Twisted(141)

“Oh. Good.” He frowned, studying her chest so intently that she couldn’t help squirming. “They’re bigger.”

“Yeah. So’s my belly, though you can’t probably won’t be able to tell yet. But I can.”

“Let me see.”

She undid her robe and revealed the skimpy lace teddy beneath. He laid his hand on her stomach and her pulse skipped from the heat of his palm and the intimacy of the gesture. She felt more naked with him touching her there than she ever had in her life.

“I can tell,” he breathed, and the wonder in his voice brought back her tears. He gave her a sidelong glance and let out a shuddering exhale. “So…guess slow’s out, huh?”

She shut her eyes, thinking back to one of the hardest days she’d ever gone through. It hadn’t been an ending for them, though it had seemed like it at the time. But somehow they’d found their way back to each other as friends even while they’d dated others. Then they’d broken up with those other people and grown closer all over again.

And then they’d joined Oblivion.

“I couldn’t hit the pause button on my life,” she said, blinking her eyes open as a tremor went through his body.

He remembered.

“I’m so fucking glad,” he said hoarsely, lacing their fingers together over her belly. “I’m not waiting for any damn thing anymore. We’ve waited plenty.”

“I know you just got out of Visions, and you’re dealing with big life changes.”

“Yeah, but I’ve been clean more than sixty days. I’m taking it one day at a time. Believe me, staying away from coke and everything else is my number one priority.”

“I know, and I’m so proud of you for deciding to go to rehab. It wasn’t easy.” She bit her lip. “There are other concerns too. Financially, we’re still finding our footing, but more of the money will start rolling in soon.”

“Actually, we’re not doing too badly there.”

“Huh?”

“While I was in rehab, I started pursuing another avenue to make some extra on the side. I want to pay you and my parents back as soon as possible, and now I can.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I started selling some of my songs.” He smiled. “Lila hooked me up with some producers and artists who liked what I have. I worked on more in between therapy sessions and courtyard walks. You’d be surprised how much you can come up with when you’re alone so many hours of the day.”

“That’s amazing.” She stroked his cheek, smiling as he turned his head to kiss her thumb. “I can’t wait to see all the new material.”

“I’m stockpiling it. Once I got back into the groove, it felt natural. It reminded me of when you and I used to write together. I’m hoping maybe we can get back to that. Get a few Edwards-Duffy collaborations out there.”

She glanced at her belly. “One’s already cooking.”

He pressed their joined hands to her stomach. “The best one yet,” he murmured.

“You’re really okay with this? Even though the timing sucks?”

“The timing must be right, because it happened. This is exactly what we both wanted.”

She couldn’t deny it. Even with the alternating bouts of worry and panic over his reaction that she’d suffered through since learning she was pregnant, she’d savored every single moment of their baby’s life. “Yes,” she said, throat thick. “This is exactly what I want.”

“I know the extended family thing didn’t work out for us the way we would’ve hoped. The situation with my parents…” He trailed off and shook his head. “I’ve talked to them a couple of times recently, and we’ve even tried to discuss Brent. It’s just not happening.”

“This baby is going to need grandparents. Look, they’re not perfect, all right? But they’re the only parents you’ve got. And I think—hope—that maybe this child can start to build a bridge. Brent’s gone, Gray,” she said gently. “It’s over.”

“They sided with him. They never even considered that he tried to hurt you. You had to leave, and it wasn’t fair.”

“They didn’t make me leave. It was my choice.” Not that she’d had many of them, since after what had happened with Brent, the Duffys had never looked at her the same way again.

“You didn’t feel safe staying in the house with him. What option did they give you?”

“You paid a much bigger price than I did. God, you turned your back on them to show your solidarity with me, even after I left.” She rubbed his hand. “Sweet, stubborn man.”