Pierced Hearts (Southern Charmers 1)

“Ushering them was a memory that’ll stay with me forever, but my favorite part was slipping that band on your finger and getting mine in return.” He brings my hand to his chest.

“Yes, that was a good part.” I visualize the moment. “And it’s very close to my favorite, too.”

He rolls us over, positioning on his knees between my things, and slides his hand into my bikini bottoms. A whimper escapes when a finger slips inside.

“You’re ready.” He pulls the material to the side and thrusts in. “Okay, now that I’m balls deep, tell me what you’ve decided on.”

“When the minister announced us husband and wife. Before you kissed me, you whispered Darby Kendrick to my lips. It was official.”

“Yes, it was.” His eyes soften, remembering along with me. “And when we get home, there’s going to be something else that’s official, too. I can’t fucking wait.”

He rocks in and out of me slowly, holding our stare and clenching my hand to his heart. I no longer care that we are out in the open, and I’m letting him have his way with me under the sun.

Epilogue

Pierce

3 Weeks Later

“Pierce, stop pacing. You’re making me dizzy.” Darby covers her mouth and stands, rushing to the bathroom.

I’m at her side, holding her hair back as she bends over the basin. Nothing happens, and when she looks up, her face is flushed.

“It was just a wave of nausea. It’s probably nerves.”

“We’re going to add that to the list of things to talk to this doctor about,” I grumble, helping her back to the table.

“Honey, the test this morning was positive. We already have our confirmation. These things are expected.”

“You didn’t have morning sickness the first time.”

“I was a younger woman. Things change.”

Before I can respond, Dr. Jenkins walks in, her blinding smile set on Darby. “It’s about time you come back. I’ve been waiting a long time for this.” She looks over at me, flashing me the same smile of recognition.

I haven’t seen her in years, but it’s impossible to forget how comforting she was to us throughout our ordeal. She also probably knows the events that happened afterward and leading up to our wedding.

“All right, let’s get to the good stuff. Tell me what you know.”

“I took a test at home this morning that was positive, and my overexcited, impatient, and out-of-control husband insisted we see you immediately. We think I’m still early, possibly seven weeks,” Darby fills her in.

Dr. Jenkins reviews the folder in her hand, flipping through what I assume are labs. Her lips pinch together as her eyes move furiously. An uneasy feeling twists in my gut, and I sit on the table behind Darby. “Is there something wrong?”

“Why do you think you’re so early?”

“My last period was around May fifth,” Darby answers.

“I assume you’re off all forms of contraception?”

“Stopped taking the pill back in January. I was told it could take a year for it to work out of my system.” I drop my eyes to her, wondering why she didn’t share this sooner. A year? If I’d have known that, I’d have increased my efforts.

“And what happened afterward?” Jenkins goes on.

“I had unpredictable cycles, mild cramping, and random bleeding.”

“All that sounds normal and an indication of why your timing is off. Our labs show you are much farther along. I’m going to estimate closer to eleven weeks.”

Darby’s whole body tenses, and she gasps. I can’t help the chuckle that slips out of my mouth. Soon, I’m flying off the bed and stumbling to catch myself as Darby shoves me off the table.

“Eleven weeks! I was pregnant at our wedding? I was pregnant on our honeymoon?”

I throw up my hands in defeat, having the sense not to gloat… too much. Although I do feel a touch guilty for not letting her sleep a full night.

“I’ve eaten forbidden foods and drank alcohol. How could I not know I’m pregnant?” she screeches, clawing the table and looking desperately at Dr. Jenkins.

“Have you had a lot on your mind?”

“In the last eleven weeks, I’ve uprooted my life, again, created a top-to-bottom business plan for a brand new hotel, moved in with Pierce, planned a wedding, had a wedding, went on a honeymoon, and came back to working twelve-hour days.”

Dr. Jenkins squeezes her knee in support. “I think that’s exactly how you may have missed the signs. You may have thought you had a cycle in May, but it was probably something else.”

I’m at her side again, this time standing with her curled into me. “Baby, you have to calm down.”

“How can I be calm? I may have done it again!”

The weight of her words slams into me, and she’s in my lap before she can lose it. “You didn’t do it again because you didn’t do it the first time.”

“How can you know?” The panic in her voice kills me.