Hannah relaxed against him, releasing her breath. “I was shocked, too, but even though it happened so fast I’m not upset. I have always wanted to be a mom.”
Ben pulled her back down to lay on the bed and leaned over her with a happy smile, kissing her lips with affection. “I’m happy, too, Hannah. I have been telling you all along that what I feel for you is real. I’ve watched over you for years waiting for you to grow up. I have loved you forever and I was just waiting for you to catch up with me. So what if it happened sooner than we planned? That doesn’t mean I won’t love this baby just as much as I love his mama.”
“Really?” She sniffed tearfully then burst into tears, hiding her face in her hands. She had been so scared Ben would be mad at her. “That is so sweet. I was so afraid to tell you and I wanted us to be okay before I brought it up. I love you too, Ben. I have always known in my heart you were the one for me. I just let my fears rule.”
Ben held her while she cried and rocked her in his arms until her tears subsided. “Hannah, will you marry me?”
Hannah looked at his face, his green eyes shined with happiness and sincerity. “Really? You don’t think it’s too soon?”
“No. We have known each other for a long time, maybe not as lovers, but we have the foundation of having been friends for so long. I love you, Hannah, and I went into this relationship intending for it to be permanent. I told you and your brother that my intentions were honorable. Neither one of you believed me, but I meant it.”
Hannah nodded yes, too choked up to speak, and promptly fell asleep on her new fiancé. Ben smiled and held her in his arms and fell asleep, feeling at peace with his life. He dreamt of a little blonde angel with blue eyes.
Chapter Nine
Hannah wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve. Despite the air conditioner being on she felt hot and her head was pounding. She was trying to give five wiggling puppies their vaccination shots but they refused to cooperate and stay still for her.
“This is for your own good, so you all won’t get sick,” she told them, but they didn’t look interested in that theory. She heard the bell ring on the front desk. Richard was at lunch and Amy was at school today so she was all alone.
“I’ll be right there!” she yelled, putting the shot down, and looked at the puppies. “You just got a break.”
She walked out to the front waiting room to see Dorothy standing there impatiently. Despite the hot and humid day, Dorothy managed to look cool in a slim-fitting white dress with her black hair styled perfectly. Hannah groaned inwardly, knowing her hair that started off in a ponytail was probably all messy now after struggling with the puppies and her lab coat was probably not as clean as it was this morning.
“What can I do for you, Dorothy?” she asked politely, stopping her hands from trying to fix her hair. “Here to adopt an animal?”
Dorothy frowned at Hannah as if she had lost her mind and looked around the room. “Animals smell and are messy. I am here to give you fair warning. Ben is mine. I have worked all year to get him and I had him where I wanted him until you came along and ruined it.”
Hannah sighed. Dealing with this woman was not something she wanted to do. “Listen, Dorothy. Ben is an adult capable of making his own decisions. If he wanted you then he wouldn’t be engaged to me.”
Dorothy gasped and her eyes narrowed in anger. She looked down at Hannah’s ringless finger. “He wouldn’t marry you unless…” she looked down at Hannah’s flat stomach and smirked. “God, that is the oldest trick in the book. Poor Ben, he must be feeling so trapped. I should go and comfort him. He must be feeling miserable.”
Hannah self-consciously closed her lab coat around her. She was trying hard to be polite but Dorothy was making it hard. “It’s none of your business, Dorothy, but Ben loves me, so why don’t you just move on with your life? Quit being so desperate.”
Dorothy leaned toward Hannah over the counter and glared at her angrily with eyes full of hatred. “Ben is mine! If you’re smart, you’ll stay out of my way. I don’t make a good enemy, so you need to remember that,” she yelled then stomped off, bumping into Richard on the way out the door without apologizing.
Richard looked at Dorothy and muttered, “How rude.”
He walked up to Hannah and saw her paleness and the way she just stood there in shock. “Everything okay, Hannah? You look pale. I heard the last part and that sounded like a threat to me.”
Hannah frowned. Ben would never see Dorothy as a threat or problem but Hannah knew Dorothy was the one who had her tires slashed. “That’s okay, Richard. I don’t think she’ll come back here again. Could you help me with the puppies?”
Richard looked like he wanted to argue but Hannah was the boss. “Sure, Hannah. But don’t trust that woman.”
* * * *
Grace and Hannah laid by the creek, sunbathing. Even though it was September it was still hot enough for them to enjoy a day swimming and sunbathing. It had been a week since Hannah had announced her pregnancy and engagement to her family all at once. Everyone in the family was happy for her and Ben. Ida spent her time trying to get Hannah to eat more, but she still felt so nauseated most of the time and was losing weight.
“Is Ben going with you to your doctor appointment?” Grace asked, laying on a beach towel unselfconsciously in her blue bikini. Before, she would have worn a big T-shirt so no one could see the long scar on her chest that she had received when an ex-boyfriend had stabbed her. But now she no longer paid much attention to the thin white scar. She had come a long way in the last few months thanks to the love of Jackson and their families.
Hannah had an appointment with an obstetrician in Austin the next day. “Yeah, he traded shifts with Billy so he could take me.” Hannah looked over at Roxy and Molly playing in the creek and barking at each other and smiled, feeling relaxed. “Then we are supposed to stop and buy rings. I can’t believe this is finally happening. I’ve always loved Ben but I never thought we’d get our stuff together. I’m so happy.”
“I am so excited, Hannah, for you and Ben, too. I know he loves you, how can he not? I can’t wait to be an aunt. I’ll get plenty of practice until I have my own someday.” Grace smiled, closing her eyes and relaxing.
Hannah smiled and turned over to lay on her stomach, feeling sleepy. “I’m kind of nervous about being a mom. I don’t know the first thing about babies and I am counting on your help. How are your wedding plans going?”
Grace groaned dramatically. “I should have eloped like Jackson wanted to. My parents sold their house and will be here permanently by next month. My mom and Flo insist on a full wedding with a reception but it’s a lot of work and decisions to make.”
Hannah laughed. “I am eloping for sure. I don’t have the patience to pick wedding colors and cakes and all that stuff. Ida is in heaven right now, so hopefully she won’t be disappointed when I tell her mine won’t be like that. Vegas sounds like fun.”