The clerk at the counter scanned five different tests. His arms might have been pushing through molasses, he moved so slowly. I shuffled from one foot to the other. It didn’t make him scan any faster. Neither did the line of customers forming behind me.

I wasn’t expecting the text Evie sent. Not in the middle of packing the townhouse. Not today.

I had a reason for choosing this particular pharmacy. Being the most recognizable face in Newton Hills had its drawbacks. Today wasn’t the day for kids to ask for my autographs, or to run into my mother’s bridge partners picking up their prescriptions. I needed discretion and as much anonymity as I could create.

I decided to drive out of Newton Hills to buy the tests. I had time to kill before Evie would be back.

She said she did the math. I didn’t know what the window was. I didn’t know when we were supposed to try. I’d never paid attention to that shit. I wore condoms for a reason—to make sure I never had to face a slow-ass man behind a register, scanning every brand of pregnancy test I could get my hands on. The last thing I ever wanted to do was get a girl pregnant—until Evie.

“Thanks.” I yanked the bag from the guy’s hand and jogged to the rental car.

I cranked the engine and pulled onto the road. The tests rattled next to me in the passenger seat. I glanced at them at every stoplight. Our future was possibly going to be determined today. Evie could be pregnant. She could be carrying my baby. Our baby.

The car behind me honked and I looked up at the green light. When had it changed color?

I pushed the accelerator as I climbed into the Georgia mountains back to town. I thought too much on the drive home. I didn’t think enough. I kept zoning out, picturing Evie pregnant with my baby.

I spun into the parking space in front of the townhouse and hurried inside as if going faster would give me the answer I wanted. Evie wasn’t home yet. I was going to have to wait. Fuck. I didn’t know how to do that. I was unreliable when it came to patience. Why did the bridal luncheon take so long?

I tossed the bag of tests on the couch and went back to packing. The biggest thing that was supposed to happen today was a sit-down dinner with Evie’s family. There was a possibility I was going to meet her father after having just found out I’d knocked up his daughter.

My chest fucking swelled with pride. What if we had done it? What if we had made a baby together? I looked at my watch. Where in the hell was she? I wanted her to walk through that door. I wanted her to answer our prayers. The next hour was going to be torture. I could pack or I could watch baseball, but neither was going to distract me enough from what was about to happen.

* * *

The second the townhouse door swung open, I pounced like a tiger.

Evie waved good-bye to her sister, but I was already pulling her inside, wrapping my hands around her waist.

“You couldn’t get back any sooner?” I crushed my lips against hers. She moaned lightly as I pushed my tongue inside her mouth. I wanted to kiss her breathless.

“No,” she whispered. “Frannie was especially demanding.” Her eyes lifted to mine as I cupped her ass and squeezed.

“I bought what you asked me to pick up for you.” I nodded toward the couch. “Do you know how hard it has been to wait?”

She looked around my shoulder at the pharmacy bag. “Maybe I shouldn’t take it. Maybe we should wait a little longer.”

“Wait for what?” I asked.

“My period has been late before. It could be a false alarm. I’ll know in another day or two,” she explained.

I dropped my hold on her and picked up the plastic bag. I handed it to her.

“How many did you buy?” She opened the handle.

“Every brand on the shelf,” I reported. “There are two per box.”

“I only need one box, Jer.”

“Ok. Then take one. Let’s do this. Let’s find out you’re having my baby.”

I expected her to run to the bathroom, but she froze in the hallway. She wasn’t bouncing off the walls like I was.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I’ve done this before.”

“This is the first time I’ve done this. And it’s your first time with me. Think about it that way.”

“It’s never been positive before.”

I placed my hands on her shoulders. “Remember that night in Bella’s when you told me about how you wanted to have a baby on your own? That you were willing to do whatever it took to be someone’s mother. You said anything.”

She nodded slowly. “Of course I remember that.”

“It’s the same night we decided you were going to have the baby you always wanted. That we were going to make that happen. Only with me there are no more fertility treatments. No more sperm donors. We’ve been doing this the natural way. That’s behind you. You’re not on your own anymore.”

She looked at the bag and selected one of the cardboard boxes. “I’m not alone. You’re right. This time I think I feel even more pressure.”

“Don’t.” I shook my head. “We’re going to have a baby. Let’s find out if it’s in nine months or if we have to wait a little longer.”

“All right. I can do this.” She pulled her shoulders back.

I slapped her on the ass. “Hell yeah, you can.” I wore a grin until the hallway bathroom door closed. Then I felt the full force of panic hit me.