in the future at least.



The evening reception kicked off with Britney Spears and the top tier of the wedding cake falling off the stand. The bride and groom shrugged it off, too happy to care that their six-tier cake was now a five. I’d dragged Jasper around, introducing him to more family and then we used the excuse that my feet were hurting to escape and sit back at our table.

Brad and Jasper held a conversation about some car part for a full ten minutes, and I sat there wishing I was anywhere else. I laid back in my seat, looking around, bored. Poor Casey, it looked like they weren’t getting on. She had been texting for a while.

“Okay?” Brad asked.

“Yep,” I replied.

“Dance with me,” Jasper said, standing up and holding his hand out.

Brad turned to his date. I could tell he still wasn’t completely happy with me and Jasper having a baby together. At first I thought it was because I was his sister, but now I think it’s because Jasper was his friend. They spent a lot of time together, even when Jasper was with Abby, but now he comes to see me a couple times a week and most weekends.

I took Jasper’s hand, and we walked to the dance floor. Thankfully it was quite full so we wouldn’t have the embarrassment of being the only ones. He wrapped his arms around me and pressed his body to mine as much as he could.

My small, five-month bump poked him in the stomach, and his eyes lit up. “I hope she kicks,” he said and started swaying us to the music.

“You wouldn’t say that if you were getting the kicks from inside.”

“It really hurts?”

“When she gets my ribs it does but only for a second. But I’d rather she was active, so I don’t worry about not feeling her move.”

She was small for five months; below average, but not below the smallest size she should be. Still, my midwife was keeping a close eye on her growth, and I was possibly going to have another scan next month.

I expected him to say something, but he just continued to stare at me. The air between us thickened, and I gripped his shoulders. He was going to kiss me, I think. My body heated, and I felt a little lightheaded.

“Holly, if you don’t like PDAs in front of your family, walk away now.”

Walk away? Like I could even if I wanted to, and I definitely didn’t want to.

I stayed, and he lowered his mouth until his lips brushed so lightly against mine it tickled. There really was no need for him to tease.

“Are you going to kiss me or not?” I breathed. As I spoke, he lowered his face to mine and kissed me.





Chapter Twenty-Nine


Holly




Jasper sat on my bed reading the pregnancy book as if he was being tested on it. Since I’d got home for the Christmas break, we’d been together pretty much every minute he wasn’t working. I’d even done a few shifts at The Centre, offering my help because I knew they were busy when really I just wanted to be around him for longer. I was getting pathetic.

He was determined to know everything that was going on with the baby and my body. It was sweet that he took so much interest, but there was something else to it. He was obsessed with knowing everything and planning for every eventuality.

He knew three different routes to the hospital, had my doctor and midwife on speed dial and a first aid kit – complete with towels and baby clothes – in his boot. It was over the top, and I wasn’t sure how to tell him to relax and enjoy watching our baby grow without stressing over every detail. He just couldn’t seem to accept that he couldn’t control everything.

“Jasper, you’ve read that a million times already,” I said, “and the birth will probably go differently to those books anyway.”

He looked up over the book. “You don’t know that. We need to be prepared, Holly.”

“There’s prepared, and then there’s what you’re doing. You’re going to either go crazy by the time she arrives or be exhausted.”

Ignoring me, he stuck his head back in the book.

“Do you think they’ll let me stay in the hospital with you?”

I shook my head. “No, they don’t allow dad’s or partners to stay. You can visit all day and until the evening though.”

The book dropped to his lap. “We need to speak to them about that. Maybe we can get a private room – you can hire those – and see if I can stay there too, it might be different if we’re not on the main ward.”

“It’ll be fine. I’m sure I can manage for a few hours between you leaving at night and coming back in the morning.” I know I hadn’t been around babies much, but I was confident I could do it. The midwives were there to help and guide me. Surely all I’d be doing was breastfeeding and changing nappies anyway.