18
The next morning, after her run on the beach, Sabrina found everyone gathered around the patio table on the veranda. David gave her a warm smile that did crazy things to her insides, especially her heart. She dropped a kiss on his lips, loving the pleasure in his eyes.
“Morning,” he murmured.
“Good morning.”
A separate table held an enormous bowl of fresh fruit, already sliced and ready to eat. She skipped the carbs and helped herself to a yogurt.
“This is paradise,” she told Marissa as she sat down. “The view, the buffet. Do you guys want to adopt me? I’m potty trained and I do my own laundry.”
Everyone laughed.
“Gladly.”
“How are you with babysitting?” Allen asked with a grin.
She shook her hand in a so-so gesture. “But I suck at changing diapers.”
“Any day now we’ll get to try our hand at it, right sweetheart?” Marissa reached for Allen’s hand.
“So soon?” Allen joked. “Seems like yesterday you snuck into my office with a box full of baby shoes.”
They shared a smile and then a nervous laugh. Parenthood would no doubt come with new trials but of all the couples Sabrina knew, these two could handle it.
David’s question about having kids had taken her by surprise last night but she was glad they were on the same page. Especially at this point in the game. While she felt young and healthy, she wanted to enjoy the life she’d carved out for herself, not be responsible for someone else.
Taking care of Ethan and then Jakob had cured her of the need and she felt zero maternal twinges.
Sabrina finished off her yogurt and helped herself to some fruit. As much as she enjoyed designing invitations and announcements, heck, she’d even been approached about a bedding line for nurseries; she couldn’t imagine having her heart walking around every day in a clumsy toddler’s body.
And that’s exactly what having a kid would mean. Her soul, her heart, her flesh and blood, walking around unprotected. Learning to fall, to get back up, to handle peer pressure and so much more. It was enough that David had a thing about explosives, but from what she could tell, he was terribly cautious. Those first few weeks they’d been together had been rough on him since his supervisor wasn’t nearly as careful.
But at least that project was finished. Jill’s Halloween Bash seemed like a lifetime ago. And now Thanksgiving was approaching. They hadn’t discussed any plans yet and she sort of liked the day-at-a-time approach. She had enough structure in her life thanks to Layla.
Marissa sighed and rubbed her belly. “I’m ready to meet this little one. I know I’ll be up late with feedings—”
“And diapers—” Allen inserted dryly.
“But at least he won’t be sitting on my bladder.”
“I think we’re going to be hopping on the raincoat train again. You need a break.” Allen gave his wife the sweetest look and Marissa blushed.
Sabrina’s heart squeezed. Allen was adorable and caring.
“You might need to keep your…self to yourself, mister. Condoms aren’t one hundred percent,” Marissa scolded with a smile.
Sabrina laughed at Allen’s look of alarm, but Marissa was right. While she wasn’t sure about the percentages these days, it’d been drilled into Sabrina’s head since high school health class that condoms didn’t always prevent pregnancy.
David ran a hand over the back of his neck, concern pinching his brows. She’d become so used to his laid-back, easy going style that the sudden tension in him sent a tendril of unease through her.
She sent him a questioning look. He met her gaze and offered a smile. A smile that didn’t meet his eyes.
Come to think of it, he acted weird whenever the subject of babies came up. And yet, the way he talked to Marissa, the questions he asked…it was almost like he had experience with them.
He didn’t have to worry about having kids.
She’d made her feelings very clear last night. And they’d been using protection every time.
Condoms.
Condoms weren’t one hundred percent reliable.
Sabrina mentally counted the days since her monthly frenemy had visited. That couldn’t be right. Could it?
She downed the orange juice and tried to ward off her rising panic.
Marissa said something about shopping and Sabrina agreed. Suddenly the morning sun felt too warm. She needed to check her phone and make sure she’d miscalculated. That’s all this was.
“Have a good time,” Allen said as Marissa bent down to kiss him goodbye.
“See you on the beach later?” Sabrina asked David. Hopefully he didn’t see the anxiety she felt. He seemed to have enough of his own; she didn’t need to add to it.
If only her stomach would calm down.
“You bet.” This time his smile was genuine and seductive.
After telling Marissa she’d be down in fifteen minutes, she made a bee-line for the guest room. Plucking her phone from the charger, she scrolled to her tracker app.
“No. No. No.”
Just as she’d thought. She was late. A dozen reasons why raced through her mind.
Most obvious… all the sex she’d been having with David.
Hot, delicious, wonderful sex.
Sabrina closed her eyes and sank down onto the bed. This wasn’t what she’d expected out of this weekend. Staring out at the gorgeous blue water and the mega ship floating by, she worried her lower lip.
Maybe her schedule was shifting for some reason. Maybe it was stress or something. But the biggie kept coming back around. She’d have to take a test.
After a quick shower, she slipped into a light weight sundress. Trying to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, she touched up her lipstick and slipped into her favorite sandals. Her world might change tomorrow. And maybe she was in denial, but nothing was going to change between now and the time she got back to Atlanta.
Ethan’s voice filled her head. “One step at a time, S. Don’t put the cart before the horse.” He’d spoken those words a dozen times over the years, regarding her weight loss and even his cancer relapse. And more often than not, he’d been right.
For now, she was going
