Tequila and Candy Drops: A Blueberry Springs Sweet Romance Page 15

  As she walked, a few tiny flakes drifted down from the sky and she thought about her and Todd, about their conversation outside the movie theater. She could only hope that Devon was right—if you communicated your needs and wants, as well as found the right person, then any changes you made for each other would turn out okay. No resentment. No regrets.

  And she’d been honest with Todd. She wanted kids.

  So did that mean the ball was in his court now?

  If it was, would he send it back over the net to her, or would he let it drop and roll away?

  She stuffed her hands deep in her pockets. Too much thinking. Too many questions.

  * * *

  Tonight was movie-and-dessert night for her Blueberry Springs social event, and Todd was in Cuba. Living the life.

  Meanwhile, she’d brought Twiggy home for good. It felt right, but it also felt as though her life was moving in the opposite direction from Todd’s, at a time when they should be moving toward each other, merging, joining.

  They were so good together. It was easy, fun. But it also felt complicated. She wanted him here by her side, sharing her new life adventures. Sharing laughs, creating new inside jokes.

  She inhaled slowly, reminding herself to give him more time. She was moving fast these days…she just needed to give him a chance to catch up.

  Nicola walked into the movie theater, saw what was playing and walked right back out again. She was still on the sidewalk, contemplating her options, when Devon approached her.

  “Are you all right?”

  She slowly began shaking her head.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I can’t watch that movie.”

  “Why not?”

  It was the same one she’d planned to see with Todd in the city only a week ago. Man, it felt like so much longer than a handful of days since they’d skipped out of the film to go back to his apartment. Looking at the movie poster made her miss him and she wished she could figure out a way to adopt him like she had Twiggy—make his heart her forever home.

  “No reason,” she said eventually.

  “Don’t like the actors?” Devon asked sympathetically.

  He was giving her an out.

  “Yeah,” she said glumly.

  “It’s Todd related, isn’t it?”

  Her eyes filled with tears. Devon was a good friend, but really didn’t need to hear about her pathetic emotional woes. She was bigger than this, tougher than this, too, but somehow she couldn’t seem to summon that aspect of her personality these days.

  She fanned her face as though that would cause her tears to evaporate. “I’m sorry. I’m tired and stressed and it’s making me annoyingly emotional.”

  Devon eyed her carefully. “Pregnant?”

  She let out a shaky laugh, her surprise chasing away the tears. “Don’t say that too loudly or everyone in Blueberry Springs will be repeating it as if it’s true.”

  He tugged her out of the path of a group of teenagers, casually hooking his arm around her shoulders, slow to release her when she was safely out of the way. “You sure?”

  “And you’re an expert?”

  “I had a girlfriend once.” He focused on something in the distance, his face twisted with emotion and Nicola knew she was finally getting some real clues about his romantic history.

  “And she was pregnant?”

  “So really not seeing the movie, huh?”

  She went along with the abrupt subject change, mentally reminding herself to pump him for info at some other time. “I’ll make sure everyone has their tickets, but I think I’ll skip along to the café to make sure the dessert stuff is set up. How about you?”

  He shrugged. “I’m easy.”

  She gave him a shoulder bump and a wink. “I’ve heard that about you.”

  “Spread the good word,” he said, grinning. “Especially if they’re cute.”

  “You’re insufferable.”

  He offered his arm. “Walk with me?”

  She automatically started to twine hers with his, then hesitated. “I have to make sure everyone gets their prepaid tickets.” She gestured toward the theater behind her and Devon took several steps that way, opening the door for her.

  “Do what you do best, girl.”

  “Thanks. Coming in?”

  “I think I’ll stay out here for a little while. Let me know if you need anything.”

  “Thanks, Devon.”

  “I haven’t done anything.”

  “I appreciate you being here.” For the big goof that he was, he was also perceptive and understanding. He knew how to give her space to be a mess without making her feel like a flake. Too bad neither of them felt an ounce of zing when they were together.

  She made sure her clients were set up with tickets and snack vouchers, reminding them all to head to Mandy’s café when the movie was over for their desserts, and then let herself out into the cold night.

  Devon was waiting for her.

  “M’lady.” He held out his arm once again.

  She tried for a Southern accent and gave up. Instead, she grinned at him. “Were you waiting for me?”

  “Does it earn me points if I was?”

  “Certainly.”

  “So what’s up with you and Todd? You guys were like awesome possums for a few weeks, where you never stopped smiling, and now you look as though someone ran over your cat.”

  “I don’t have a cat.”

  “Okay, your dog—which you gave away. Last time I adopt a dog to impress a woman.” He sighed heavily and she figured she’d let him moan a bit before clueing him in to the recent change of events. “She goes off for someone else and I’m stuck cleaning up dog poop the size of a fist.”

  Nicola laughed. “I adopted Twiggy.”

  “You’re joking!”

  She shook her head. “He’s mine forever.”

  “I gave my dog to Janet.”

  Nicola chuckled. “You didn’t!”

  “Nah, you got me. The dog is currently at home shedding on everything I own.” As if to make a point, he pulled a long golden hair off his fleece jacket. “Anyway, you’re officially a lost cause now.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “You’re hung up on Todd and pregnant. I’m never getting in.” He winked at her playfully. “You’re off the market.”

  “I’m not pregnant. We used birth control. Everything wacky is just stress. It happens.”

  Devon simply raised an eyebrow and gently touched her face, which had seemed a little more filled out lately.

  “Stress, Devon.” She gave him a look. She didn’t need to be reminded that she seemed to be returning to her pre-stopped-talking-to-Todd weight which was twenty pounds heavier.

  Her stern look slowly melted. There was a certainty in Devon’s eyes that gave merit to the little voice she’d diligently been ignoring for weeks now. The mood swings. The missed period. The upset stomach. The fatigue.

  Nicola clutched Devon.

  She needed a pregnancy test. Stat.

  * * *

  Oh. My. Word.

  Nicola stared at the stick and the innocent, yet life-changing plus sign. Pregnant. There was no way. It had to be a false positive. They had been careful. They had used birth control. She couldn’t be pregnant. She just couldn’t.

  She slowly sagged until she was sitting on the bathroom floor of her apartment.

  Pregnant.

  Herself, plus one.

  Mother.

  Todd.

  He was thousands of miles away.

  Her whole life was about to change. Would his, too?

  No more big adventures for her.

  Baby schedules.

  Could she still go to Hawaii? She hadn’t booked anything yet, but how much could you travel or do while pregnant? Would she still want to? There was so much to know, to learn, to plan for.

  She buried her face in her hands. She needed to get organized. By her best guess she had less than eight months to get on top of
this. She needed to see her doctor.

  She opened her phone’s period app. Her last cycle had been seven weeks ago. Sometime between then and now she’d become pregnant. She chewed on her bottom lip. Devon had figured it out, but who else? And could she keep it a secret until she got a chance to tell Todd?

  She sagged even further. How was she going to tell him?

  Hey, best friend. Guess what? We’re having a baby together. Yay!

  Oh, and say goodbye to your have-fun ways. The baby and I will be pinning you down.

  At least she hadn’t bought the test in her aunt’s shop. She’d bought it at the grocery store, along with a pile of food. The cashier, a half-blind old lady, hadn’t even blinked or paused as she’d scanned it and dropped it in the bag.

  Nicola picked herself up off the floor. The first thing she needed was folic acid. She had to start taking that. First thing in the morning she was driving to the city and stocking up. Then she’d set up an appointment on Monday with her doctor, to confirm that she was indeed pregnant.

  Nicola sat again.

  This was not what she had planned.

  At all.

  Maybe it was something else, acting like a pregnancy.

  Cancer?

  That hardly seemed a better option.

  She needed a plan.

  Don’t tell a soul.

  And find a way to tell Todd without freaking him out.

  * * *

  Nicola popped by Scott and Amber’s on her nightly walk with Twiggy, happy to have the dog back. She was nervous she might blurt out her unexpected joy at being both a doggy mom and a soon-to-be human mom, but she was going antsy hanging out alone. And Todd wouldn’t be back from Cuba until tomorrow night.

  She had it all planned. He’d come to the wine-and-cheese art night here in Blueberry Springs, and she’d repeatedly and pointedly decline glasses of wine—or any alcohol, for that matter. He’d be intrigued and eventually the hints would line up in his mind. It would cushion the blow of their news. Then, after the event, they’d go back to her place and figure it all out. As partners. As parents.

  Wow, that one little word came with a lot of emotional impact. Giddiness, disbelief, terror.

  But according to her doctor, they had until July before the third member of their sudden family arrived. That gave them some room to sort it all out.

  Twiggy pulled back on his leash as she climbed the steps to knock on Scott’s front door. In the backyard, his Pyrenees started barking and Twiggy trembled in his little doggy sweater. Nicola scooped him up, holding his small body against her, wondering how long she’d be able to do that before her growing belly would get in the way of bending over. Likely quite some time, since she was only about four and a half weeks along.

  Amber answered the door, with Scott standing behind her, smiling, his arms crossed over his wide chest.

  “Hey, doggy owner,” he said.

  “Hey, we were just in the neighborhood and thought we’d pop by to say hi,” she said.

  “Cool. We were just going to play a game of poker. Want to join?” Amber asked, ushering them in.

  “Sure.” Nicola put Twiggy down, his little form twitching at her side until she took off her coat, then his sweater. As soon as he was free and certain he wasn’t being ditched, he raced to the dog dishes to see if there was anything for him. That was one thing about dogs—they were quick to forgive you even if you’d given them up for a few days.

  “Will you be at the wine and cheese tomorrow?” she asked. Word of the event had gotten out around town, seeing as the artists were proud elementary students, as well as a few senior citizens who lived in continuing care, a wing of the hospital. That, and people had seen her setting up the art display in the town hall’s lobby today. There wasn’t much mystery around the event any longer.

  Scott gave Amber’s arm a squeeze as she drifted closer to his side. “We’re planning on it.” He looked to his wife for confirmation.

  “Sounds fun,” she said.

  Nicola wondered how much the two being best friends had helped them build the strong foundation they obviously had. She hoped, if it was a lot, that it helped her and Todd, too, because she figured they were going to need it. Big time. Especially since they no longer had a ton of time to figure out the ins and outs of their relationship and where it was going. Parts of that had already been decided by nature.

  Her phone rang in her jacket pocket as she handed the garment to Scott to hang up, and she fished it out to glance at the screen.

  “It’s Todd!”

  “Well, answer it!” Amber said. “You’ve been waiting for him to call all week.”

  “He’s not supposed to be back until tomorrow night.” He was phoning her from abroad. He was thinking about her!

  “Can I borrow some privacy?” she asked breathlessly.

  “Our cue to leave!” Amber called out, as though Scott wasn’t right beside her. “Phone sex about to happen.”

  Nicola, blushing, stuck out her tongue.

  “Whoa! Not interested, but thanks for the offer,” her friend joked, hands raised as she backed toward the kitchen.

  Twiggy came barreling out, skittering to a halt in front of Nicola, who squatted to scratch his ears while answering the phone. “Hey, what’s up?”

  “I got in a few hours ago and thought I’d call.”

  A few hours ago?

  “I thought you weren’t getting home until tomorrow?” She put him on speaker, checking her phone’s calendar. Right there: flight, time. Tomorrow.

  “A meeting got canceled and we were able to shorten the trip. I wanted to hang out, but the guy I was with wanted to get home to his family, especially since the company wouldn’t pay our costs for the extra day. So I’m back.”

  “Oh.”

  “I offered to pay the other guy’s expenses to stay an extra day, but no deal. I even had this behind-the-scenes tour lined up with this local who works in a cigar factory.”

  “It sucks to have missed that.”

  “You go all this way when traveling for work,” Todd ranted, obviously feeling a bit miffed about it all, “and then you don’t get to see the things you want.”

  She made an empathetic sound. “Your trip was okay other than being shorter than you’d planned?”

  “I don’t know.” He sighed as though mulling it over. “It’s not as thrilling as traveling with you. There’s jet lag and nine-to-five. You make it fun. I get to explore and hang out. Plus, it’s way easier to eat without dying. I got some stomach upset on this trip.”

  “Download the Where to Eat Without Dying app.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yup.”

  “Is that how you kept us alive all those years? An app?”

  “Asking other backpackers helped, too.” She smiled, feeling more like their old selves again. Comfortable. Chatty. If they could maintain this, it would all be good.

  It was their foundation.

  “I’ll download it right now so I’ll have it on Friday.”

  Her world stopped moving.

  “Friday?”

  “I’m going to Belize,” he said carefully.

  “On Friday?” Saturday was her birthday and they had planned to do something together—like they always did.

  Amber walked into the room, a bottle of vodka raised along with a shot glass, took one look at Nicola and left them both beside her before hightailing it back out of there.

  Obviously she didn’t yet suspect Nicola was in the family way.

  “Didn’t I tell you before I went to Cuba?” Todd sounded as though he was well aware he was treading through a minefield.

  “No.” She would have remembered him bailing on her birthday. “We made birthday plans.”

  She couldn’t believe he was going away on a trip again so soon. What kind of slave boss did he have? At least, by the sounds of it, things would change when he told them his girlfriend was expecting a baby, since according to Todd, they didn’t send parents out as
much.

  “How can your boss expect you to recover from all of these trips and still do a good job?”

  “No, no. I actually tried to get a ticket for you—as a birthday surprise, but I couldn’t.”

  “You were going to take me to your overseas meetings?”

  “No, playtime. It’s a short scuba trip. I’m taking four days—two for travel, two for diving.”

  “So you’re going?” she asked. “Without me?”

  “I’m sorry, Nic. You know that guy at work with all the kids he adopted? Well, he was supposed to go but he’s having issues with his son, so I bought his ticket off him thinking I could get one for you, too, and we’d go together.”

  She was finding it really difficult not to take the timing of his trip personally. Even though his plans were well-intended, they were a reminder of how the two of them were slipping out of sync. Because she was fairly certain pregnant women didn’t go scuba diving and that committed boyfriends didn’t buy a ticket before ensuring he could get one for his girlfriend, too. Especially if it was over her birthday weekend.

  “We’ll do something special for your birthday to make up for it.”

  In the meantime I’ll sit here growing our baby. How had her life changed so quickly?

  Silence stretched between them and she stared at Twiggy, who stared back, then barked, making her jump. The sound of laughter drifted in from the kitchen where Amber and Scott were waiting for her.

  “Say something if you’re not okay with this,” Todd said quietly.

  She considered lying, downplaying her feelings.

  “I was hoping you’d be here for my birthday,” she said, embarrassed at how wrought her voice sounded. They’d only planned something low-key here in town—nothing as big or as exciting or time sensitive as his trip. But still. She’d been looking forward to spending the day with him.

  “What’s wrong?” He sounded alarmed.

  “I just…” She blinked up at the ceiling, feeling overrun. She knew she couldn’t go through her pregnancy or combat all of her fears on her own, but she also knew she couldn’t simply unload everything on Todd. Not only would that be unfair, but he was completely unprepared. She needed to proceed slowly and with patience. One step at a time. The problem was, that it felt like the more time she gave him, the bigger the space between them grew.