Surviving Regret (53 page)

Hailey and I made an appointment to speak with our counselors that week to explain to them the situation and started the process of transferring our credits to our local community college.

Hunter had refused to let me stay at the dorms after the first night that we were back. He said he didn’t like the fact that he couldn’t take care of me the way he wanted. He spoke with Bentley, and they both agreed to have Hailey and I move in with them. I felt bad for not giving Bentley a choice but he assured me that he was perfectly ok with us and he even joked around with Hailey and me about cooking to earn our keep. I stuck my nose in the air at the mention of food while Hailey and Hunter laughed at me. They had to explain that cooking food made me sick but Hailey said she had it covered. I was really going to miss seeing Bentley when we moved back home; he turned out to be a great guy even when he threw some crazy parties.

Hunter and I had our first little argument since getting back together about me keeping my part time job at the library.

He had his hands on his hips, scowling at me, he said, “I don’t want you working you don’t have any reason to.”

“I’m not going to quit when I’m perfectly capable of working.”

“I don’t like it, Kenzie. You need your rest.”

“Hunter, I’m fine. If I feel it becoming too much I’ll give them my two weeks’ notice.”

I eventually won since he had no valid point that I couldn’t continue with my job. My first day back, I pulled Logan aside and thanked him for talking to Dominic about him figuring out that I was expecting. Hailey stopped by one evening to check up on me, Hunter’s part of the agreement that I could work, and she and Logan talked about what happened earlier in the year. It came down to a huge misunderstanding about Brittany.

Dominic stopped by the library to check on me.

“How’s Brittany taking it?” I asked.

“You know her,” Dom looked exhausted. “She is convinced the baby is mine.”

“I don’t mind telling her myself that this baby is Hunter’s. Just say the word.”

“No, I don’t want you anywhere near that crazy bitch. I told her if she kept this up we are done.”

“Ok, well the offer still stands.”

Hunter waved at me from the entrance of the library. He frowned as he approached.

“I’ll take care of it,” Dominic said. He and Hunter mumbled hellos and then Hunter took me home.

“So what was all that about?” Hunter asked.

“Brittany is giving him problems. She is convinced that this is Dominic’s baby. I offered to set her straight but he refused my offer.”

“Good, stay away from that nasty whore, CC.”

I didn’t even attempt to argue back.

I was still doing well in my classes despite missing a few because of headaches and morning sickness. April rolled around, and Hunter and I drove back home for a doctor’s appointment and to meet with a contractor my dad found to help with the house. We had our first ultrasound scheduled for this appointment. It was the ugliest thing and most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Hunter said it looked like a gummy bear with his heart on the outside; we were also able to hear his or her heartbeat for the first time that day, too. Mrs. McCormick, mom, and dad met us at the house along with the contractor after our appointment was over. We showed off all the pictures. The contractor arrived while we were showing the pictures off so my dad and Hunter told them what we were looking for and told them we would get the contract back to them as soon as we reviewed their proposal. Later that night we made our journey back to school.

We all took our finals in the middle of May, and Hunter and my brothers graduated the next week. We agreed to have one major graduation blowout at the house.

When we arrived home, it looked like a completely different place. With the renovations finished, it finally felt like home. Hunter told me the baby’s room was off limits since he wanted to work on it himself.

We had another ultrasound scheduled so we could find out the sex of the baby. Sitting in the waiting room, Hunter and I discussed whether we wanted to find out or not, but we still didn’t have an answer when the nurse called us back.

“Hunter, we are going to have you wait right out here while we get some measurements of the baby. Then, we will have you come in, and show you everything as well.” The nurse explained all this while leading us back to the ultrasound room.

“Sure, that’s no problem.” Hunter kissed my forehead before I disappeared behind the curtains.

After the nurse finished all of her measurements, she stepped out of the room and asked Hunter to join us.

“So, I will let you guys listen to the heartbeat for a few minutes while l work on getting you two some pictures.”

Hunter stood next to my head, reached for my hand and gave it a little squeeze. The baby’s heartbeat was nice and strong. It was like music to our ears. I wished we could bottle the sound up and take it home with us.

“So would you like to know the sex of the baby?” The nurse asked us.

Hunter looked down at me and I smiled. I was letting him make this call. He knew I really didn’t want to know.

“No, we’re going to let it be a surprise.”

“Very well then, Ms. Cahill, you are all done here.”

***

Two weeks later, we threw the boys a graduation party at the shore house and had the wedding rehearsal for Jackson and Chloe, all on the same weekend. Between all the action, I took some time to feed Alex while Chloe napped. Jackson did a double take when he saw me sitting on his couch.

“Getting your practice in?” he asked.

“I guess you can call it that.” I looked down at Alex and gave him little kisses on his little chunky cheeks. “Or you can call it spending time with my awesome little nephew.”

“Did you burp him yet?” Jackson asked, taking a seat next to me.

“Not yet, he just started drinking it.”

“I know what you’re thinking, Kenzie. Trust me; it’s harder than it looks. You are up all hours of the night, leaving the house takes forever and you have to pack half the house just to go around the damn block.” He reached over, grabbed Alex’s little hand and Alex grabbed hold of his pinky. “Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but it is hard work.”

I blinked away the tears. “I know.”

“Everything will work out.” He looked down at Alex’s bottle and took it from me. “Now, give me my son. Hunter is looking for you out back.”

Hunter waited for me on the beach. Between the sand dunes and grasses, he stood in the middle of heart made out of candles and seashells.

He pulled me to him and smiled that panty-dropping smile.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

He looked over my shoulder. My family and all our friends stood on the sand. Then it hit me.

He was proposing.

I was a complete blubbering mess. Hunter pulled a Tiffany’s little blue box that held a princess cut diamond ring with little diamonds wrapped around the band. He looked up at me with glassy eyes.

“CC, you’re my world, you’re my light in the darkness, my safe haven. I love you more than anything. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

I was sobbing and could only nod. He took the gorgeous ring out of the box and placed it on my finger. He put both of his hands on my stomach and said, “You hear that, little man? Your mama is gonna marry me.”

He leaned forward and placed a kiss on my stomach. At that exact same moment, the baby kicked for the first time, right where Hunter’s lips were.

His eyes shot up to me, wide. “Was that the baby kicking?”

I just laughed through the tears. “Yeah, I guess our little peanut likes that we’re gonna get married.”

Hunter wrapped his arms around me, and our family came rushing up to congratulate us. Everyone was happy for us, including Mason, which made this day a little extra special. We had a lot to celebrate that weekend.

The following week was extremely busy. I had my final fitting for my maid of honor dress, we were throwing a bachelorette party at Chloe’s house Friday night and the wedding was Saturday afternoon.

Chloe and Jackson’s beach wedding was stunning. The girls wore coral colored dresses, and Jackson and the guys wore khakis pants with white shirts and coral ties. Chloe’s parents didn’t show, so my dad walked her down the aisle. Hailey held Alex in his little white tuxedo. He looked so handsome.

Chloe and Jackson decided on a cruise for their honeymoon, and I was watching Alex while they were gone. Jackson volunteered me, saying it was good practice; I didn’t have a problem with it since Hunter was going to be starting his new job that week. He was working with the local police department in the investigation unit. He was excited that he was able to land this job.

Mom, Mrs. McCormick, Hailey, and Chloe threw me a surprise baby shower two weeks after Chloe got back from her honeymoon. Hunter and I got everything we needed for the baby, plus more. Hunter still refused to let me see the baby’s room until it was finished. I began having some swelling issues around my thirty-third week, was put on bed rest and had to go to the doctor’s office twice a week for monitoring.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

I was thirty-seven weeks.

And huge.

I had a doctor’s appointment and ultrasound scheduled—the last one before we would meet our little chunky monkey. Hunter planned to meet me there on his lunch break.

My phone rang before I left. Hailey immediately demanded to talk to the baby. I rolled my eyes, but I cradled the phone at my belly, like she demanded the past dozen times she called.

After a good minute, I put the phone back up to my ear. “Sometimes I think you like the baby better than me.”

“But you don’t have those teeny-weenie toes!”

I grinned. “I have a doctor’s appointment around lunch time today. Do you want me to stop over when I’m done?”

“Sure. Mason is supposed to come over and take me to dinner tonight.”

“Oh, really?”

Hailey and Mason’s relationship was rocky right now. Something was going on, but they both refused to talk about it. Any time I mentioned anything about it, they told me it was really nothing for me to worry myself. I tried talking to Hunter about it, but he just told me everything would be ok between them. He explained they weren’t really fighting themselves. They were fighting about something else that was going on.

“I really wish you would tell me what is going on, Hails. I hate seeing you guys like this.”

“You don’t need the added stress. Everyone is taking care of everything. Stop worrying that pretty little head of yours.”

“I’m not made of glass. Now tell me what the hell is going on.”

She huffed. “I just can’t. Now stop worrying and go get ready.”

“Fine, but this isn’t over. I’ll call you when I’m on my way.”

“Ok, love you and little man.”

“
Or
Princess. And, I love you too.”

A crack of thunder shook the house and I jumped. The baby kicked like a fiend. I rubbed my belly.

“Oh boy, chunky monkey, it’s raining. We better hurry up and get out of here so we aren’t late.”

It was pouring outside, and even with the umbrella, I was still getting wet. A car parked near our drive, its engine running. It backed up as I pulled out. Strange, but the rain was more of a priority.

The rain poured even harder as I merged onto the highway. It was making it very hard to see, even with the wipers on full speed. I looked in my rearview mirror and noticed the same car was following me and a little too close for comfort in the storm. I figured I only needed to go up two exits. I took it nice and slow.

About a half mile before my exit, the car ahead of me hydroplaned. The driver panicked and swerved into the next lane, colliding with another car. I slammed on my brakes, but the car behind me didn’t stop in time. My car skidded off the highway and down an embankment.

I screamed and braced for a collision. I flipped upside down three times before I finally felt the car stop. Everything was fuzzy, I couldn’t see straight. My body numbed.

I don’t know how long I laid there before someone approached. I tried to yell for help, but nothing came out. Their shadow darkened the passenger door.

The girl shouted over the rain.

“If I can’t have him, neither can you, bitch.”

A razor sharp stab of pain pierced my stomach. My vision seared white, and then I saw nothing after that.

When I woke, my whole body hurt. Something was pulling me from my sleep. My eyes wouldn’t open, each breath caught and something was in my throat gagging me.

I remembered driving. Crashing. Flipping. Someone at my car.

Something warm touched my face. I wanted to wipe it away, but my arms were too heavy. A low humming filled the room. Hunter was there. With me.

Wherever here was.

“Sweetheart, why don’t you go home for a few hours?”

It was my mom.

“I’ll stay here with MacKenzie and the baby. They both need you to be strong for them.”