I instantly drop to the floor right in front of him. As tears fall down both of our faces, he pulls my body into his. As we sit there holding each other, I know that right here and right now is one of the best days of my life.
After what seems like forever, the two of us finally pull apart from one another. Luke helps me up from the floor and I go into the bathroom to splash some cold water on my face. I take a look at myself in the mirror. Besides the red blotches all over my face and the puffy red eyes, I look and feel the happiest I have ever been in my life. I finish up in the bathroom and return to the kitchen. Luke is talking on the phone as he leans against the door looking outside. Noticing me approach, he turns and gives me his famous shit-eating grin.
“She can only be a few weeks along, Mom. Yeah, me too… l will… love you too. Bye.”
Taking the few steps he needs to get to me, Luke picks me up and places me on the counter.
“So, what did your mom have to say?”
He brings his mouth to mine and bites down on my lower lip.
“Well, after she screamed in my ear, she pretty much started planning a shower and the baby’s arrival already.”
We both burst out laughing.
“I bet half the town knows by now, too.”
“You’re probably right about that,” he says as he dips his head and starts kissing my neck. I tilt it to give him better access.
“Enough about my mom, my love.”
He brings his hands to my stomach.
“What can I feed you two?”
“Well I don’t know about our baby, but if you keep that up then I want you.”
He stops kissing my neck and places a light kiss on the tip of my nose.
“Baby, you can have me anytime and anywhere you want, but right now you’re going to eat.”
The evening progresses very quickly as we relax in the pool after dinner and talk about when would be the right time to tell Lucy about the baby. I tell Luke that I think it is best to wait for a few weeks or so as she is too young to understand about the morning sickness. I don’t want to scare her with that as she just won’t understand.
Luke agrees. As we settle in bed for the night, he surprises me with a request I never even thought about until now.
“I want Lucy to have my last name,” he says, rolling over to face me.
Reaching over to cup his face in my hands, I tell him the words I have wished for since the day our daughter was born.
“I want that, too. I know she would love it. I even know a good lawyer who can make it happen; his name is Antonio Schavone. Do you know him?” I smirk.
Hauling me on top of him, he chuckles as he whispers against my lips.
“Never heard of him.”
“Hmm,” I say, “That’s too bad, because he is so damn hot.”
Flipping us over so that he is lying on top of me, his eyes start to turn dark and full of desire.
“I’ll show you hot.”
And he does. Twice.
************
Oh God.
I throw the covers off of me and rush to the bathroom. I am so busy throwing up, I don’t hear Luke come into the bathroom until I feel him pulling my hair away from my face and rubbing my back. When I am sure the morning sickness has run its course, at least for the time being anyway, I flush the toilet and lay my head back on Luke’s strong chest.
“How long does morning sickness last? I sure as hell don’t like seeing you like this.”
“I will be fine,” I tell him as I go to the sink to brush my teeth. He brings his arms around my waist and we lock eyes in the mirror.
“I know you’ll be fine, baby. I just know nothing about this.”
He gestures with his hand as if he wants it to talk for him. I pull the toothbrush out of my mouth and try my hardest to not laugh at him as I help him out.
“It’s called morning sickness, sweetheart, and we have about two to three more months of it.”
“Jesus, Shayne. Is that normal?”
Now I can’t help it. I full out laugh, spitting toothpaste all over the sink.
“It’s not funny.”
“Yes, it is.”
“No, it’s not.”
Deciding I am not going to win this fight with him, I rinse out my mouth and turn around in his arms to place a soft kiss on his lips.
“Schavone, I will be fine, really. So stop worrying. I feel fine now, and besides, we have a birthday party to get ready for. I am starving.”
Stepping around him, I walk to the shower shaking my head and laughing at him as I start the water and step under the spray. I continue to laugh as I clean myself up and get ready for my daughter’s birthday party.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
By the time Luke and I have put the finishing touches on the decorations outside by the pool it seems like everyone shows up at once. Lucy, Sierra, and Heather are laughing and trying to get Antonio to swim with them already. While the girls are being occupied, I take the chance to grab Erin and introduce her to Luke.