Retribution (Secrets & Lies #3)(65)
“Me too, sir. Me too.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Melissa
It takes us two weeks to recover fully from our ordeal, but we decide to hold off on our wedding ceremony for a whole week after that as we get nothing but rain and snow, the nights just cold and dreary. Other than being kept inside the compound most of the time, it's fine though, and the seven of us treat it all as a true vacation.
There's a remarkable difference between living in the compound on the defense and relaxing. Once the swelling around my eye from Peter's slap goes down, I enjoy going to town every day with Katrina and Andrea. We go shopping, we hang out as friends and sisters, and generally, I feel like a normal woman.
“Hey 'Lissa,” Andrea asks after we leave the Asheville Police Department one morning when the weather is fine and we feel up to it. We had to give statements about my kidnapping, since while there was no video, there was a report of gunfire. Thankfully, the local cops didn't connect the dots, and they were willing to accept that the whole issue was an accidental discharge, and that I had a panic attack that required us all to leave. With a confirmed history of anxiety attacks and treatment by shrinks, the cops don't like it but let it go. According to them, no harm, no foul. “I had a question.”
“What's that, Andrea?” I ask, climbing into the truck. Today's the day, and the weather looks perfect, clear and beautiful, exactly what I want for my wedding day. “Hey, what about some cheesecake?”
“You're asking a pregnant woman if she wants cheesecake,” Katrina notes, chuckling under her breath. “As if that was even up for debate.”
“Cheesecake sounds good,” Andrea agrees, starting the truck. “But what I wanted to ask was, our cover story was you had a panic attack. But, the best I can remember, you haven't had a single panic attack in weeks.”
I think back, and nod in amazement. “You're right. The last thing I can think of was... well, I had a nightmare the night after Nathan and I told you guys about our engagement, but it was a small one. Since then... I don't think I've had a single anxiety attack. Close once or twice, but never full-on.”
“And no nightmares,” Andrea adds, turning right. There's a little country cafe up ahead, a place Katrina found during one of our earlier trips to town, and it has some delicious cheesecake. “If you ask me, I think you're pretty much done with those.”
I smile, looking at my sisters, nodding. “Maybe. I'm sure I'll have some nightmares in the future, but I know that from now on, I've got plenty of people that can help me, and people that love me. By the way, after this, I'd like to go by Dr. Jackson's clinic.”
“What for?” Katrina asks, and I blush. “What?”
“What I stayed behind for was a pregnancy test,” I admit shyly. “I left before he could tell me the results.”
Andrea stops the truck and hangs a U-turn, heading the other direction. “To hell with the cheesecake, we can have that afterward.”
“Really?” Nathan asks, his face filled with joy and happiness. “You really are?”
“Really, my love. Dr. Jackson says he thinks I'm just about six weeks along now, so it's too early to say anything more than we're going to be parents.”
Nathan's face is streaked with pine tar, he and Jackson have been cutting down a tree, and I think for Nathan, it was a good way to get the last of the kinks out of his neck and shoulder. His smile is pure and genuine, and he steps forward, pulling me close and kissing me tenderly, his hands resting on my jeans. “I can’t believe it.”
“Well, you better,” I hum, kissing him back. “Come on, we've got time for this later. Besides, I’d rather not have pine tar in my hair.”
Nathan pulls his hands off my hips, the light stickiness making us both chuckle, and he looks at his now black and slightly fuzzy palms. “Yeah, I guess I should clean up. I’m glad the water heater is strong, this is going to take forever to get scrubbed off.”
I smile and kiss him on the cheek, and ruffle his hair. “And don't forget the streak on your forehead, too. I'll see you at sundown.”
It's part of our plan, the ceremony of our double wedding. Other than breaking the news of my pregnancy to Nathan, we haven't seen each other all day, Katrina acting as the girls' chaperone while Jackson keeps Carson and Nathan busy. There were a lot of jokes last night over dinner about bachelor and bachelorette parties, but neither Andrea or I could think of anything 'naughty' we wanted to do. After our cheesecakes, we did a little shopping, stopping by the mall and making only my second purchases ever from Victoria's Secret that didn't involve simple cotton panties and t-shirt bras.
Now I'm in my room looking down at the lacy white lingerie, and I'm still shocked at how beautiful it is. Katrina's with me, Andrea saying she's good until it's time to help with her hair. Katrina's over by my dress, checking that all the tags and other things are off of it. “Hey, you okay?”
“Just... wow. I never thought an underground wedding would be so expensive,” I say and chuckle, thinking about the things we bought today. “What did you and Jackson do?”
Katrina laughs and shakes her head. “We had sex, and then exchanged personal vows while still sweaty and naked.”