“I want to stay to work on Maple Valley. I want us to be together,” she said.
“I want that too.” I leaned in and kissed her, and somehow that led to us making out in the car. Our tongues entwined, our hands were touching and holding. That familiar heat sparked once again then she was pulling back.
She laughed. “We can’t put this off any longer.” I knew we had to go in and buy the test. I knew I wanted to be as supportive as I could, but I was nervous too.
“You’re right,” I said. We got out of the car and walked into the pharmacy. Claire asked where the pregnancy tests were, and the lady that worked there gave us a knowing grin. When we arrived at the aisle, there were all kinds of brands and types.
“I’ve never done this before, Asher. I don’t know which one is good.” Her voice shook.
This was something I had never encountered before either. “I don’t know. Let’s ask the pharmacist.”
We walked to the back of the store and asked the pharmacist, who provided us with the information we needed. Apparently, the brand didn’t matter, so Claire picked one, and we paid and left. The drive back to Maple Valley was tense. When we arrived, I asked her if she wanted to take the test in my cabin and she agreed. Our nerves were high. If she was pregnant, it would completely upend our lives, but I liked the idea of seeing Claire pregnant with my child. Watching her grow, knowing it was my baby inside her. I felt like a caveman when it came to her. I wanted to claim her in every way possible.
When we got to the cabin, she was shaking. I held her in my arms.
“We got this, beautiful. Whatever happens, we’re in it together.” The words were starting to feel like a mantra. I wasn’t the man who wandered anymore. I was a man willing to stick around with the woman who had claimed his heart.
I should’ve told her I loved her, but it felt like the wrong moment. I didn’t want her thinking I said it because of our situation. I wanted the moment to be about us.
“I know.” She blew out a breath.
She went into the bathroom. I heard her reading the instructions out loud through the door.
“It’s done,” she called through the door. “Now we wait.”
“Can I come in?” I asked gently not knowing what I was supposed to do since I had never been in this situation before.
She opened the door slowly with a nervous grin. I took her hand in mine. So many thoughts poured through my mind. I knew it must be the same for her. Part of me really wanted tobe a father, which was the real shocker in all this. We stood and waited as the minutes ticked by.
CHAPTER 31
Claire
The seconds stretched out endlessly. Asher stood beside me in the small bathroom, his hand wrapped around mine. His thumb brushed slowly over my knuckles like he was trying to keep both of us grounded. I could hear the clock ticking in the kitchen. The refrigerator hummed. Every little sound felt amplified. My eyes stayed fixed on the test sitting on the edge of the sink. Two minutes dragged in a way that felt almost unbearable. Asher squeezed my hand gently.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
I nodded, even though my stomach felt like it was twisting into knots.
“I didn’t expect to be this nervous,” I admitted.
His voice softened. “Me neither.”
Another few seconds passed. Finally, I forced myself to step forward.
“Okay,” I said under my breath.
I picked up the test. For a moment, I couldn’t bring myself to look. Asher stepped closer behind me, his chest warm against my back.
“What does it say?” he asked.
I turned the stick slowly so we could both see. One line. Negative. I blinked like it might change. But nothing did as the silence stretched between us. Asher let out a slow breath behind me.
“So…” he said gently.
“So… I’m not pregnant,” I finished quietly.
My voice came out flat and strange even to my own ears. I hadn’t realized how much tension I’d been holding until that moment. Relief came first. Then something heavier settled in. He searched my face like he was trying to read every thought running through my mind.