The camera clicked and Hugh smiled lazily, propping his head up on his hand.

“How many pictures of me do you possibly need?” he asked Blair.

She lay in his bed, wrapped in a sheet, and pulled the polaroid out to set with the others on his nightstand. “I will never have enough.” She lifted the camera to her eye as he kissed her calf, moved up to her knee, and higher as she tried to focus on his face. “That is not fair.”

“Oh no?” He took the camera from her gently and turned it around on her. “Now who gets to take the pictures?”

An alarm went off and he slouched on the bed. The past few weeks had been spent in the same fashion, spending any free time they had with each other, locked away from prying eyes in his apartment. Sometimes they talked and at other times, they could barely get their clothes off fast enough in their rush to have bare skin pressed to bare skin. Today had been one of those days, but sadly, Hugh had to get back to campus for his afternoon class.

“Are you going to swing by later?” he asked, setting the camera aside as he climbed out of bed.

Blair rested her chin on her hands, watching the sheet fall away and giving her a perfect view of his muscled ass. “Hmm? What was the question?”

“You, dinner, tonight?”

“Actually, Mom and I are doing some shopping. Looking for a wedding dress.”

“Are you now?”

“Yes, and no, you don’t get to see it.”

He pouted, but she shook her head even when he tickled her sides and they wound up in a heap on the bed, laughing between their kisses and him sitting her in his lap so he could show her how much he did not wish to go to class. She sighed as they moved as one being, holding each other close as their tongues kept time with their hips. They had three years to make up to each other, and the last few weeks were a good start. When they were sated and she fell back to the bed, he kissed her one last time then grudgingly ducked into the bathroom for a quick shower. Blair spread her arms wide across the bed and figured she should get up and find her clothes at some point. Her mom would be by soon to pick her up, and she giggled with excitement. Shopping for her wedding dress. She thought this day wouldn’t come.

“Text me later?” he asked as he stood in the doorway, kissing her goodbye.

“Always. You’re going to be late, now scoot.”

He grunted and hurried down the hall, throwing one more heated look with a wink over his shoulder. Blair closed the door and took a quick shower, too. She was slipping into her boots when her mom texted saying she was outside, waiting for her. Blair picked up her pack, locked the apartment door behind her, and sprinted down the two flights of stairs to see Jean leaning against her fire-red Mustang.

“Did I interrupt something?” Jean mused.

“Nope, but close though.” The women laughed as they got into the car and Jean drove them into the city. “It doesn’t bug you, does it? That we’re, you know, together like this?”

“No, you’re in love. There’s nothing wrong with being in love and doing what people in love do. Are you worried about his parents finding out?”

Blair fiddled with her sweater. “A bit. They know we spend time together, obviously, but I think Bridget would have a coronary if she realized we were, well, you know.”

“Having ample amounts of sex before you’re officially married?” her mother supplied.

“Yes, that.”

“She’s worried about her image, as always,” Jean said, but her usual light tone when it came to her friend was replaced by a sharper one. “I swear, sometimes that woman is blinded by her ambitions. Devin’s certainly turned into a piece of work. At least you managed to bring Hugh around to being himself again.”

“Again? You noticed, too?” Blair asked, surprised.

“Sweetie, I might be your mother, but I’m not blind. Bridget told me all about his fight with them right around the time you two grew apart. I put the pieces together.” She leaned over the center console at a red light. “Why do you think I brought the marriage idea back up to her?”

“That was you?”

Jean smirked. “You two needed a reason to be thrown back together. You can thank me later.”

“Have I told you lately that I love you?” Blair said sincerely. “And thank you—not just for that, but for not turning into a crazy mother with all this wedding planning.”

“Bridget is covering that enough for the both of us. Don’t worry. Today is just you and me, kid.”

They pulled up outside a local boutique store, laughing and having a great start to a mother-daughter afternoon, when someone called out Blair’s name and her heart dropped. “Shit, seriously?”

Standing to the side of the shop were Bridget, Devin—looking pissed off as always—and Kella. Out of the three, Blair was only happy to see the last, who ran over and hugged her. She’d told Blair weeks ago when they started planning the wedding she couldn’t wait to have a sister who acted like a sister and not some stuck-up bitch.

“Bridget,” Jean said, stepping conveniently in front of her daughter. “Fancy seeing you here. Out for some shopping?”

“Don’t be silly. We’re here for Blair, of course,” Bridget said with a high-pitched laugh. “A bride can’t shop for her dress alone.”

“She’s not. I’m with her, or do I not count in the scheme of things?”

Blair’s brow shot up. Her mother rarely lost her temper, and she’d certainly never heard her lose it with Bridget. Kella stifled a laugh and Blair smiled in approval as Bridget’s face reddened.

“I simply mean it’s nice to have more than one opinion. Besides, we need to decide on what look is most appropriate for the future daughter-in-law of the mayor.”

“As long as we all remember this is Blair and Hugh’s day. The bride will wear what she wants to wear.” Jean reached back and took Blair by the hand. “Let’s get started on finding you a fitting dress for my only child’s wedding.”

Blair mouthed an apology to Bridget, but she grinned as she did it. They stepped inside and were immediately surrounded by mannequins in gorgeous wedding gowns. Blair wasn’t sure where to start, but the associate handed her a magazine to flip through and mark the styles she wanted to try on. Jean and Kella helped. Devin sulked behind her mother who walked through the shop, her head held high, and stared at the dresses with a horrible look of contempt. For the mayor of this city, she certainly didn’t look happy frequenting a local business.

“I don’t see anything,” Bridget sighed when she made the rounds back to the others. “I know of a lovely shop in Lexington. They make the most beautiful gowns.”

The associate’s face paled with anger. She stood barely a foot away from Bridget. Blair stood, the catalog in hand and with a big smile on her face, handed it to the woman. “I hate to be a bother, but there are about ten dresses I marked. I think I’m a size four.”

The associate took the catalog and relaxed visibly. “Size four. Perfect. I’ll show you to a dressing room and start bringing the dresses over.” She squeezed Blair’s hand when they reached the dressing room and handed her a silk robe she could change into in between dresses. Kella was the only one who followed, and they peered across the shop as Jean and Bridget stared each other down.

“What do you think they’re saying?” Kella asked.

“I don’t know.”

“I’m sorry for her acting like this. She’s a pain about everything. All the details you and Hugh have laid out already? You might want to double check them.”

“Seriously? How much has she changed?” Blair snapped.

Kella cringed, and she felt bad for snapping, but she didn’t appear to take it personally. “Almost all of it. It’s mostly Devin’s ideas, to be honest. My advice? If you want the wedding of your dreams, make all the plans behind her back and don’t let anyone else know except for Hugh.”

“Great, so on top of getting through the rest of this semester and dealing with another gallery opening, I have to plan two weddings. Perfect.”

“Gallery opening?” Kella repeated, and Blair cursed herself for her slip up. “I knew those photos had to be yours.”

She turned to her future little sister and frowned. “You know?”

“I’ve been to his place since he moved out. The treehouse? The stables? Who else would take pictures of all the places you two used to hang out at.” Kella leaned closer to a whisper as the mothers and Devin made their way across the shop. “The treehouse ones are my favorite.”

“Mine too.”

“Well,” Bridget said loudly, “are there no chairs for us to sit on as we watch?”

Jean rolled her eyes and pointed to the couch by the mirrors. “Why don’t you go sit over there if you can’t be bothered to stand while your future daughter-in-law tries on dresses?”

Bridget huffed and stomped to the couch, Devin in her shadow. She spared a few seconds to glare at Blair first as her hands balled into fists. She wondered what Bridget would think of her if she decked Devin? The thought was so tempting, she took a step forward, but the associate, whose name was Lily, returned with her first three dresses.

“Ready to get started?”

“So ready,” Blair answered and stepped aside so Lily could help her into the first dress.

The first three were busts. White was extremely white and she nixed that color for future reference. Mermaid was not her style and neither were dresses with long trains. She tried a few strapless styles, but the only way to keep them up all night long would probably involve cutting off her air supply, so those were crossed off the list. Jean and Kella offered suggestions while Bridget and Devin remained quiet, no matter what Blair stepped out in. The only time she saw the latter’s eyes light up was when she walked out in a very conservative, plain, white silk gown with a straight-across neckline and three-quarter sleeves.

“No daughter of mine is wearing what passes for a sack,” Jean supplied, laughing, and Kella joined her as Blair nodded in agreement. Bridget’s scowl returned, and Devin had the nerve to shoot Jean a glare, who glared right back.

“We’re down to the last one,” Lily said as they walked back into the dressing room again.

“None of these feel right,” she grumbled. “I always wanted a gown with a little color, a little character, you know? Something that screamed carefree and fun.”

“Do you have a particular color you would like in your dress?” Lily asked slowly, her eyes calculating.

“My fiancé says I look good in blue.”

“Wait right here. I might have just the thing.”

Blair paced anxiously in her dressing room, peeking out the curtain every now and then to see Jean and Kella talking and joking around about something or other. Devin whispered in Bridget’s ear and she nodded firmly. All the plans were changed. Blair might be seeing Hugh tonight after all. She would have to redo all the flowers, the food, and the cake. She rubbed her face, annoyed that she would have to make up a whole new guest list that was less than a hundred people like she and Hugh had asked. Bridget probably invited five hundred, at least.

“Here we are,” Lily said as she came back into the dressing room carrying a large dress in a black bag. She pulled the zipper down and the dress that came into view was breathtaking. Blair reached out tentatively to the fabric but pulled her hand back, worried it would suddenly vanish. “It’s from last season, but I have a feeling you don’t really care about what’s in season.”

“No, I don’t. Can I try it on?”

“No, I simply brought it back here so you could stare at it slack-jawed,” Lily teased. “Let’s get you suited up, Blair. I have a good feeling about this one.”

Lily pulled it from the hanger and helped Blair step into the ballgown dress with layers of tulle and lace drifting down it in a slanted pattern. The top was corseted but had two sleeves that wrapped around her shoulders, leaving the tops bare. The back was cut low, but the real kicker was how the dress brought out the blue in her eyes. Lily held back the curtain and holding her breath, Blair stepped out.

“Blair,” Jean breathed. “Oh, my baby girl. Look at you.”

Tears burned in her eyes as she stepped on the dais and ran her hands down the front of the dress. “Holy shit. This is it,” she gasped. “Mom. I think this is it.”

“You look amazing!” Kella agreed, wiping tears from her eyes, too.

The dress boasted intricate detailing on the bodice that trailed away down the skirt. The best part was the dark, sapphire blue woven throughout the dress. It started darker at the top and faded all the way to a creamy ivory by the time it reached the bottom. The beading was in pearls, black and white, and gave the dress that extra pop.

“You can’t be serious,” Bridget snapped, shattering Blair’s bliss. “It’s blue.”

“So what?” Blair replied sharply. “I like blue and your son likes blue. What’s wrong with blue?”

“It’s a wedding dress, my dear, it’s not supposed to be blue,” Bridget said as if speaking to a five-year-old. “If that’s all this place has to offer, we’ll leave and drive to Lexington.” She stood and slung her purse on her shoulder, headed for the door.

“No,” Blair said, and Bridget and Devin stopped abruptly.

“Excuse me?” Bridget whipped around, shooting daggers with her eyes.

“I said no. This is my wedding day and I only plan on doing it once. This is the dress I want.”

“Did you forget who is paying for this wedding?”

“If this is an issue with money, I’ll be happy to buy it,” Jean informed her. “If you were hurting for money, all you had to do was ask.”

Bridget’s jaw clenched as tightly as her hand gripped around her purse. “I never said such a thing.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I could always call Hugh and ask him what he thinks,” Blair said. “I mean, I would like it to be surprise, but you did say it was up to us, and if we both like something, I see no reason why we can’t have it.”

Kella helpfully brought over Blair’s cell and her thumb hovered over Hugh’s name.

Bridget stared around the room and squared her shoulders. “Fine, if this is what you truly want, then fine. We’ll place the order for this…dress today and be done with it.”

Blair handed Kella back her phone. “Thank you. You won’t regret this decision.”

“No, I will not.”

Blair’s blood ran cold at the tone of her words, but she won this battle, right? She should be happy, but her gut flip-flopped as she stood still so Lily could pin and tuck the dress where needed for alterations. Blair changed out of it carefully to avoid being stuck by the pins and worried the second the dress was out of her sight.

“Shall we do dinner, ladies?” Bridget suggested as they left the boutique.

“Actually, I have a paper due in the morning,” Blair lied, tapping her mom’s foot with her own.

“So much work our kids have to do while planning a wedding. It’s a wonder they’re still sane.”

“Yes, well, your class work is important. We’ll see you this weekend then, both of you?”

“Of course, Bridget. See you then,” Jean assured her.

Jean didn’t ask Blair why she lied until they were parked outside of Hugh’s apartment. “What’s going on?”

“Kella told me a few things that Bridget’s done behind our backs.”

“Damn, I’d hoped she was truthful when she agreed you could have this your way. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Blair shook her head. “Nah, I don’t want her messing with you.”

“I can handle myself, sweetie.” She kissed the top of Blair’s head. “Tell Hugh I said hello.”

She promised she would and got out of the car. Once she was upstairs, she texted Hugh to let him know they had a few issues to take care of whenever he got back home. As she waited for him to get out of class, she touched up his apartment and flipped through a few recipes for dinner. She texted Jesse to see how her wedding plans were coming along and laughed when her friend sent her back a bunch of smiley faces followed by a plea to have drinks soon. She swore they would and passed by the bathroom on her way to put up her boots.

Slowly, she stepped back and stared at the drugstore bag on the floor. Her period was last week, but she usually went through an entire tiny box of pads. The bag should be gone, as should the box.

“Blair?” Hugh called as the front door opened and she shook her head, forgetting about how light her last period had been. “Hey, I thought you would be with your mom all day?” he asked, kissing her. “What’s wrong?”

“Your mom, to be blunt.”

Hugh set his messenger bag on the chair and walked to the fridge, pulled out two beers, and offered her one. “How did I know?”

“Sorry. I was under the impression she was willing to let us do things our way, but Kella tells me a very different story. She and your sister have changed everything.”

Hugh choked on his beer. “Everything?”

“Yeah, everything. We’ll have to go behind her back and somehow not go to the wedding she’s planning.” She gulped her beer, thinking of the best way to approach this without causing a scene or making things worse for Hugh. If classes were over, she could tell him about her backup plan, but they were a few weeks away from that still. “I’m sorry.”

“For what? It’s not your fault my family likes to control everything. I’ll go over there and talk to her.”

“No, don’t do that. It’ll only make things worse. It was hard enough today getting a dress.”

“Did you find one?”

She sipped her beer with a smile. “Oh, did I find one. I think you’ll love it.”

“I will love anything you wear.”

“I’ll remember you said that down the road.”

He rested his forehead on hers. “What do you want me to do?”

“Help me plan our wedding in secret? Let her think we don’t know what she’s up to, and we’ll get married a week before she planned.”

“So diabolical—I love it,” he growled and captured her mouth with his. “Wedding planning aside, are you ready for the gallery opening in three weeks?”

“Not even close, but I will be, don’t you worry about that.”

“And you still don’t want to announce to everyone who you really are?”

“One stressful situation at a time.”

“If you say so, but I don’t think it would be all that stressful.”

Blair shrugged one shoulder. “My mom will be okay with it, I think. It’s your parents who might blow a gasket.”

“Let’s not worry about them tonight.” He took the beer from her hands and picked her up as she squealed with delight. He flipped her over his shoulder and spanked her ass as he carried her to the bedroom. “You need a bubble bath and a bottle of wine, my lovely soon to be wife.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes, that’s right. No more stressing tonight, deal?”

“Whatever you say, future husband.”

“Damn straight I am,” he replied and cackled loudly as he kicked the bedroom door closed.

* * *

Hugh parked the Corvette and grabbed the bags of takeout from the passenger seat. Blair’s new gallery opened tomorrow, and she said she would be there all night with Jesse and Henry getting things set up. She told him he didn’t have to come, but this week had taken its toll on her.

She was sleeping so much, and he thought she was coming down with a cold. If she wasn’t better after this weekend, he would drive her to the doctor’s himself to make sure she wasn’t overextending herself. Classes were over, but that only meant the wedding plans would take over their lives. They had gone ahead and re-planned everything his mom had undone behind their backs. Jean found out and offered to pay for whatever they needed, but they wanted to keep it small and not flashy. A few close friends and family out at the horse track where they’d spent so much time together. That was what Blair and he wanted and that was what he would ensure she had.

Hugh walked up the few steps to the gallery and peered in the windows, but the sight he saw had him rushing inside and yanking Justin away from a very pissed-off looking Blair.

“What are you doing, man?” Justin snapped, tearing himself away from Hugh.

“I could ask you the same thing. You all right?” he asked Blair.

“Fine,” she said, tugging his cardigan around her body. She’d taken to wearing it and he wasn’t complaining. “He came in and said he was looking for you.” Her eyes said his friend did much more than that.

“I was wondering what she was doing here,” Justin explained. “I saw her through the window.”

“I have a job here,” Blair replied sharply. “I told you that.”

“A job doing what? I was curious, really, at what Blair Fraser is doing in a place like this that has nothing to do with her degree.”

Hugh set the food down on a stool nearby. “How about we go outside, huh?”

“Fine, if that’s what you want. Nice seeing you, Blair.”

Blair’s nostrils flared and her toes curled as Hugh dragged Justin outside.

“Seriously, what are you doing? Were you hitting on her?” Hugh asked in disbelief.

“I merely stopped in to say hi. What’s wrong with that?”

“You were not just saying hi. She’s my fiancée. I told you, either accept it or stay away from her.”

Justin placed a hand over his chest mockingly. “I’m your best man at the wedding. I can’t possibly stay away from the bride forever. If she stays the bride,” he added.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” he said, holding up his hands. “I worry, is all.”

“She’s not going to stab me in the back, and if I catch you bothering her again, I won’t be so cordial.” He stormed away and returned to the gallery.

Henry spoke quietly with Blair. “My dear, you look exhausted. Were finals that terrible?”

“Yeah, finals,” she sighed. “Finals, life in general. I’m fine, really.”

“No, you’re really not,” Hugh argued, and her brow furrowed in annoyance. “He’s right. You’ve been tired the past couple of weeks. You don’t sleep at night, and you hardly eat unless I remind you.”

She wrapped the cardigan tighter around her body. “I haven’t been hungry. Besides, aren’t brides supposed to starve themselves before their weddings?” Henry scowled at her as Hugh stared her down with him. “You two are ridiculous.”

“We care about you. Now then, I’m taking off for the night. For the love of God, Hugh, don’t let her stay here all night.” Henry strolled out the front door, leaving Blair and Hugh alone.

She pulled the food out of the bag and set it on the rolling cart beside her, not speaking. Without taking a bite of anything, she turned back to the photographs needing to be hung up and murmured under her breath.

“No, no working until you eat,” Hugh argued and pulled her back.

“I’m not hungry.”

“You’ve been saying that a lot lately.” He ran his thumb gingerly under her eyes. “You’re stressing out way too much and I don’t like it.”

“Classes are over. I’ll be fine, really.”

“You’re lying,” he stated and she looked away. “Talk to me, please.”

Her head fell forward, her curls covering her face. “There’s nothing you can do about it. It’s how I deal with stressful situations. Your mom’s being pushier than normal, and Devin keeps glaring at me every time I’m over at the house.”

“Tune them out. It’s what I do.”

“It’s not that simple sometimes,” she snapped, covering her face as she groaned. “I’m sorry, that didn’t come out right.”

“I get it, I do. I’ve dealt with them my whole life, remember?”

“Yeah, and look what they did to you.”

He flinched. “Ouch, that was a little harsh.”

“I’m being honest. That’s what your family does. They wear people down by stomping on them over and over, and I don’t want you getting in the middle of it because they’ll either make you hate me, or they’ll break you down, too, and I don’t want that.”

He backed away from her. “You really have that little faith in me.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I think you did.” He ran his hands through his hair as his annoyance at dealing with his family while trying to keep Blair sane turned into anger. He was so busy worrying about her falling apart, he hardly had time to breathe or think. Every day, he put out fires, either from his mom or from Blair. “You could stand up to her.”

“You think I haven’t tried?” she yelled. “She doesn’t listen to me. Hell, she doesn’t even listen to my mom. She listens to your dad and Devin.”

“I can only do so much.”

“Because? You’re scared they’ll disown you? Jesus, we’re supposed to be planning a wedding, and all we’re doing is watching her take over our lives!” Tears shimmered in her eyes as she paced around the gallery. “We swore we wouldn’t let her do this and look what she’s doing.”

He crossed his arms, glaring at the floor.

“This wedding—it’s taking over our lives and driving us crazy. If I push too hard, she warns me my big mouth will ruin your name, and if you push, she’ll threaten to kick you out of the family. We’re trapped no matter what we do.”

Hugh wished he could rewind the evening to when he first walked in and not mention her stress, not push her so hard. “Are you saying you don’t want to get married?” he asked quietly, unsure why he asked.

Blair’s eyes widened. “No, that’s not what I’m saying.”

“It sounds like you are,” he argued. “Do you want to call the wedding off? Walk away?”

She opened her mouth but clamped it shut just as fast. They locked gazes, and he saw the warring emotions in those blue irises. They crinkled and her cheeks reddened. She was smiling. No, not smiling. She was trying to hold back laughter.

“Blair? I’m not sure this is a laughing matter.”

“I think it is. Look at us,” she said through her hysterical laughter. “We’re fighting because of your parents. Look what they’re doing to us. This isn’t us, not even close.”

She was right, and the tension from their spat flowed away. He cursed and reached for her. “Come here.” He drew her into his arms and held her close as they laughed together. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I am. I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. The kiss started gentle and sweet, but their touches became urgent. She dragged him by his shirt down towards the back of the gallery and through a door leading to a small supply closet. The space was small, but that didn’t stop them from sharing a quickie to make up. There was so much he wanted to tell her, so he said it without words, pressing her body against the wall as she held fast to his shoulders. Their mouths never parted, and he swallowed her cries, she muffling his in return. His anxiety gone and his mind relaxed, he held Blair, whispering sweet nothings in her ear as they stayed in their private sanctuary.

“Hello?” a woman’s voice yelled, and Blair cursed, which was followed by a giggle.

“Jesse’s here,” she told him. “We should get out there before she thinks something happened to us.” They adjusted their clothes and stepped out from the back of the gallery. “We’re here. You’re late.”

Jesse glanced from one to the other, and Hugh grinned wider. “Apparently, that was a good thing. Getting a little hanky-panky in while you’re at work, eh? Not a bad idea.”

“I was going to offer you fries, but I think I might not do that now.”

“Aww, don’t do that. I’m your friend, honest. I won’t tell anyone I heard you two bumping uglies,” she teased.

“You didn’t,” Blair whispered, mortified as Hugh cackled.

“Oh, I most certainly did. I was being polite and letting you finish.”

“Such a good friend.”

Blair muttered something about grabbing the rest of the pictures from the back, leaving Hugh alone with Jesse. He waited until she was out of earshot before asking Jesse, “Are you as worried about her as I am?”

Jesse’s bright smile faded. “Yeah, I am. I keep asking her, but she doesn’t tell me much. I know she thinks she’s stealing my thunder, but Mark and I aren’t planning our wedding ‘til next year. She can steal it all she wants. Is she sleeping at all?”

“Not much,” he confessed. “When I wake up in the middle of the night, she’s not in bed.”

“What’s she doing?”

“Sitting in the living room, staring out the windows.” He tugged at his beard, now steadily growing longer, remembering how lost she looked at four that morning when he woke to find her sitting on the windowsill. He hadn’t said anything, merely watched her. His gut told him she was hiding something from him, but if she hadn’t told Jesse, she was either waiting for the right time or didn’t want anyone to know. “Do you think I should push?”

“You should know better than anyone that girl is a flight risk.”

Blair had been a runner when they were younger. She dealt with her stress by running off—to the pond, the creek, or the treehouse. She managed to get as far as the stables one time and gave her mom a heart attack.

“You don’t think she’ll run now, do you?”

“She loves you, Hugh, know that if nothing else,” Jesse said and patted his arm. “But everyone has their breaking point, and that girl is making a beeline towards hers, if you ask me.”

“I was afraid of that.”

Hugh was torn between doing exactly what Jesse told him not to do and willing Blair to tell him what he needed to hear before he got to desperation point and pushed anyway. Blair stepped back into the room a few minutes later, and the bags under her eyes looked even worse than before. She’d lost a few pounds, too, and he worried it was just the beginning. Once they were home, he would tell her she had to get her butt to the doctor on her own or he would follow through and be the obnoxious fiancé who dragged her there himself.

* * *

Blair picked at her nails as she sat in the exam room, waiting for the doctor to return. They had taken blood over an hour ago. Her doctor said it wasn’t uncommon to be so rundown with all Blair had been doing the past few weeks, but she wanted to run some tests to be sure nothing else was going on behind the scenes. She commented on her lack of eating, and Blair confessed she felt nauseated sometimes and nothing sounded good. The lack of sleep she couldn’t explain, except to say every time she closed her eyes, she had nightmares of Bridget and Devin turning her into a robot. Weird, but not surprising after what she dealt with day in and day out.

Bridget and Devin were planning again. Kella called her over the weekend to warn her Bridget was far too happy as she strolled through the house. Blair hated to imagine what that horrible woman was up to and didn’t dare bother Hugh about it. After their spat at the gallery, she vowed to keep her concerns to herself as much as possible. Only one of them needed to be a wreck all the time.

“Blair,” her doctor said as she walked back in the exam room. “Blair, are you sleeping?”

“Hmm? Sorry,” she said, yawning as she forced herself to sit up. “I didn’t realize I dozed off.”

“I have your results back,” her doctor said. “Congratulations, you’re two months’ pregnant.”

Blair’s heart skipped a beat, and she wiggled her finger in her ear. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I said you’re pregnant, about two months.”

“No, no I can’t be…I can’t be pregnant…oh, God.” She hopped off the table and vomited in the trash can, her hands shaking and knees weak as the reality of her situation fell on her shoulders. She was pregnant. Those two days she’d missed her pills was all it took. The doctor handed her a few paper towels for her mouth as she straightened. “Sorry.”

“Are you not happy with his news?” she asked, worried.

“I am,” she said, surprising herself, but doubts rose in her mind and she gulped. “It’s unexpected, is all. You said two months?” Blair counted the months in her mind. When Hugh and she married, she would be eight months pregnant. There would be no way to hide the size of her belly.

“You are healthy, though I am going to suggest you take some prenatal vitamins and try to eat more. And you said you’re planning a wedding?”

“Partially,” she grunted as her stomach rebelled again, but she held it down. “It’s not the wedding that’s stressful as much as the future in-laws.”

“You tell them you’re pregnant and they’d better lay off. It’s not good for you or the baby.”

“I’ll get right on that,” she lied. No way could she go to Hugh’s parents and admit she was pregnant. What about Hugh? How would she tell him? Was he ready for this? Because she had no idea if she was. “Thanks. I promise I’m happy, really.”

“You’ll be a great mother,” she assured her. “You can get dressed and I’ll be back with a checklist for you. Stop taking your birth control, don’t forget that.”

Blair laid back on the table when her doctor left, flinging her arm over her face. She was pregnant with Hugh’s child. Her hand rested on her belly—still flat, thankfully—and wondered how she would break this news to him.