Your Fierce Love (The Bennett Family #7)(74)

What if he won't want me for good...or the baby? My eyes sting at the mere thought that he'd push me-us-away. One would think that at this point in my life, I'd be a pro at dealing with rejection, but I am far from it. Every time I deal with it, I feel like that eleven-year-old again, who was dropped at the orphanage with a pink slip of paper in her hand. I guess some wounds never really heal.

I'm ridiculous. I've seen Blake with his nieces and nephews. He adores them. I don't doubt that. He plays with them, spoils them, never ever loses his patience. Whether he wants me for good or not, he'll do right by the baby. I know he will.

But I really hope he'll want me too.





CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Clara



"Thank God they're feeding us at least," Theresa exclaims. She's a fellow candidate for the illustrator position. They called in thirty candidates from the pool of two hundred who applied, and we were all asked to come here at eight o'clock this morning. We're interviewing with different people. So far, I've had six interviews and my head is spinning. The whole thing will last until five o'clock. 

"Amen!" I say as we head toward the buffet lined up in the entrance area of the waiting room. "But I have to be quick because my next interview starts in ten minutes."

"Mine in twenty. No matter the outcome today, I'm going to have a bubble bath tonight."

"I love bubble baths too." But I won't be taking one tonight. I have a very important thing to do, namely tell Blake about the baby-yes, I'm that much of a coward. I've known for an entire week, and I haven't worked up the courage to tell him. Not only that, but I kept to myself as much as possible, afraid that Blake would see right through me otherwise. I've been using the interview and the custom illustration I had to do for today as an excuse, but I'm not sure he's buying it.

Tonight is the night, though.

I bought a pair of baby shoes, which I plan to use as an introduction. It's a bit cheesy, but I'm feeling very cheesy these days. I'm blaming the hormones. I've been carrying the shoes in my purse since I bought them. Sometimes between interviews, I look through my bag so I can see them.

I've prepared an entire speech. Actually, I've prepared quite a few variations, depending on how Blake will take the news. A big part of me hopes he'll just take me in his arms, overcome with joy, and say we'll figure this out together. The rational part of me is making contingency plans.

"Sushi!" Theresa exclaims when we reach the buffet. I look at the selection wistfully. The food selection includes other goodies too, thank goodness, because I'm not allowed to eat sushi. So instead, I load my plate with everything else. This week has been a bit terrible. I've had to give up coffee, and I feel permanently jet-lagged. On the bright side, I have zero morning sickness.

"Why aren't you eating sushi? Not a fan?" Theresa asks as we walk away from the too-crowded buffet area and sit in the chairs in the waiting area by the elevators.

"I love sushi, but sadly I can't eat it right now."

"Pregnant?"

I wince, and I can feel my eyes widening. Theresa's eyes widen too. Crap. She was just stabbing in the dark, but I gave myself away.

"Yeah, I'm pregnant." The corners of my mouth lift up in a smile all by themselves as I say this. I realize I haven't said it out loud since the doctor gave me the news. I haven't told anyone. I couldn't possibly tell any of the Bennetts before talking to Blake, and Penny has been buried in deadlines all week. "Six weeks."

"Wow, how will this work if you get the position?"

I'm about to say I haven't thought that far when a familiar voice booms from behind me.

"You're pregnant?"

I literally leap to my feet, whirling around. Blake is standing just outside the elevator, feet planted wide, a bag of takeout in his left hand. My stomach rumbles at the smell. Something from Blue Moon, by the package. I don't even care what it is. Everything from there is delicious. I cleared my plate, and I'm still hungry.

"Clara?" Blake's voice snaps me back to the matter at hand, which is far more important than my all-consuming hunger.

"I'll leave you two," Theresa says, right before she scurries off with her plate.

"What are you doing here?"

"Wanted to surprise you with lunch. Roast beef. Your favorite. Thought it would bring you luck." He places the takeout bag on one of the chairs. "You're pregnant?" he repeats, frowning now. My entire body tenses. I've seen Blake frown maybe a dozen times since I've known him. I was hoping this wouldn't be an occasion for frowning.