All Grown Up(87)

“Everything okay in there?” Eve knocked on the bathroom door.

The sound made me jump.

“Ummm. Yeah.” Achoo! “Everything is fine. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

“Alright. Fifteen minutes to show time. Don’t take too long.”

I’m pregnant.

Oh my God.

My son is twenty-one.

And I’m pregnant again.

My ex-husband and I had tried for years after we had Ryan, so I’d just assumed it couldn’t happen. Then again, Ryan and I never practiced getting pregnant anywhere near as much as Ford and I do. I had my doubts about lots of things with my future husband, but his desire for me was never one of them. The man was insatiable, so I really shouldn’t be surprised he’d knocked me up.

Oh my God.

I need to tell him.

I’d gotten him an antique pocket watch for a wedding gift. This was so much better.

Still shaking, I tossed the stick in the wastebasket and unlocked the bathroom door. My maid of honor and bridesmaid were downstairs waiting for me. In the excitement, I’d forgotten that this was the first time they were seeing me in my wedding gown. I’d picked a simple, lace dress with a mermaid silhouette and slight train. It had a beachy vibe to it and was perfect for a barefoot wedding in the sand.

I walked slowly down the stairs.

“You look…” Eve wiped her eyes. “Gorgeous. You’re glowing, Val. I’ve never seen you so happy.”

Glowing. Good choice of words.

I hugged my best friend and almost-sister-in-law. “Thank you. You both look beautiful.”

“You ready to get married?”

“Actually, no.”

Eve’s smile fell. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing. Nothing. But I need to talk to Ford before the ceremony.”

“He’s already outside on the beach, waiting for you.”

“Can you…go out and ask him to come over? It’ll just be a minute.”

“Sure. Of course.” She hesitated. “Are you sure everything is okay? I heard you sneezing in the bathroom.”

I smiled. “It’s just pollen. I’m good.”

Eve and Bella went out the back, and a few minutes later, Ford knocked on the door.

“I thought you didn’t want to see me before the wedding because of the silly superstition?”

My feet were frozen to the living room floor. Ford had to walk to me. I couldn’t even meet him halfway. The minute he got a good look at my face, his grew pale.

“What’s going on, babe? Are you nervous?”

I nodded.

He immediately wrapped me in his arms. “It’s okay. That’s normal. Just take a few deep breaths.”

I did, but it didn’t make me any calmer. After a minute, Ford pulled his head back to look at me. “You’re shaking.”

I nodded. “Ford… I…” I choked up, and a fat tear spilled out and ran down my cheek.

He wiped it away with his thumb. “Don’t cry, baby. Everything is going to be okay. We don’t have to do this if you’re not ready.”

Oh my God, no. That’s what he thought? I couldn’t pull my head together enough to explain, so instead, I just blurted, “I’m pregnant.”

He froze. “What?”

I nodded. “When I went to put on my lipstick, a wave of nausea came over me from the smell of it. I still haven’t gotten my period, and I just got a funny feeling. The test I bought last week had two tests, so I did the second one. It was positive. I’m pregnant. We’re pregnant.”

Ford’s head dropped. “Jesus Christ, Val. I thought you were having cold feet. You scared the shit out of me.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

He lifted me up off my feet into the air. “You’re really freaking pregnant? We’re going to have a kid?”

I laughed. “We are.”

He spun me around twice and yelled louder, “We’re going to have a baby! We’re going to have a baby!”

“Ummm…Ford, if you keep spinning me like that, you’re going to be getting married with puke all over your shoulder. I’ve been queasy ever since I tried to put on the lipstick. I thought it was just my nerves, but apparently not.”

“Oh shit. Sorry.” He set me down and wrapped me in his arms—so tight, I could barely breathe. “I didn’t think…” He shook his head. “I just didn’t think it would happen. And I would’ve been fine with that. But now…holy shit, I guess I really wanted this.”

I smiled and sniffled back tears. “Me, too. I didn’t actually realize how much so until I saw that plus sign a few minutes ago. I couldn’t even wait until after the ceremony to tell you.”

Ford took my cheeks into his hands and spoke with his lips pressed to mine. “My wife is going to have my baby.”

“Well, technically, I’m not your wife yet. We do have to go outside and get that part over with. There are fifty or so people out there that we’re keeping from a clambake.”

He kissed me hard. “Let ’em wait.”

After a long, emotional kiss, Ford leaned his forehead against mine. “You know what I just thought of?”