Standing behind her, I wrap my arms around her. “You’re not a single mother. We have nine months to get ready. This isn’t going to happen overnight. Don’t worry about everyone else. We have a couple of months before you’ll start to show. After that, we’ll handle one hurdle at a time. Okay?”
Carla turns in my arms as she wipes tears from her cheeks. “How can you be so calm?”
I give her a reassuring smile. “My panicking will not help the situation. Besides, it’s not the worst thing that could’ve happened. I’d much rather you be pregnant than seriously ill.”
A look of awe washes over her features as she stares at me, and then she whispers, “You really love me.”
My mouth curves up. “Of course. You being pregnant doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
She shakes her head. “No, it’s…” she sucks in a breath of air, “deep down, I couldn’t believe you actually loved me… until now.” An endearing expression settles in her eyes as she lifts her hand to my jaw. “Most guys would run as fast as they can, but you… are you even real?” A frown mars her forehead again. “Maybe I’m dreaming?”
I let out a burst of laughter and wrap her tightly against my chest. “Nope, this is happening.” Framing her face, I press a tender kiss to her lips. “We’ve created a life together, Carla.”
The news only seems to take root now because her face crumbles as she takes refuge against me.
I hold her until she’s calmer, and using my thumbs to wipe the tears from her cheeks, I say, “I love you more than anything. I’ll take good care of you and our baby.”
Chapter 17
CARLA
Standing in the shower, I stare down at my flat stomach.
A million thoughts race through my mind.
Dad’s going to be so angry.
Mom might be okay. After all, she was nineteen when she had Jase.
Oh. My. God.
I’m pregnant.
A baby is growing inside me.
I don’t feel pregnant, though.
How can Noah be so calm?
I’m going to look like a beached whale in eight months.
I wonder if it’s a boy or a girl.
Holy shit.
I’m pregnant.
What will our friends and family think?
Noah’s parents?
A knock at the door yanks me out of the mess in my head.
“Carla? Are you okay?” Noah asks. He opens the door and comes into the bathroom, and all I can do is nod.
My nerves are stretched thin, and my stomach feels like it’s stuck on spin cycle.
Noah must see the panic on my face because he grabs a towel and turns off the water before he wraps the fluffy fabric around me. Then he slips an arm beneath my knees and my back, and he lifts me to his chest as if I weigh nothing. Feeling the strength in his arms gives me a sense of comfort.
Noah’s strong. He’s practical and smart as hell. He’ll figure out a way for us to get through this.
He goes to sit on the bed with me on his lap and holds me while his mouth brushes over my forehead. “Let’s talk about your worries.”
“Our parents,” I mutter.
“I’ll handle them,” he assures me.
“We’re so young,” I voice my next concern.
“We’ll adapt. We have time.”
“Our friends?”
“They’ll support us. You know they will,” Noah murmurs.
“Will we stay here?” I wrap my arms around Noah’s neck and stare into his eyes, needing to draw strength from him.
“Definitely not.” A loving smile tugs at his lips. “We’ll get a place of our own.”
Emotion wells in my chest, and I lean forward, burying my face in his neck. “You want to live with me?”
“Of course,” he murmurs. “There’s no way I’m letting you go through a day of this pregnancy, or when our child is born, by yourself. I’ll be there every step of the way.”
I pull back again and can’t keep a tear from falling down my cheek as I look at him. “Are you really okay with this?”
Noah’s eyes caress my face, filling me with warmth, and calming my nerves.
“Like I said, it’s sooner than I would’ve liked, but it happened. Whether it’s now or in ten years, I’m happy for any life I get to create with you.”
Hugging him, I grumble, “I’m going to get fat.”
He lets out a chuckle. “You’ll still be beautiful.”
“What if I’m craving something ridiculous like…” I try to think of the worst possible thing, then continue, “dirt.”
Noah begins to laugh. “Then I’ll up your iron intake and order you a salad.”
My head darts back so I can see his face again. “You’ve already read everything about being pregnant, haven’t you?”
He nods. “Yeah, so get dressed because it’s time for you to take your prenatal vitamins.” Noah helps me to my feet, then says, “We’ll keep the vitamins in your bathroom so the others won’t stumble across them.”
“Okay.” I watch as he picks up a bag he left on the other side of the bed, and as he goes to the bathroom, I turn to my walk-in closet to get dressed. I drag on a pair of jeans and grab a white blouse.