Redeemed Complete: A Military Stepbrother Romance (39 page)

“In what way?” The happiness in his face had drifted away, and the concern and confusion was taking over. His voice had an echo of trepidation.” Anything I can help with?”

“Oh, it’s nothing like that. It’s been a take me a little while to get used to all of this.” I smiled, but I was sure I was unconvincing. Harrison reached his hand across the table and covered mine with it.

He looked steadily into my eyes. I glanced around at the other people in the restaurant, but no one here looked familiar.

“If you are having second thoughts, Laurel, tell me about them. Tell me about them so I can help you with them.”

“Oh, Harrison, it’s nothing like that. I’m just nervous is all. You, me, and us, and…”

“And California? You’re not sure about moving across the country?”

“Well, that’s part of it. I’ve never even been there before. I mean, I’ve seen movies, and I’ve seen photos, it all looks and sounds great, but I don’t know anybody there. What if I don’t fit in?”

“You know anybody in New York City either, and you seem to fit in pretty well there.” His eyes gleamed.” Think you’re a little too much of an East Coast hipster to hang out on the beach?”

“Shut up! I am not an East Coast hipster!”

“I don’t think I have ever seen so much plaid, and so many scarves. You are the very definition of an East Coast hipster. And don’t even fight it.”

“Shut up! I just like scarves!”

“And Pabst blue ribbon!”

“Ugh, it was one time!” a couple days ago I told him the story of when I ordered a PBR at a bar in New York and Harrison had not let me live it down, even for a second. He didn’t mean anything negative about it, he just like giving me a hard time.

A different kind of hard time than the other stuff we’d been doing for the last week, anytime we could be alone. I liked the latter much much more.

Harrison roared with laughter, to the point where I was worried other guests at the restaurant was start looking at us. Thankfully they all seem to be engrossed in their meals. “One time is enough to know what you’ve been ordering all that time in New York City! I’ll bet you and your friends sit around the bar and talk about bands you liked before they were cool.”

I wonder if you could see the steam coming out of my ears. He must have, because his laughter slowed down, and stopped Altogether. “But seriously, what are you worried about? San Diego is a wonderful place. You’re gonna have a ball there. We’ll be right by the beach, and you’ll never be cold again.”

“I’m sure it is, and I’m sure I’ll love it.”

“Then what’s the matter?”

“It’s…” I started, haltingly. It was tough to get it out. “ Just you and me and…”

“And?”

No time like the present, Laurel. Just get it out there and see what Harrison’s reaction was. “ And… Our baby.”

Harrison’s eyes went wide understood my words. His hand gripped mine even tighter, as he sat back in his chair, astonishment clear on his face. “ Our…baby?”

“Yeah.” I let it hang there, a smile growing on my face as I watched him run a gamut of emotions in just a few seconds. He looked so gorgeous and sexy in that moment, as he came to grips with what we had created already.

“You’re sure? There’s no question? You did it right?”

“I’m pretty sure,” I said. “I’ve got the positive test in my purse to prove it. Want to see?”

“Not here, later, yes I do. I want to frame it.”

“That… Sounds a little weird.”

Harrison leaned forward, the excitement clear in his voice. I could tell he was having difficulty not yelling out of Joy. “ I don’t care if it sounds weird, Laurel. This is our child, and we need to celebrate. I’m going to hang that test on the wall, and I’m gonna tell everyone who sees that it’s mine.”

I laughed. “Why do you think I suggested we got to dinner tonight?”

“How long have you known?” His voice rose, like he was mad I was keeping something from him.

“Since this afternoon. I kept wanting to tell you all afternoon but I thought it would be best if we were alone.”

Harrison nodded. “I totally agree. Our parents have been remarkably cool with this so far,” he gestured with his other hand toward the two of us. “But I’m not sure they’re ready for that just yet.”

“Nope. I figure we can tell the next time we visit. Take a little bit of the edge off. Let them get used to us being together first. I’m sure they’ll be OK with it, they just need a little time to adjust.”

“Good plan.” He nodded, reaching has hand across the table and holding mine. I pushed him back off me, and looked at Harrison quizzically. “Are you okay with this? I know it’s a lot to take in, all of a sudden, on top of everything else.”

Harrison stared back at me like I just grown a second head. “Am I okay with this? You kidding me? This is the best news ever! Of course I’m okay with it. You’re going to make a wonderful mother.”

Hearing that coming out Harrison’s mouth made my spirit soar. Of all the time I’ve had to think about babies and having children over the last couple weeks and months, there been a voice in the back of my head the entire time saying worrying things about how good at being a mother I would be.

My own mother had been not the best of role models, and I had resisted Harrison’s mother so long, that I didn’t feel like I had a good idea of what motherhood, true motherhood, looked like. Which scared me, on the precipice of having my own baby.

“Do you really think so?” I dropped my voice a little lower. “ I’m so worried that I won’t be…”

“How can you say that? You can be an amazing mother, I have no doubt. And I’m to be there with you every step of the way.”

That last part right there was all I needed to hear. Harrison would be with me every step of the way, and together, we could figure it out.
 

Whatever this baby was, whoever they turned out to be, they would be loved. We’d be there for them like we were there for each other. That was all that mattered.

I smiled back at Harrison, losing myself in his warm grin. I squeezed his hand back, feeling a newfound love and connection that I could easily get used to. I couldn’t keep it in any longer, and I started to cry. “I think,” I blubbered on between the tears, “you’re going to be an amazing father too.” I looked around at the other guests, wondering what they must be thinking of these two weirdos getting all emotional in the restaurant.

Luckily everyone seemed engrossed in their own little worlds, far too interesting to care about us, and that was just fine with me. The only person whose opinion I really cared about sat across the table from me, with my hand in his, looking at me, face covered in a gaze of pure love and a lot of lust too.

I remembered Maggie telling me about how Chris had been all over her once he’d found out she was pregnant, and I could guess from the last couple minutes that Harrison would keep that trend alive.

“I sure hope so. With my genes this kid’s gonna need it.”

We both laughed and Harrison held my hand, reached across the table and wiped away my tears and I couldn’t stop crying and it didn’t matter.

“You’ll never be cold again, Laurel. Not with me around.” Harrison repeated, just loud enough for me to hear. I pressed my hand against his, forgetting where I ended and he began. “It’s my job to keep you warm for the rest of our lives.”

Maybe this would turn out okay after all.

That’s all I could ask for.
 

Ahem.

That’s all we could ask for.

Hi! I’m Lucy Snow, and I wrote the book you just read. I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it, and I hope you read the rest of my books!

If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review for it - good reviews are so important to writers, they really help get the word out. If you’d like to leave a nice review, please click this link and do so:
 

Leave a nice review for Redeemed, Complete by Lucy Snow

Thank you so much!

Also, if you’d like to get emails about my new releases and opportunities to read my new books for free, please sign up for my mailing list by following this link:

http://eepurl.com/bMjYdP