“Most wonderful sound in the world,” Luke says with awe in his voice. He looks down at me. His smile stretches from ear to ear. “Thank you.” He plants his lips on my forehead and we stay like that listening to the baby’s heartbeat until Dr. Barnes clears her throat.
“I printed out some pictures for you.” Luke snatches them from her hand.
“Now, we can determine the due date with quite a bit of accuracy since the date of conception is not in question.” I hide my face in Luke’s side. Admitting I’ve only had sex once in the past year was not fun. Definitely not the highlight of the year. The sex on the other hand? Possibly the highlight of my decade. “Your baby should arrive on August 7th.”
“August 7th,” Luke repeats. “I can’t wait.”
“In the meantime, I want to run some blood tests. As soon as you’re dressed, head to the lab.” She extends her hand. “I’ll see you in a few weeks.”
Once the door is closed behind her, Luke helps me sit up. He stands between my legs and cradles my face with his hands. “I love you.” Tears well and fall from my eyes. “I’m not expecting you to say it back. I know I majorly messed up in the past. I need to atone for my mistakes, so you can forgive me.”
With a start, I realize I do forgive him. What he did was horrible, the worst actually, but we were young, barely in our twenties. It was the first time we’d ever been apart from each other. And he didn’t go off to college and frat parties. No, he went to war. He’s admitted how fucked up he was by everything he saw and experienced. It’s no wonder he lashed out.
I open my mouth to tell Luke I forgive him, but he places a finger over my mouth and shakes his head. “Don’t say anything. I have a present for you.”
“A present? For me?” I clap my hands. “Gimme. Gimme.”
Since we only started dating again a week before Christmas, we decided not to give each other Christmas presents. I was completely bummed. I love giving presents. But I agreed with Luke because what do you give someone you’ve loved forever but have also hated for a decade? Hallmark does not make cards for these situations.
Luke reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a square jewelry box. “You better not propose again!” I don’t want him proposing because I’m carrying his baby. I want him to propose because he can’t live one more single second without me being his wife.
“Look at the box. It’s the wrong size.” Oh yeah. He hands it to me. “Open it.”
I tear off the paper and throw it on the ground before opening the box. I gasp at the bracelet nestled inside. Luke pulls it out and secures it around my wrist. “It’s a charm bracelet.” He points to the rose. “This is for Rose. And this one.” He points to a rosebud. “This is for Baby Bud.”
I finger the third charm – a heart. “And this one?”
“Is my heart. You stole it long ago. I tried to take it back, but I don’t want it.”
My eyes start leaking and I throw myself at him. “This is super sweet. You’re super sweet.”
Luke tucks me into his chest. “I think I need to invest in Kleenex if this is the amount of crying you’re going to be doing until August.”
I rear back and slap his chest. “Stop it! I can’t help it. It’s the hormones!”
“Likely excuse,” he murmurs, but his smile lights up his eyes. “Cry all you want. I can take it. I’ve got broad shoulders.”
He hands me some tissues from the desk, and I wipe my eyes.
“Come on. You need to get your blood work done, and then we’re off to lunch with Bailey and Roman.”
“When did you arrange lunch?” He smiles as he hands me my clothes. “Are you going to be this considerate for the next seven months? You’re going to ruin the reputation of men the world over.”
“I think I can live with that.” He places a gentle kiss on my lips. “Now, get your butt moving.”
“Ah, there’s the man I know.” He smacks me on the ass and I giggle.
Chapter 28
If a beer with a friend can’t solve the problem, there’s always my fist in your face.~ Luke’s Secret Thoughts
The Coach House is practically empty when I arrive. It should be. It’s 2 o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon. Who would be at a bar then? Well, me, obviously. I order a beer and find a booth to wait in. I’m almost finished when my former best friend, George, arrives. He’s fifteen minutes late. After the things I said to him, I’m surprised he showed up at all. With a scowl on his face, he takes the seat across from me.
“Can I get you a drink?” I ask as I motion towards the bartender.
“I’m good.”
With no idea how to start, I ask, “How have you been?”
His scowl deepens. “Cut the crap. What am I doing here?”
I brush off his words as I deserve his anger. “I wanted to apologize.”
“Ten years too late, asshole.” He stands, but I rush to block his exit.
“I know I don’t deserve your time, but I’d like to explain.” I’m dangerously close to begging but I don’t give the first fuck. I need to get over the past and to do so I need to explain to George why what happened, happened.
He stares at the ground for a long minute before nodding and returning to the booth. He motions with his hand for me to go ahead.
“I was majorly fucked up when I got back from Iraq. PTSD.” I pause to gather my courage before explaining. “I was feeling on the edge all the time. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t concentrate. I was convinced everyone was out to get me. And the angry outbursts?” I glance up at George to see he’s listening to every word I’m saying. “I don’t need to tell you about those.”
“No shit,” he says. “Why now? Why come to me with this now?”
“Violet.” Everything comes back to her.
“Damn, man. It’s always about Violet with you.”
“She’s carrying my baby.” Just thinking about Baby Bud brings a smile to my face.
“What the hell man? After what happened last time?”
“It was an accident. We didn’t plan it, but we have the best specialist money can buy. She thinks Violet can carry the baby to term.”
“That’s good. I hope it works out for you, man.” He motions the bartender for a beer. After the beer arrives and he takes a sip, he says, “How you managed to get her to forgive you after what you did is beyond me.”
“I’m still working on earning her forgiveness.” Although I could have sworn she was ready to say she forgives me at Dr. Barnes’ office. I stopped her. She’s on an emotional rollercoaster right now with the baby. I want her to forgive me when she’s good and ready, not when her hormones make her think she’s ready.
“She hasn’t forgiven you, but you got her pregnant?”
I shrug. “Like I said, an accident.”
He snorts. “I bet.”
“Anyway.” Time to bring this conversation back to the reason I swallowed my pride and begged him to meet me. “I’m sorry for the stuff I said. I now know none of it was true. I was lashing out based on some shit Tommy said.”