Chapter 13
It had been three weeks since Nolan’s mother had died and two weeks since he’d seen or talked to Jessica. He’d been appreciative of her presence and support during the days following his mother’s death, especially where Heather had been concerned. Jessica had made a point to be with Heather whenever necessary, but Nolan noted how distant Jessica had become after the incident in the waiting room, which had been blown way out of proportion.
Actually, that was a false statement, though the truth had come out that Maggs had hired a crew of people to discredit Jessica in hopes to disgrace her and her career simply because she’d fallen for a lying cheat. The entire sordid affair had been put out there for public scrutiny. Mostly, it made Jessica look like a victim, but still, he understood her anger at the situation which is why he’d given her some space.
Then again, his family needed some time to grieve over the loss of his mother. Jessica had been by his side during the funeral, though they barely spoke. He’d taken a week off after the funeral only to come back to find out she’d taken two weeks off. Today when he’d called her, she texted back with: Let’s talk later in the week.
He paced in her apartment building lobby for an hour waiting for her to come home. He knew she’d returned from visiting her parents because he’d seen her car in the parking lot at the stadium along with her gorgeous body in the stands during the opening game of the season, which ended five hours ago. Her reporting of the game, and his coaching had been spot on, but that wasn’t why he wanted…no needed, to see her.
The ring burning a hole in his pocket and the love filling his heart demanded he speak with her. Now. Today. This second.
The last couple of weeks had been shear hell.
The doors to the parking garage swung open and Jessica stepped through. She stopped the moment her eyes connect with his. “Nolan,” she said softly. Her sweet voice sending a warm tingle all over his skin.
God, how he missed her.
“What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk.”
She nodded, stuffing a small bag into her purse. “I said later this week. We’ve both been busy.”
“Heather wanted to sit with you at the game today. I thought you might have watched from the box. I was told that’s where you usually did your reporting.”
“I was in the box for part of the game and spoke with Heather for a bit. She’s quite proud of her dad.”
He hadn’t known they’d seen each other since his father had taken his daughter home so Nolan could chase down the woman of his dreams and at the very least get rejected to his face. He swallowed. “Why are you ignoring me?” His heart pounded in his chest. His skin itched to scoop her into his arms and kiss her senseless.
“I told you after the funeral—”
“Yeah. I remember. Something us both needing some time.” He put his hands on his hips, sucking in a breath. His body trembled like they day he’d made the decision to retire. Fear prickled at the back of his neck. “Well, I’m tired of being ignored, so we’re taking now.”
“Fine,” she said. “Let’s go upstairs.”
Once inside the elevator, he inched closer pushing her against the wall. “Why have you been ignoring me.”
“I needed time to think. The scene at the hospital was intense and then the emotions around the funeral. We both needed time.”
“I needed to step back from what happened in the hospital to help my father bury the love of his life. My family needed me and I needed you. You did everything I asked and I thought that meant you cared.”
“I do, but—”
He hushed her with his forefinger. “After the funeral, I kept texting and calling, but you didn’t answer. Heather and I needed you then too, but you took off. I gave you the space because I figured you needed it. What Robert and Maggs did, trying to destroy your reputation, sucked, and my punching the reporter that night certainly didn’t help.” He cupped her cheek, staring into her stunned eyes. “It’s been hell without being able to do this.” When he pressed his lips against hers, he moaned at the electric charge rippling between.
Her hands came down hard on his chest, fists clenching his shirt. She pounded a second time as if to push him away, but her tongue swirled in his mouth in perfect harmony with his.
“I love you,” he whispered in her ear. “I love you.” He never wanted to stop saying those words to her, ever.
“What!?” She shoved him. “You did not just say you loved me.”
The elevator doors dinged opened. He smiled, staring at her shocked face. “Come on. I think someone needs glass of wine.”
They stood in front of her apartment as she fumbled for her keys. Her hand shook as she opened the door. A pang of guilt for getting pleasure out of tossing her so off kilter shot through his heart. But only a pang. A dollop of fear, however, raced through his veins.
He pushed back the door and she tossed her purse toward the sofa, but missed and the contents tumbled out to the floor.
“Shit,” she muttered, lurching forward.
He grabbed her by her hips. “I’ve got it. You go pour yourself some wine and then we can discuss the fact that we love each other.”
“Oy,” she whispered as she headed toward the kitchen.
He laughed as he collected her things, which included a small bag with a rectangular box. Just as he was about to stuff it in her bag, he saw these three letters through the clear plastic: EPT.
“You’re pregnant?”
***
“I don’t know,” Jessica said as she poured Nolan a very large glass of wine. The moment her bag hit the floor and he insisted, she knew this conversation was happening tonight whether she was pregnant or not. “But now you know part of why I was avoiding you. I wanted to wait until I knew for sure and had time to prepare whatever the fuck I was going to say if I am and if I wasn’t, then we could just talk about the fact we love each other.”
“Oy,” he repeated her word of a minute ago as he sat at the breakfast bar, taking the wine she offered and chugging half of it. “Guess I’m drinking alone tonight.”
“Not necessarily. My period has never been regular. Just because I’m late doesn’t mean I’m pregnant.” She watched him alternate between sipping his wine and scratching the back of his neck. “But the only way to find out for sure is to pee on the stick.”
He let out a dry chuckle. “Come here.”
Rotating the chair, he waggled his finger.
Impossible not to smile when he had that devilish twinkle in his eye like a little boy about to play in the mud.
Why she’d been so afraid to be around him before taking the test, she had no idea. “I need you to know that my parents were really worried about me after the story broke. I had to go see them and I had to focus on them. When I realized I was late, I panicked and didn’t think I could be around you until I knew for sure.”
He circled his arms around her waist and it felt like she’d come home.
“I understand the first part of that statement, but you love me, which by the way, you have yet to say properly.” He winked. “No matter what that test says won’t change that I love you.”
“I love you too,” she whispered, smiling. “Crazy as it sounds.”
“Not as crazy as what I’m about to do.” His smile turned serious as he dug his hand into his pocket. “This damn thing has been burning a hole in my pants since the night my mother died.”
She cupped his face, kissing his lips. “I love you,” she said again. “I like the way that rolls off my tongue.”
“I like your tongue in my mouth.” But instead of kissing her, he pushed back a tad.
She frowned.
He had the nerve to laugh. “Plenty of time for that later. Close your eyes.”
She did as he asked.
“When I tell you to open them, I dare you to—”
“Don’t dare me. The way I feel right now, I might have sex with you in public this time.”
He laughed. “Open your eyes now and say yes.”
Her stomach filled with butterflies as she blinked a few times. She expected to see him holding the pregnancy test and her saying yes meant she’d go take it. They needed to know one way or the other and she also didn’t know exactly how he felt about the prospects of her having his child. Of them having one together.
Hell, she didn’t really know how she felt about the entire thing either.
She opened her mouth to say yes when her eyes focused on a silver band holding one hell of a diamond.
“What the fuck?”
“That’s not what I dared you to say.”
She grabbed his shaking hand, holding it steady, getting a better look at the ring. “This isn’t a joke.”
He shook his head. “You’re killing me. Say yes.”
“You want to marry me?”
“That’s half the reason I came over her tonight.”
She kept looking between the ring pinched between his thumb and forefinger and his moist eyes. “Holy shit. I did not see this coming.”
“Will you please put me out of my misery and say yes.”
“Only I would get married on a dare.” She nodded. “Yes.”
He groaned as he pushed the ring on her finger. “It’s my mother’s ring.”
Jessica gasped as she covered her mouth.
“She wanted you to have it, but I had to promise to treat you right.”
“I’ll hold you to that promise.” She wrapped her arms around him, tucking her face in the crook of his neck. “Shall we find out if I’m going to be fat when I walk down the aisle?”