The Commitment (3 page)

Needless to say, if I didn’t have a proper appreciation for all the shit Sophie does before, I definitely have one now.

“Baby,” I call to her as I make my way out of Drake’s office. “I think Ana’s here to pick up Little Man.”

“Okay,” she says, glancing up at where he’s sitting next to Jack on the couch playing a game on his phone. “Jack has a blueprint he needs Drake to sign off on. I guess they changed something else while we were gone.”

“Great,” I groan out, causing her to smirk as she walks by me to JT.

“You ready, Sweet Pea?” she asks in her soft voice.

“No,” he says grumpily. “I want to stay here with my Uncle Jack.”

“I know, Baby, but Uncle Jack has to go to work. You’re gonna go with Ana for a little bit and then he’s gonna take you to see a movie later.”

“But it’s boring there,” he whines dramatically, beginning to pout. “She makes me eat lettuce.”

“JT, be sweet for Ana,” she corrects him, stifling a small grin. “A little lettuce isn’t going to hurt you.”

“Okay,” he reluctantly agrees.

“Come on, dude,” Jack laughs. “Hug Aunt Sophie and I’ll walk you out.”

“I love you,” she says, squeezing him tightly and grabbing his bag to hand to Jack. “Be good and I’ll come and get you in a little while okay?”

“Okay, I love you too,” he says, kissing her cheek and taking Jack’s hand to go outside before holding his hand up to me. “Bye Uncle Chase!”

“Catch ya later, man,” I say, giving him my palm to high five.

After we watch them make their way to the door and I know we’re alone, I turn to face Sophie and pull her to my chest, kissing her deeply.

“I’m pretty fucking stoked about movie night,” I husk out, causing her to grin.

“Me too,” she admits, letting out a low hum when I tease her nipple. When I pinch her there, she winces slightly. “Ah!” she says, causing me to pull away and hover over her lips.

“You okay?”

“Just a little sore,” she admits.

“Did I hurt you?”

“You definitely didn’t hurt me,” she husks out gripping the back of my hair tightly and sending a jolt of pleasure through me.

“Hmm… Dirty Girl,” I groan into her mouth, kissing her deeper and pinching her again, harder this time.

“Ow! You fucker!” she laughs into my mouth, gripping me tightly at my sides in mock retaliation.

“I’m sorry, Baby,” I chuckle against her lips, holding her eyes. “You ready for lunch?”

“Nearly,” she says, running her hands over my biceps. “I need to shut my computer off and go grab some stuff off the printer in Drake’s office.”

“Okay, cool. I’ll catch him up and we can go.”

“Perfect,” she says, making her way to the computer.

As Drake walks into the office, he’s still glancing over his shoulder to where Ana’s Jeep is parked.

“Hey man,” I say, making my way over to the small fridge to grab a bottle of water.

“Hey,” he says eventually, pulling his cell from his pocket and putting it to his ear. “Sorry, give me just a second.”

“Sure,” I say, thinking his behavior is a little weird, but also knowing it’s none of my business.

“I’m going to grab those papers for him and then we can go,” Sophie tells me, shutting her monitor off.

“Okay Princess.”

“Baby, are you sure you’re okay to drive?” I hear Drake say quietly into the phone. “I can come with you if you want.”

This time, I don’t ignore him quite as easily. Although Ana is Drake’s fiancé, she’s also like a sister to Sophie and has JT with her. If anything happens to either of them, it would absolutely devastate my girl. While I’m still trying to be respectful, my attention is locked on my cousin right now.

“Okay,” he sighs into the phone. “Call me if you need anything at all. I love you.”

Hanging up the phone, he turns to face me and the look he gives me is one I’ve never seen on his face before.

“What’s up?” I ask him.

“Where is Sophie?” he asks me, ignoring my question.

“She’s in your office getting some papers. Why? What’s wrong?”

Before he can answer, Jack swings the office door open, his voice interrupting us.

“Why is my sister crying?” he asks, his voice directed at Drake. “What happened to her?”

“Nothing happened to her. She’s going to be fine, she’s just a little upset,” Drake tells him before facing me. “I need to talk to So-”

“She looks more than a little upset,” Jack says, cutting him off. “What the hell happened to her?”

“Jack, I swear she’s…”

“What’s going on,” I ask at the same time, watching him rub his hands over his eyes. “What do you need to talk to Sophie about?”

“I can’t tell you, Ch-”

“Ana doesn’t just cry over nothing, Drake.”

“Well, that’s some bullshit. Why can’t you tell me?”

“Holy shit!” he groans in frustration, facing us both. “Fine! Fuck it! She’s upset because it’s not her!”

“What?” we both ask in confusion.

“The test! The fucking pregnancy test in the bathroom!” he answers in a harsh whisper. “They ran every test known to man this morning and she’s not pregnant. I was trying to tell Sophie first, but you two wouldn’t chill the fuck out.”

The words are no less out of his mouth before we hear the office door swing open behind us.

“Chase, did you tell Emily she could help plan our wedding? Because she’s left me like three
very
enthusiastic messages today and all I can make out is the word Venetian which doesn’t even make any sense,” she says, shaking her head as she tosses her phone back into her purse. “And what the hell are you hens out here yappin’ about? I could hear you in there over Emily, which I might add, is extremely hard to do.”

I can tell that Drake and Jack are expecting me to be the one to break the silence, but the second I see her, my mind is absolutely reeling.

Holy shit.

Everything is finally clicking into place and it makes perfect sense to me. When we don’t answer, she eventually looks up and finds all our eyes on her.

“Okay, can I just say that this is not an appropriate way to greet someone,” she says, giving us all a bizarre look. “All three of you are seriously creeping me the hell out.”

Without a word, I take the three long strides that separate us and crash my lips to hers.

Sophie

As his lips crash against mine, I can’t help the hum that leaves my chest. I’ve been at the mercy of these lips thousands of times over the past ten months, but he’s never kissed me like this. When he pulls away, it takes me a second to find my senses again. He’s staring at me, waiting for me to speak, but I can’t yet.

I’ve never been kissed this stupid before.

“Ana’s not pregnant,” he finally says, breaking through my haze as he holds my eyes.

“Really? That’s weird. I really thought she was,” I say in surprise before I look past him to Drake. “Oh shit, I bet she’s really upset. Is she okay?”

“She’ll be alright,” he says with a small smile.

“Do you think she’s made it to the hotel yet? I’m gonna call her,” I say, pulling my phone from my purse and facing Chase. “You ready for lunch, Honeydew?”

“Are you serious, Sophie?” he says, his face filled with shock as he pulls the phone from my hand.

“Yes,” I say slowly, not understanding his reaction. “I’m freaking starving and we only have like forty five minutes.”

“What?” he says, the look of disbelief sweeping over his features causing Drake to let out an involuntary chuckle as he and Jack make their way to his office. “Baby, did you hear what I said? Ana’s not pregnant. You have to take another test.”

“Oh Chase,” I say quietly, finally understanding as I place my hand on his jaw, shaking my head slowly. “Baby, I’m not pregnant.”

“Have you taken one since we got back?”

“No,” I admit with a small sigh, resting my hand on his chest. “I don’t need a test, Chase. My doctor in Camden said I’d probably never be able to have kids. Not to mention, I’m on birth control. I’m sorry, Sweetheart. I know you don’t want to hear this, but there’s no way I’m pregnant. Ana must’ve gotten a defective test.”

“I think you’re wrong,” he argues.

“I’m not,” I tell him, rubbing his arm affectionately and holding his eyes.

“Sweetheart,” he persists, his deep voice low but firm. “I want you to take one.”

Looking into his azure eyes, I can see he’s already getting his hopes up and it breaks my heart. Knowing there can only be one outcome and it won’t be the one he wants, I can’t bear to watch him endure that. Not to mention, it’s not something I really want to experience right now, either.

The past year, although full of blessings, have my stress levels are at an all-time high. Honestly, I don’t know how much more my fragile mind can withstand.

“Chase,” I try reasoning with him a final time. “I really don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Sophie…”

“Baby, why are you fighting me on this?” I say, my irritation finally getting the best of me. “Don’t you think if I thought there was a chance, I’d have already taken one or gone to a doctor by now?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay then.”

“I still think you should take one,” he says, pulling me toward the bathroom. “That bag from the drugstore is still in here under the sink.”

“Jesus, Chase,” I huff, hating the sting of tears that lingers behind my eyes. “Will you please just drop it? I’m not pregnant.”

“No, I’m sorry, Sophie, but I can’t just drop it,” he argues, pushing the door shut behind us. “I know what I’ve seen. You’ve been throwing up…”

“Those are the antibiotics. I told you that.”

“You’re exhausted.”

“Stress.”

“Your fucking tits hurt,” he continues.

“It’s freezing outside and my period’s coming.”

“You taste different,” he blurts out, causing my cheeks to flare. “Explain
that
to me.”

“Wait a minute…” I start, honestly in shock. “What the hell do you mean I
taste
different? Different how?”

“I don’t know how to explain it,” he starts. “It’s just different. It doesn’t matter, Baby.”

“The hell it doesn’t!” I lightly smack his arm. “Is it bad?”

“Fuck no,” he groans out immediately, his eyes scorching into mine. “
Definitely
not bad, it’s just…it’s sweeter.”

“Oh,” I say quietly, my cheeks still blazing as I think of how many times he’s gone down on me in the past couple of days.

“I also know I walked in here and saw two tests. One was positive, the other wasn’t. Logic tells me one of you is pregnant and it’s not Ana.”

“But…”

“Take one test,” he begs quietly, resting his hands on my shoulders. “If it’s negative, I’ll drop it and I swear to you I will never bring it up again, Sophie. I promise, Baby, but I just… I can’t let this go until I know for sure.”

Staring into the aqua eyes that own my heart, I know I can’t deny him this request. Letting out a deep sigh, I look down at the box he’s already pulled from under the counter and shake my head in retreat before looking up at him again.

“I think this is a huge mistake. I think we’re just setting ourselves up to be disappointed over something we both know is bound to happen,” I say as I bite down on my lip nervously, letting out another sigh. “If it really means that much to you, though, I will do it.”

“Thank you,” he whispers, kissing my cheek as I pull away and look at the box I’m holding.

I’m thinking he’ll go wait at my desk, but after a solid minute, he doesn’t budge.

“So…”

“What?” he asks, shrugging as he looks down at me.

“Are you going to watch me?”

“Well, don’t you want me to be with you when you do it?”

“Chase,” I start, looking at him like he’s lost it, unable to stifle the chuckle of disbelief that leaves my lips. “No! I can’t do it if you’re watching me!”

“Why? What’s the big deal?”

“Oh my God, Baby! I don’t want to even do this,” I groan, the frustration hitting me like a hammer. “I’m only agreeing to take the damned thing so you’ll let me eat lunch.”

“So what does that have to do with me leaving the room?”

“Seriously? It’s weird!”

“How is it weird? Baby, we’ve been living together for months. I’ve probably seen you pee a hundred times.”

“Okay first of all, why are you watching me pee?” I start, apparently looking pretty hilarious based on the look he’s wearing. “Second of all, it
is
weird! I don’t want my fiancé watching me pee!”

“I have not only imagined you doing way more perverse shit, I’ve seen it with my own two eyes, Princess,” he grins, throwing me a wink and causing me to blush furiously. “Now come on,” he says, gripping me by the front of the jeans, unbuttoning them. “Drop ‘em, Sweetheart.”

“Ugh! Fine!” I say, rolling my eyes as he leans against the wall, crossing his arms and watching me push my jeans down in a huff. “But just for the record, I am
not
happy!”

“Hmm I know, Babygirl,” he smirks, picking up the empty box I’ve tossed onto the sink and examining it.

“Like I don’t have enough shit to be stressed out about?” I rant on as I rip the package open with my teeth, growing more annoyed as he ignores me, choosing to instead pull the instructions out and begin reading intently. “I’m trying to take care of JT while we’re living in a freaking hotel room the size of my foot. Your cousin has me printing paperwork I told him he needed to take care of like three weeks ago,” I say, pulling the soaked test out and replacing the cap before setting it on the sink. “Not to mention, I still feel like total ass. I’ve got Emily calling me every five minutes asking me questions about a wedding I don’t have time to start planning. I swear, Chase. I love your sister to death, but I’m this close to telling her to suck it and having Drake and Ana watch JT so we can just hop a flight to Vegas,” I shake my head, pulling my jeans up and moving toward the sink to wash my hands. “And that’s not enough? We have to add having my fiancé watching me pee all over a stick while I’m on my lunch break just to prove a point,” I gripe, picking the test up and thrusting it up defiantly. “And I still haven’t eaten. This is the most ridiculous lunch break ever, you know that, right?”

He glances down at me, releasing a sigh as he contemplates his next words. For a moment, there are none and the silence I’m not used to between us has me immediately feeling guilty.

I know how much he wants this. If I’m being honest, I know how much I want this, but I also know the chances are not in our favor. That reality, as painful as it may be, is something we both knew we’d have to accept.

“Sophie,” he says softly, pulling my attention back to him.

“I’m sorry I’m overreacting. I shouldn’t be taking all of this shit out on you. I’m just so stressed out right now and I know it’s not your fault,” I say in a softer voice this time as I stare back at him. “I just… I don’t understand why you want to do this to yourself, Chase.”

“Sweetheart…”

“I know this is something you want, Baby. I would love for it to happen, too, but both of us know this is just a waste of time.”

“Baby,” he says, his eyes beginning to tear up as they hold mine. “Flip it over.”

“What?”

“The test,” he says, grabbing my hand and twisting my wrist carefully to turn the stick in my hand to face me. “Look at it, Baby.”

Bracing myself, I hold his eyes and let out a sigh before glancing over at the object of our discussion. For the first time all day, I’m stunned speechless as I take in two blue lines that are vividly filling the display window.

I can feel his eyes on me, feel his hot breath as it touches my skin. As he lifts me into his loving embrace, I take in his unique, masculine scent as it fills my senses. He’s the most wonderful, most beautiful distraction I’ve ever encountered, but try as I might, I can’t take my eyes off those two lines.

As he sets my feet down on the floor in front of him, I feel the unfamiliar sting of happy tears fill my eyes as I dare to turn my head to face him. The gorgeous, perfect, amazing eyes that own me are reflecting the same ecstatic, terrified bliss that is filling me to my core as I stare up at them in shock.

Brushing his thumbs over my cheeks, he wipes the tears away from them, still beaming as watches my eyes dart back to the test.

Still two lines.

My eyes find his as he bends and buries his face into my neck, kissing me gently as he wraps his arms around me, breathing in my scent.

“I’m pregnant.”

Chase

“Chase, I’m pregnant,” she manages again, her voice shaking as I squeeze her harder, kissing her temple silently. “Baby, did you hear me?”

“Yeah,” I whisper, so overwhelmed with emotion to manage anything more, nodding my head as I sink it back into the crook of her neck.

Sophie’s having my baby
.

We stand there, Sophie letting me hold her for a long moment waiting before she breaks the silence.

I’m gonna be a daddy
.

“
Yeah?
” she starts incredulously, her voice taking on a combination of panic and disbelief as she breaks my thoughts. “Chase, yesterday we didn’t think we were ever going to have children. Today I tell you, against all odds, I’m pregnant and you say ‘
yeah
’? Are you freaking kidding me, Baby?”

“Sophie…”

“Oh my God,” she says, still staring at the test she’s got gripped in her hand as she pushes her hair away from her face. “What the hell are we going to do, Chase? I’ve been drinking and taking antibiotics for fucking pneumonia!”

“Baby…” I try but she spins around to face me and cuts me off.

“Oh my God, Chase! You don’t think I was pregnant when we smoked that weed, do you?”

As the harsh whisper leaves her mouth, she grips the front of my shirt and the look on her perfect face is pure mortification. Before I can answer her, she resumes her pacing and starts talking again.

“And even if I wasn’t and everything is perfectly fine, do you have any idea how much crap a baby needs? We’re gonna have to buy car seats and cribs and a freaking changing table. I mean, people say you don’t really need a changing table, but where the hell else are we going to change a baby? You can’t just change them anywhere, Baby. There are germs
everywhere
! There’s no way I’m not getting a changing table.”

“Babe…”

“What if we don’t have enough room for JT and a baby and a changing table at our house? We might have to move, Chase! Where the hell are we gonna move, Baby? We can’t just go wherever we want to go anymore. We’re going to have to think about school systems and allergies and freaking gangs and shit. What if we move somewhere crawling with gangs, Chase? I don’t want our baby to end up in a gang because we had to move so we could fit a changing table in the house. Oh my God! I wrecked our baby with weed and antibiotics and now they’re gonna join a gang!”

Finally, she takes a breath and stops pacing for a second. Her paranoia finally taking the last of her nervous energy out of her system, she falls down on the closed seat of the toilet in a huff and stares in front of her.

The thought that the perfect, gorgeous lunatic in front of me is going to be the mother of my child has me swallowing the lump in my throat.