17. Penny
Chapter 17
Penny
“You sure you don’t want me to come with you?”
Wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans, I shook my head. “It’s probably better if you don’t.”
Tripp offered his hand to help me down from the passenger seat of his pickup. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”
“Thanks.” I squeezed his bicep and stepped around him.
My fingers curled around the diamond ring in my palm as I approached the ranch-style house that, for a time, I’d thought would become my home. Nerves rose to the surface as I climbed the porch steps and rang the doorbell.
The deadbolt turned, and my muscles tensed as the door was pulled open.
Even though I was unbelievably happy to be with Tripp, deep down, I carried the shame of walking out on Jake without warning. On our wedding day.
A sad smile curved on Jake’s lips as he leaned against the doorframe. “Hey. Heard you were back. ”
Shifting on my feet, I hung my head. “Yeah.” The prongs holding the diamond onto the gold band dug into my skin, reminding me why I’d come here.
Opening my fist, I held it out to him. “This belongs to you.”
He sighed, plucking the ring from my hand.
“I’m sorry, Jake. It wasn’t right how I left, but I just—” My words cut off as my throat tightened at the mere thought of losing Tripp.
“I always knew you were hung up on someone. Figured that’s why we didn’t work out the first go around. But until your birthday party, I didn’t realize it was him.” He jerked his chin over my shoulder, and I peeked to find Tripp leaning against his truck, arms folded.
“It wasn’t fair to you that I made it down the aisle before I ended things. But it would have been even less fair had we gone through with the marriage, and I spent a lifetime by your side, in love with another man. You deserved better than that.”
A humorless laugh spilled from Jake’s lips as his fingers toyed with the engagement ring he’d given me. “I guess it’s true what they say: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Guilt flooded my system. Jake was a good guy, and though he wasn’t the right guy for me, there was no excuse for how I’d treated him.
“For what it’s worth, I think you’ll make a great husband for some girl,” I offered.
“Is he a good husband?”
My eyes widened before snapping up to meet his. “What?”
He brought my left hand into view, the modest engagement ring and wedding band combo catching the light.
“Oh, right.” I’d almost forgotten that I now wore a shining symbol of my recent change in marital status everywhere I went.
“Are you happy?” Jake’s voice came out strained .
I gave a tiny nod. “Yeah, I am.”
“That’s all I can ask for, then.”
God, why did he have to be so nice about all this? It would be so much easier if he lost his temper, if he lashed out at me for the humiliation I’d caused him. Then I could write him off as an asshole and sleep easier at night, knowing I’d dodged a bullet.
But that wasn’t Jake’s style. He was too damn nice, forcing me to face the fact that I was the asshole in this situation.
“So, you, uh, planning on sticking around in Rust Canyon?” The only reason he’d rented this house was because my work on Sullivan Ranch demanded I live nearby, if not on the ranch itself.
Jake’s lips folded inward, and he hummed with a nod. “Until the lease is up. It’s a convenient location with all the clients I have in the area.”
Right. Couldn’t forget that even though we were no longer a couple, we would forever be colleagues. Thankfully, the countless animals on the Sullivan property kept me busy enough that it was unlikely that we would have any future run-ins in a professional capacity. Just had to get through the next eight months or so around town until his lease expired, and he—hopefully—moved on.
He hitched a thumb over his shoulder. “I’ve gotta get going.”
“Yeah, me too,” I said.
“Be well, Penny.” Before I could return the sentiment, he shut the door in my face, and I sagged in relief that the awkward interaction was over.
Shoulders slumped, I turned and walked back to where Tripp stood, waiting with open arms. I burrowed my face into his chest, hoping his embrace would provide the comfort I so desperately needed.
“You okay?”
Nodding my response, I let his scent fill my nostrils as I took deep, calming breaths .
Wait a minute . . .
I pulled back to find him looking down at me in concern. “What is it?”
“Did you change your cologne?”
He cocked his head, brow furrowing. “No.”
Pressing my nose to the base of his throat, I inhaled deeply. I couldn’t detect a single trace of the clove aroma I associated with the man I loved. He smelled musky, and not in a good way. It actually had my stomach turning over.
“You sure?”
“Pretty sure,” he laughed out.
“Strange,” I muttered, still not convinced.
“Why don’t we pop on over to Canyon Comforts for milkshakes before we head back home? A sugar high is bound to put you in a better mood.”
“Sounds perfect,” I agreed.
When I walked through the door, my mouth began to water at the scent of sizzling meat. Tripp’s back was to me as steam billowed up from whatever he had cooking on the stove.
“Smells delicious. Whatcha makin’?” I asked, venturing closer.
He peeked over his shoulder. “Why don’t you come see for yourself?”
With practiced movements, he stirred pasta through boiling water, but it was the ham mixed with peas in the frying pan that tipped me off to his meal selection for the evening.
“This is my favorite!” I bounced on the balls of my feet .
“Don’t I know it.” Humor filled his voice at my reaction. “Figured you could use a pick-me-up after a rough day.”
Curling an arm around his waist, I rested my head on his shoulder with a sigh. “Thank you. This is amazing.”
Tripp pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “Can you pull down the table for us before you wash up? Should be ready in a few minutes after I drain the angel hair.”
“Yep.” I left his side to flip the latch on the wall-mounted table, lowering it until it became horizontal before securing the single leg in a fixed position.
By the time I returned from cleaning my hands, Tripp had bowls set out, and we served ourselves buffet-style before sitting at the table with our meal.
This dish had been one I’d begged my mama to make no less than once a month. It featured a base of angel hair pasta, topped with ham and peas, and a sprinkling of cheddar cheese. It wasn’t classic country cuisine, but it was a recipe that had been handed down for generations on my mother’s side.
Steam curled up from my bowl, indicating the food was still piping hot. It was a risk to take a bite so soon, but I couldn’t wait, the temptation of the taste of home too alluring.
I made sure to capture a little bit of everything on my fork as I brought it to my mouth.
Chewing once, I paused. Then I chewed a second time to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.
“Penny?” Tripp’s voice had my eyes lifting.
Managing to swallow, I drained a full glass of water before explaining. “Tastes funny, don’t you think? ”
Frowning at the bowl set before him, he shoved a heaping forkful into his mouth. Then he shook his head. “Seems fine to me.”
Eyeing the food skeptically, I forced myself to take another bite, which only confirmed my suspicion. “No. There’s definitely something different about it.”
Tripp hummed. “With only two burners, I had to use microwave peas. Do you think that could be it?”
“Maybe,” I agreed, setting my fork down.
Blue eyes tracked the move, and my husband’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. “You’re not gonna eat it?”
I shook my head. “I feel bad, baby. You went to all this work to make my favorite, but I just can’t get past the taste. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” He stood, moving to the fridge and pulling it open. “I can make you something else. What are you in the mood for?”
Exhaustion settled over me like a weighted blanket. “Honestly, I’m really tired. As soon as I wash the day off, I’m gonna crawl into bed.”
“Penny.” Tripp sighed my name. “You have to eat.”
“One skipped meal won’t kill me, I promise.” Rising from my chair, I gave his forearm a reassuring squeeze on my way to the bathroom.
Under the hot spray of the shower, the tension seeped from my muscles and washed down the drain.
Tomorrow would be a better day.
I couldn’t shake the fatigue that had plagued me the past few weeks. For a while, I managed to brush it off as my body reacclimating to the ranch schedule, where pre-dawn wake-up calls were the norm. But even getting a full eight hours didn’t seem to be enough. I was constantly fighting to stay awake.
Then, yesterday, the steady rhythm of Echo’s footsteps had my eyes drifting shut, nearly lulling me to sleep. I barely jolted back to consciousness in time to keep from sliding out of the saddle and plummeting seven feet to the ground. That was enough to scare me into getting checked out.
A knock sounded on the exam room door a second before Tucker stepped inside, a tablet held in his hands.
He offered me a warm smile in greeting. “Hey, Penny. Didn’t expect to see you today. What brings you in?”
Twisting my hands in my lap, I explained, “I’ve been struggling with constant fatigue for a few weeks. No amount of sleep is making a difference. I did a little online research and think maybe I’m anemic?”
Tucker chuckled. “Ah, good old Dr. Internet. Love that guy.”
My cheeks heated as he poked fun at me.
He took a seat on the rolling stool, tapping on the screen of his tablet. “When Maggie did your intake, she noted that your last period was May 10 th . Is that correct?”
I shifted uncomfortably. Though Tucker was a great general practitioner, he was also a personal friend, so I usually sought out his female partner, Felicity, for gynecological care.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Tucker’s eyes lifted to meet mine. “It’s mid-July, Penny.”
He wasn’t suggesting . . .
No. I couldn’t be pregnant. Pregnant women got sick, and I hadn’t thrown up in years. There had to be something else causing my extreme exhaustion .
“Well, um.” I swallowed around the lump formed in my throat. “Felicity said when I went off the pill, it could delay my cycle.”
The man’s gaze softened when he realized I was firmly in denial. A place I was very happy to continue residing.
“A couple of weeks, maybe. But not two whole months.” He paused before asking, “Have you been using an alternate form of birth control since going off the pill?”
Why, no, doc. I’ve been a total cum slut for my new husband because the night we got married, he didn’t have a condom on him, and I decided to fuck around and find out.
Oh, I was about to find out, all right. It was all fun and games, asking to be knocked up until it actually took, and you had to face the reality of the situation.
Deep breaths. This could be a false alarm.
With how much unprotected sex you’ve been having? Yeah, keep dreaming, girl.
“Penny?” Tucker’s voice snapped me out of my mental freakout, but it did nothing to stop my heart from racing.
“Uh, no,” I croaked out a weak reply.
A sympathetic smile touched his lips. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There are other reasons your period could be delayed. Stress being one of them. I know you’ve been through a lot in the past couple of months.”
His words might say one thing, but the look on his face betrayed the truth.
“How about this: I’ll run some bloodwork that might determine the cause of your fatigue, but in the meantime, let’s get a urine sample to test for pregnancy. Does that work for you?”
No, but I didn’t have much of a choice .
God, had I really been so caught up in Tripp that I hadn’t realized I’d gone months without a period?
“Fine.”
Tucker stood from his stool to open the door to the exam room. “Sample cups are on a shelf in the bathroom.”
I shuffled past him and down the hall. Popping the green cap on the clear cup, I sat on the toilet and held it between my open thighs.
This was one of the times I envied men. They were equipped with the equivalent of a hose and had a clear view to aim their stream. Women were flying blind and, more often than not, got pee all over their hands in an attempt to capture a few drops inside the cup.
Placing my sample on the countertop, I washed my hands and exited the small bathroom.
The nurse, Maggie, caught me walking back to the exam room and chirped. “All done?”
Sucking in a deep breath, I gave her a nod. She pulled on a pair of gloves and stepped past me to retrieve my urine for testing.
Alone, I began to pace the confines of the exam room, a million questions swirling in my mind.
Could I really be pregnant?
Was I ready to be a mom?
What in the world was I going to tell Tripp, and how would he react?
The quiet unlatching of the door had me whipping around.
“Well?” I demanded before Tucker could even make it two steps inside the room.
“Positive,” he confirmed.
My knees began to buckle, and I reached for the exam table.
Tucker rushed to my side, helping me take a seat. “You okay?”
Pulse pounding in my ears, I didn’t have an answer to that question .
Sensing my shock, he asked, “Do you want me to list your options?”
“What?” I gaped at him. Then it hit me what he was really asking, and I shouted, “No!” My hands came to rest protectively over the innocent life growing inside me.
“I had to ask.” He slipped back into professional mode.
“Right. The answer’s still no.”
Tucker nodded. “Understood. If you want, I can see if Felicity can squeeze you in for a dating ultrasound. Might make all of this feel more real if you can see your little one.”
“Tripp should be here.” That much I knew for certain.
“Fair enough. You want me to call him?”
The last thing I needed was Tripp speeding off the ranch in the middle of the day. I’d stirred up enough trouble between him and his father already.
Oh boy. Jett was just going to love me when he heard this news.
“Can we do it another time?”
“Of course.” Tucker left my side to grab the tablet. “For now, we can calculate your due date based on your last period. Usually, the ultrasound only shifts it a day or two anyway, and even then, it’s only a best guess. Babies don’t seem to care what date we write down; they come on their own schedule.”
That’s when it finally hit me.
A baby.
Tripp and I made a baby.
Holy shit.