Lost Love (Cowboys and Angels #1)(84)
Slipping my Converse shoes back on, Steed nearly toppled me when he grabbed my arm. “Come on, let’s go!”
I laughed. “Steed! Let me get my shoes on.”
He swept up my remaining shoe then grabbed me and cradled me in his arms. “You’re going entirely too slow, Pax.”
I couldn’t contain the happiness that bubbled out as Steed carried me to his truck. Gone were the two scared teenagers from ten years ago…
Setting me in the seat, Steed placed his hand on the side of my face and flashed me a sexy grin. I knew what he was thinking. Both of us were excited, yet afraid to get our hopes up.
My hand covered his. “No matter what happens, that day will always be special.”
Leaning in, he softly kissed my lips then added, “Yes, it will.”
My pulse raced as I pulled into the local drug store. Throwing my truck into park, I practically shouted, “Hold on! I’ll get your door!”
I jumped out and ran to Paxton’s side. She sat in the passenger seat with a wide grin. Opening the door, I reached in and scooped her up into my arms. Letting out a small yelp, she laughed.
“Steed, what in the world are you doing?”
“What? I want to you help you out of the truck.”
Narrowing her eyes at me, she shook her head. “I’m not incapable of getting out of the truck. Besides, we don’t know if I’m…” She looked around and whispered, “Pregnant.”
“Why are you whispering?” I asked, setting her down.
“Because there is a lot at stake if I am.”
My brow lifted. “Such as?”
“My job? Do you have any idea how they would frown at their kindergarten teacher being knocked up out of wedlock?”
“Fuck them!” I shouted as she slapped her hand over my mouth.
“Steed Jonathon Parker!”
I drew her into my chest. “Jesus, Pax. You calling me by my full name in that tone turns me on. Will you dress up like the naughty teacher, and I’ll be your bad boy student?”
Humor crossed her face.
“Paxton, how are you?”
The voice behind me made her expression drop, and she immediately jumped away from me.
“Mr. Hines. H-how are you?”
Glancing over my shoulder, I flashed a grin at the school principal—who also happened to be Paxton’s boss.
“I’m doing well. Ready for some turkey tomorrow. How about you?”
Paxton rubbed her stomach and let out a nervous chuckle. “Yes. Turkey and dressing. All that yummy food. So ready.”
I was positive he had no clue who I was, even though Mitchell and I had him for our eighth grade teacher, and we singlehandedly killed three class pets by accident that year. I remember him sending a letter home to my father stating that if we killed another class pet we were going to have to finish out eighth grade in in-school suspension.
“Mr. Hines, this is…” Paxton paused, her cheeks turning pink as she glanced down at her ring.
“Paxton’s fiancé. Steed Parker,” I said.
He grimaced, and then anger shot across his face.
Oh, yeah. It was safe to say he remembered who I was.
“Steed Parker. Kill any turtles lately?”
Paxton’s smile dropped and a look of utter horror replaced it.
I let out a nervous chuckle. “No, sir. I put those days behind me years ago.”
He huffed, then focused back on Paxton. “Enjoy your time off, Paxton.”
“Um, you too, sir.”
He walked away…right into the drugstore.
Paxton hit my chest, hard. “Shit! He went into the drugstore, Steed.”
“So?” I asked as I grabbed her hand and headed to the door.
“We can’t buy a pregnancy test with my boss in there.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Then we’ll mingle until he leaves.”
Paxton stopped walking. “Mingle? Steed, we’re not at a party!”
“You know what I mean.”
We walked into the store and sure enough, the old goat was right there asking the young girl behind the counter where the orange flavored Metamucil would be. Leaning down to Paxton, I uttered, “I could have gone my whole life without hearing that.”
Covering her mouth, she pulled me deeper into the drugstore. After walking up and down each aisle and grabbing random things, we found ourselves in that aisle. The aisle you paid your older brother and sister to go down and buy condoms.
“I’m nervous,” she said.
“He left!” I yelled, making my way to the pregnancy tests. I stopped dead in my tracks. Paxton’s parents walked by the aisle and then stopped.
“Hey kids! What are you doing here?”
Paxton hit me on the back. More like punched me. Here we were, standing in the middle of the aisle that just happened to contain not only the pregnancy tests, but an array of condoms. A thought hit me. If Paxton was pregnant, that meant no…more…condoms.