Your Forever Love (The Bennett Family 3)

“Okay,” Eric announces, rising from the bed. “Time to go or we’ll miss the appointment.”

Julie almost leaps from the bed, but I take my sweet time. Jerky movements don’t do my morning sickness any favors.

Ten minutes later, we’re in the car on our way to have my first ultra-sound. Neither of us is speaking, but the excitement is palpable.

“I can’t believe we still have to wait months to find out if it will be a boy or a girl,” Julie exclaims. In the rearview mirror, I notice she’s rubbing her palms in excitement.

“We’re going to find out if everything is all right with the baby today,” I explain, “and we’ll hear the heart beating.”

Julie beams, and Eric puts his hand over mine in an attempt to soothe me. He can feel I’m nervous.

“Everything will be fine,” he murmurs to me, squeezing my fingers lightly.

My doctor, a kind woman in her fifties, is all smiles when the three of us walk into her office. She explains the procedure and assures me that I will be completely comfortable.

Lying on that exam table, though, I’m anything but comfortable. I drum my fingers on the surface beneath me, my heart in my throat as I watch the monitor. Eric stands next to me, holding my hand, and Julie is on his other side.

Everyone is silent as the monitor comes alive, and the doctor nods.

“This is the heartbeat,” she announces triumphantly. “Everything looks normal. Oh—”

Eric’s hand goes rigid in mine, but he relaxes as the doctor chuckles. Pointing to the screen, she says, “Here is the second heartbeat.”

Julie is the first to react. Squealing, she looks from the doctor to me and then to Eric. “Does this mean I’ll have two brothers? Or two sisters?”

“Or a brother and a sister,” the doctor tells her. “It’s too early to say.”

Julie squeals again, and this time I join her celebrations, laughing with her. A misty-eyed Eric murmurs, “I love you,” only for me to hear.

“Are you sure you can’t tell if they are boys or girls?” Julie asks the doctor. “Not even if you look really close?”

“I’m afraid not,” the doctor says.

Julie gives me a hug as best as she can.

“There’s a history of twins in your family, Pippa, right?” the doctor asks.

“Yes.”

“So, what do you figure we’ll have?” Eric asks. “Party twins? Serious twins?”

I chuckle, thinking about the two set of twins in my family. “No idea, but I know one thing: they’ll be double trouble.”

Epilogue

One month later

Pippa

“To the first shotgun wedding in the Bennett family,” Alice exclaims. In the mirror, I see her and Summer clink glasses with champagne.

“Girls, why don’t you focus on zipping up my dress now and drink later?” I plead, terrified they’ll spill champagne on my dress.

“You’re the boss.” Alice puts the glass away immediately, and Summer follows her lead. Then they both turn their attention to my veil.

I admire my dress in the mirror, sighing happily. It’s an A-line shaped ivory dress with delicate lace on the upper part and flowy organza from my waist down. Nadine designed it, and she’s outdone herself. There’s only a tiny baby bump in sight, but there’s still time for it to grow.

The wedding is taking place at our old ranch, which looks brand new right now. Renovations were completed two weeks ago, but the B&B isn’t open for business yet.