Ellie was everything James needed. After the shock of discovering Erin’s betrayals, her honesty had been a shot in the arm. A breath of fresh air. He trusted her. And that felt damn good.
“Wanna take the bike?” she asked as they stepped outside into the balmy October evening.
“We could.” James shrugged. “But it might be chilly on the return trip. Plus, you’re packing a lot of heat.” He gestured to the toy pistols on her belt and the plastic AR-15 on her back. “We might give some people more than a little scare.”
After some discussion, they decided to drive Ellie’s car. Ever since she’d moved in, it had done way more sitting in the driveway than was healthy for the battery. Ellie even drove, which was a huge change of pace for James. Not that he minded. But Erin had always handed him the keys when they took her car. Everything about Ellie was different than Erin.
Better than Erin.
He couldn’t wait to show her off at the party. Couldn’t wait for people to see them together. To dance with her. To keep his hand on her back. To watch her talk to his family, that satisfied little smile of hers softening her face.
He’d fallen hard.
Very hard.
And the moment he stopped fighting it, he was ready to embrace it. Ready to show her what it really meant to have a Moore in her corner. He wanted to protect her and love her and keep her safe. He wanted to hold her up and support her. Encourage her and sustain her. Help her grow and hold her close and learn all there was to know about her while sharing all there was about himself with her.
He guided Ellie through the streets of Bliss to Ian’s home on a secluded stretch of beach. The driveway was already full, so Ellie found a place on the road and whistled as they walked toward the house. “You Moores sure know how to do the whole understated elegance thing.”
James shrugged off the compliment and led her past the rows of cars in the driveway and into his brother’s home. The sky was darkening early, an angry mass of clouds boiling over the ocean. “Looks like it was an extra good idea not to take the bike tonight,” he said, pointing to the inbound storm. “It would have been an awfully wet ride home.”
“Looks like a bad one.” Ellie stared at the horizon and took a deep breath. The look in her eyes was lost. Distant.
What was wrong with her? Why wouldn’t she talk to him? Why was she pulling away?
It made him want to chase her, to confront her, to tell her he loved her and beg her not to leave.
But again, he knew she needed her space.
Time to process.
Unless…
Was she worrying about the impending deadline for their ‘relationship?’ Was she unaware that he had fallen for her and was trying to repair the cracks around her heart? If that was the case, then he needed to clear the air. He needed to find a quiet place to talk to her, to get her to talk to him, to tell her he wanted her. For real. They pushed through the front door into a cacophony of voices and music and laughter and the tinkling of ice in glasses.
“Happy Halloween!” Ian and Juliet materialized out of nowhere, Ian wearing his Navy dress whites and Juliet wearing a white button down and a bomber jacket.
“Let me guess,” James said. “Maverick and Charlie from Top Gun.”
Juliet clung to Ian’s arm and smiled up at him while James wrapped an arm around Ellie and pulled her close. He hadn’t believed in love. He’d thought Ian was foolish for moving so quickly with Juliet. But, after meeting Ellie, after living with her and realizing just how differently he felt about her compared to the way he’d felt about Erin, he struggled with the urge to apologize for judging his brother.
True love, when you found it, could knock you off your feet and redefine you. There was no questioning it. No denying. It was a force of nature and to fight it was to fight destiny. Or something like that.
Look at me. Thinking such deep, philosophical thoughts when there’s partying to be done.
“Let me guess,” Juliet said. “The Terminator and Sarah Connor?”
“Your knowledge of 80’s pop culture astounds me.” James pushed his glasses up on his head and turned to Ellie. “So, do you think I can be trusted to have alcohol tonight? I’d say you’ve cured me of my need to drink myself into a stupor.”
Ellie looked up at him, the strangest flash of fear darting through her eyes before he watched that damn mask fall over her face. “I’d say you’ve more than earned it. Let’s get you a drink, big boy.”
Juliet pointed to the multitude of alcoholic options in the kitchen and James led Ellie that way. Whatever had her so uptight, he was determined to get to the bottom of it.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Ellie
Pregnant.
The word had been echoing in her head since peeing on the stick in that gas station restroom. Those two pink lines screaming up at her as the walls pressed in. The roar of blood in her veins drowning out all thought.
PREGNANT.
Each day since, she had promised herself that was the day she’d tell James. She’d sit him down, hand him a drink, and admit she lied about being on the pill and confess she was pregnant. And each day since, she had chickened out and fallen asleep with her head on his chest and her heart growing heavier.
At the same time, irrational moments of joy had begun to sprout, a secret garden of happiness amongst so much worry. There was a baby growing inside her. A child who would need her. A child who would come into the world and give her the family she’d never had. Even if it was just the two of them.
