“You can do this,” I murmured softly. “No matter what the test says, you’re a strong woman and you’ll figure out the right thing to do.”
My little pep talk wasn’t doing anything to stop the flutter of butterflies in my belly. Taking a deep breath, I picked up the stick from the bathroom counter and flipped it over.
Not pregnant.
The air left my lungs with a heaving sigh. The emotion I should have felt was relief since I wasn’t sure I was ready for babies, let alone to have them with Jack. Although I’d known him through work for two years, we’d only really been a couple for two weeks. Plus, I still needed to decide what to do about the job offer from Children’s Minneapolis. My brain knew this was probably for the best, but it seemed my heart had a different perspective because I felt like it was breaking.
Logic didn’t factor into what I was feeling. I’d spent the last two days thinking maybe he’d been right and he’d gotten me pregnant. How was I going to tell him I wasn’t? He didn’t even know my period was late because I hadn’t been ready to talk to him about the real possibility of me being pregnant. It seemed like the right decision at the time, but I wished I’d said something because then I wouldn’t be facing this alone. Sitting on the side of the tub, sobbing into my hands, I came to a few realizations.
I loved Jack Halston.
I couldn’t take the job in Minneapolis.
And I wanted to have his babies, all four of them.
My tears shifted into a chuckle snort at the irony. Back in my undergrad years, I’d been a little judgy towards the girls who were there for their “Mrs. Degree,” but I was going to turn down a promotion because of a man. Not just any man, though. I had a feeling my fellow nerd girls would make the same decision if given a chance with Dr. Jack Halston. Too bad for them he was all mine.
Chapter 9
Jack
I placed a bowl of strawberries on a tray along with pancakes, syrup, and orange juice. I wanted to make sure my woman had a good breakfast because I had plans to wear her the fuck out today. It was rare for us to have a day where we were both off and I intended to spend it in bed.
Lifting the tray, I carefully walked to the bedroom and was surprised to see the bed empty. There was light coming from the bathroom door, so I set the tray on the dresser and padded over to the closed door. I turned the knob, and as it opened, I heard soft crying. Alarmed, I raced the rest of the way inside to see Ellison sitting on the edge of the tub, her elbows on her knees, her face buried in her hands.
I scooped her up and took her seat, settling her on my lap, tucking her head under my chin, then rubbing her back in slow circles.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
She sniffled for another minute before lifting her head, her brown eyes watery with tears.
“I didn’t think I wanted it,” she whispered as more tears tracked down her cheeks.
I gently wiped them away with my thumb. “Wanted what?”
“The life you were planning for us, the one with four kids, two surgeons, one house, and a partridge in a pear tree.”
Her words sounded wistful and I took it as a good sign. “Baby, I’d really prefer a dog, but if this is your way of telling me you’re pregnant, we can have whatever fucking pets you want.”
She began to cry in earnest, burying her face into my chest. I started to panic and wonder if I’d gotten it wrong. If she was trying to tell me she had decided to take the job in Minneapolis, I’d chain her to my bed until I convinced her she didn’t belong anywhere but here with me. I knew her, though. No matter the amount of time we’d been together, she was a part of me and I had no doubt that we wanted the same future. It was up to me to make her see it.
My eyes suddenly caught sight of a white, plastic stick sitting on the counter. Still holding Ellie close, I reached out one long arm and picked up the pregnancy test. I stared at it from the back for a moment, a little nervous. Are you sure you aren’t the one with the vagina, dude?
Holding my breath, I flipped it over and the air came whooshing out in a rush.
Not Pregnant.
Chained to the bed it is.
I stood with her cradled in my arms and tossed the test into the garbage. Taking her to the bed, I lay her down and covered her body with mine.
“I told you before, Ellie. You’re mine. I won’t let you leave me. If you want to wait to start a family, I’ll give you whatever you ask, except let you go. I love you and I know you love me. We were meant to be together and I’m going to keep you right here until I’ve convinced you it’s true.”
Her chocolate brown eyes widened as she stared into my face. “You—you love me?” she stuttered.