More tears threatened to fall, but thankfully, Scottie managed to keep them at bay. She wasn’t used to having girlfriends to turn to when she was worried or upset, but maybe it was time she gave that sort of thing a try.
“You won’t tell Chase?”
“Not unless your life or someone else’s depends on it, no. Or, of course, if you were to do something stupid like cheat on the sweet man. Then all bets are off.” Natalie’s lips curled into an unthreatening smile. “But you don’t exactly strike me as the cheating type, so?—”
“I love Chase with all my heart.” She made that point very clear. “I’d never do anything to hurt him. Not ever.”
“Then you and I will get along just fine. So, come on. Tell me what’s got you so worried.”
Scottie drew in a breath, releasing it slowly, before she gave her new friend the shocking news.
Here goes nothing.
“I, uh…” She swallowed past the giant knot in her throat. “I’m pretty sure I’m…pregnant.”
There. She’d done it. She’d said the words out loud.
“You’rewhat?”Moving faster than any woman that far along in their pregnancy should be able, Natalie practically jumped back up to her feet. Wrapping her arms around Scottie as best she could with the growing baby taking up space between them. The other woman sounded genuinely excited by the news. “Oh, my gosh! That’ssuchgreat news! Congratulations!”
But was it great news?
Scottie thought back to the first time she and Chase had sex. She’d told him she was on the pill, and that was the God’s honest truth. Somehow, the contraceptive must have failed.
And now…
Now, I have to figure out a way to tell him we’re going to have a baby.
“Wait…” Natalie pulled back and looked her in the eye. “Is this…notgood news?”
“No, it is.” Scottie nodded. “At least,Ithink it is. It’s just that?—”
“Chase doesn’t know.”
She shook her head, rolling her lips nervously inward. “I’m planning on telling him today, once we get back to his place.” They had stayed there the last few nights. “The thing is, we just got engaged like two weeks ago. Plus, I’m on the freakingpill!This…” Her throat worked to swallow down her nerves as her gaze fell to Natalie’s rounded midsection. “This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not so soon.”
A flash of understanding lifted Natalie’s mouth into a soft smile. “Sorry to be the one to tell you this, hun, but right now is theexacttime this was supposed to happen. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have.”
The woman’s words—along with her casual shrug—made it all seem so simple. But it wasn’t simple. It seemed as if nothing in Scottie’s life ever was.
“You know what I mean.” She kept her voice low.
Natalie nodded. “I think I do. You’re worried Chase won’t be happy about the baby when you two haven’t even had a chance to say your vows. But here’s the thing, Scottie. You have no way of knowing for sure how he’ll react until you tell him.”
“That’s the problem. I don’t knowhowto tell him. Especially after what he said to Ellie about how we aren’t even married yet, and?—”
“Oh, honey.” Empathy shone brightly in her pretty brown gaze. “He was just giving her shit. You know how Chase likes to joke around.”
“I do.” Scottie nodded. “But this is huge, and every time I try to think of the best way to tell him, my mind draws a blank.”
“You just have to say the words.” The woman made it sound so easy. But then, “And I know that’s easier said than done, but I also know Chase. He and I have been friends for several years, and I’m telling you…I haveneverseen him look at another woman the way he looks at you.”
“I appreciate that, Natalie. I do, but?—”
“Nope. No buts.” She gave Scottie a pointed look. “Listen, if there’s one thing I’m absolutely certain of, it’s that Chase is one hundred percent, head over boots in love with you. And there isn’t a doubt in my mind that, planned or unplanned, he’s going to love the baby the two of you created together just as much. So don’t borrow trouble where there isn’t any. And maybe…don’t underestimate Chase.” Her smile spread a bit wider. “You never know…he may surprise you.”
Scottie opened her mouth—to say what, she wasn’t sure. But the door to the bathroom opened at that exact same moment, disrupting her chance to speak altogether.
“There you are.” Chase’s handsome, smiling face appeared. “We were all wondering where you two were hiding out.”