That's Amore! - Janelle Denison [17]
She'd brushed her hair and washed her face, and the color was back in her cheeks. But she still looked weary and now unsure, and when he opened his arms to her, she didn't hesitate to accept his comforting embrace. She snuggled into his chest, and he felt a shuddering breath course through her.
"I'm sorry," she whispered against his neck.
His heart ached for her, along with that vulnerable catch he heard in her voice. Tucking a finger beneath her chin, he lifted her face up to his, trying to gauge where that apology was coming from. "For getting sick, or being pregnant?"
"A bit of both, I suppose." Her shoulders lifted in a delicate, uncertain shrug. "This wasn't exactly a planned pregnancy."
"Sweetheart, you have absolutely nothing to apologize for." He gave her a teasing grin. "I was going to marry you anyway."
She laughed and slipped from his arms. She took a can of Sprite from the refrigerator and grabbed a box of saltine crackers from the cupboard. "Thank you for making me breakfast. That was so sweet of you, but these days I can't get much down first thing in the morning, and certain smells really set me off."
Since she wasn't going to eat her breakfast, and he didn't want it to go to waste, he picked up a piece of bacon and popped it into his mouth. "So, it's like this every morning?"
"Most." She nibbled on a cracker. "Some days are worse than others, and luckily it passes after a few hours."
"Ahhh," he said in understanding. "This is the flu."
She nodded. "Or so everyone else thinks." She poured Sprite into a glass, and took a small drink.
"How long have you known?"
"I found out right after you left. I missed a period and took one of those home pregnancy tests and the positive sign turned a bright shade of pink. Then I started getting sick in the mornings."
He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Leila, why didn't you tell me before now?"
"Because I didn't want you to worry about me or be distracted while you were trying to tie things up business-wise in California. Besides, this wasn't something I wanted to tell you over the phone."
His mouth quirked with a grin as he remembered what had transpired back in her bedroom half an hour ago. "Well, I do have to say the way you told me is quite memorable."
She ducked her head sheepishly. "At least I made it to the bathroom in time instead of getting sick on your shoes."
He was glad to see her joking with him, but he was still worried about her. "Are you okay with all this?"
"Me?" Her tone rang with incredulity and her eyes widened in startled surprise. "I'm more concerned about you being okay with this unexpected pregnancy."
"I know we weren't planning on starting a family so soon. And I'll admit I'm still a little shocked over the news," he added, and tenderly brushed the back of his fingers along her soft cheek. "But I've always wanted a family of my own, and with you, and I figure we just got an early start on things."
She bit her bottom lip, her eyes filling with dread. "I have to tell my parents."
He didn't see that as a problem. "I'm making an honest woman out of you," he teased playfully. "Besides, how can they not be happy about a grandchild?"
She dragged her fingers through her hair and away from her face. "My mother is already having a tough time with us getting married and moving to California. I can only imagine how she's going to react when she learns she's going to have a grandchild so soon, but she won't be able to see the baby on a regular basis."
"We'll come and visit often."
"And I honestly hope those visits will be enough," she said, her voice catching.
He was certain her out-of-whack hormones were causing her to blow things out of proportion—especially her parents' possible reaction to her pregnancy. Still, he did his best to reassure her. "It'll work out, Leila. I promise."
He pulled her back into his arms and hugged her tight, hoping like hell her parents didn't make a mockery