4. Rosie
4
ROSIE
H ow is it possible that I wake up in my ex-husband’s bed… again.
I don’t even need to appraise the area because I feel the sheets, and my eyes pop open as I lie on my side. The mattress has firmness yet is still heavenly to sleep against. I remember. However, it’s the tingle that hits my nose that confirms I’m in Carter’s bed.
His scent.
It’s not sweet but reminds me of fall, if that’s possible. Fall is a warm and cozy season. My favorite, too. Olive Owl, our family winery, is known for pumpkin season, and I couldn’t grow up a Blisswood and not love it.
But this smell is fall mixed with Carter. A poison that spreads through my veins.
He is nowhere to be found, which is slightly a relief. I flop to my back, and I raspberry a breath. I turn my head slightly to see the clock saying that it’s seven in the morning.
I’ve been in this bed all night. I don’t remember ending up here, nor would this have been my sleeping destination. The sofa was the safest option. It seems that Carter didn’t agree and took the liberty to carry me upstairs… to his bed. I should question why here and not the other two bedroom options, but I don’t ponder for long.
Nausea is greeting me early today, and I know if I sit up that it will make it worse. Hopeless, I roll to my side, reaching behind me to grab an extra pillow to hold. I’ve heard many times how morning sickness can go along with pregnancy, but the last few days seem a little excessive if I’m being honest.
I’ve seen my mom and aunts pregnant, and although they had morning sickness, I don’t remember it being this bad.
Escaping this bed isn’t going to happen unless I have no choice and need to try and make the trek to the toilet.
My body is stuck in one position with the pit of my stomach moving.
I’d be lying if I blamed staying in bed on the baby. It’s probably a little part of me that doesn’t want to leave his bed.
I’m curious if we kept to our sides or if we cuddled in our sleep. Last time I was here, I woke in his arms. Chiseled muscle with veins visible on his forearms because he’s strong and keeps me snug.
The sound of Carter walking up the stairs causes my heart to jump for a second, but then the power of my empty stomach takes over.
His steps slow when he approaches the door to his room. He must be hesitating with what to say. I’ll make it easy and tell him the truth: I’m incapable of moving and can only think of how to end this moment of misery.
I don’t look up when he enters the room. Okay, I briefly do to see he’s in dark blue jeans with a maroon t-shirt.
“Hey,” he says softly as he saunters slowly to me.
“Hi,” I mumble against the pillow.
His face shows sympathy which means I don’t need to explain. “Not feeling too good, are you?”
My eyes hood gently closed in a hope to stop the dizziness hitting my head. “No. The idea of water makes it worse.” The crinkle of a wrapper causes me to lift one lid and see that he is holding out bland crackers.
“Maybe this will help.” The mattress dips when he sits down next to me and rubs my shoulder as I attempt to sit up before accepting the cracker from his hand. Taking one bite, it seems to help for a few seconds.
Then it doesn’t.
I kick off the pillow and blankets, shoving him away, then rush out of bed straight to the bathroom, dropping to the floor next to the toilet, and I throw up clear puke.
I’m not even sure when Carter put his hand on my back and brushed my hair to one side. “It’s okay,” he says, attempting to soothe me.
It’s really not, but fine. I can’t get much out, barely any, but the twirl in my stomach is out of me. Relief hits me, but my head feels warm, and hell, I’m worn out.
I’m a ragdoll sitting on the floor, and Carter quickly grabs a towel before he lowers to the ground to be level with me. “Fuck, Rosie, I don’t think this is normal anymore.”
I wave him off. “I’m pregnant. It comes with the status.”
He shakes his head, and his hand shoots out to touch my cheek. His fingers imprint gently onto my skin, and his thumb circles near the corner of my mouth. “No. I’m taking you to the emergency room. Don’t even try to debate me on this. You’re dehydrated, and what good is that to you or the baby?”
I won’t protest, he’s right. “Maybe we’re just overreacting.” I make one last-ditch effort of denial for my current ailments, but he just gives me an unimpressed look. “Okay,” I whisper. “Okay, we’ll go.”
“Thank you for not being difficult and protesting,” he says sincerely. “It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since I discovered I’m going to be a dad, and since then, you’ve only been sick or in a deep sleep.”
“You’re kind of good at holding my hair back,” I joke with half a smile on my dry lips. I go ahead and ask because I’m far too curious in this moment. “Is that why you took me to your bed? In case I needed you to hold my hair back?” I’m poking the bear.
He rolls his lips in and glances away, only to swipe a boyish grin my way. “Among other things.” Carter stands and offers me his hands to help me up. “I wasn’t going to let you sleep on the couch.”
“Still, it’s your bed.”
I’m wobbly on my feet, and he braces my arms to ensure I don’t fall. “If I wasn’t concerned then I would jam a cracker into your mouth just to avoid your argument that I did it because I’m trying to prove a point that you should live here.”
I snort a laugh. “Where I wouldn’t be in your bed, instead one of the spare rooms. Even though your bed is perfect for sleeping.”
“I noticed you think so. You slept all night.”
My eyes skim to the side because he just casually admitted that he knows because he was watching me most of the night.
And the rhythm of my heart changes.
* * *
I’m lying on an exam table in a curtained cubicle. Luckily, nobody else is in the emergency room, so it’s quiet. The crunchy sound of the paper gown annoys me, as I hear it on every micromovement. The doctor smiles as the curtain swooshes open. A woman in her forties enters, and her gaze travels between me and Carter who is sitting next to me before she rolls in a cart with a machine.
She seems surprised by Carter’s presence, and for a second, I’m concerned that maybe they dated while I was away, but then I remember he’s Sheriff Carter, everybody knows him. I’m sure many tried to set him up while I was away. I always used to laugh because he once told me how years back he had an awkward encounter when a friend tried to set him up with his sister, but she was in a secret relationship with his best friend, who happens to be the team owner of the Spinners hockey team. In my book, ending up with the sheriff was the winner.
“Hello, I’m Dr. White, and I’m from obstetrics. You’re in luck, my appointment canceled and I was called down here instead of having the ER doctor come in. Kind of wasn’t expecting the sheriff to be here. I heard the paperwork is in for your run as mayor. The head of the hospital board of trustees is running against you, but between you and me, none of us like him.”
“Good to know. But Rosie has a little problem right now.” He smiles tightly at the reminder.
It takes a moment for Dr. White to jolt into action. “Vomiting. Yes, I understand you’ve been vomiting quite a bit.” She begins to feel my stomach.
I open my mouth, but before I can get a word out, Carter cuts right in. “She’s been sick basically non-stop. Even crackers aren’t helping. Rosie can’t even drink water without gagging. Not to mention, she’s weak.” You can hear the concern in his voice.
My lips pop because it seems I don’t need to explain.
Dr. White throws Carter an amused look before looking at me. “Do you agree?”
“Yeah, it started a few days ago. That’s how I figured out I’m pregnant.”
She turns on the machine. “The blood tests came back and you are indeed a little low on iron, but I’m not yet worried about anemia. Since you just found out that you’re pregnant, you haven’t been to a doctor yet?”
“Nope.”
“We can calculate from your last period. Or any idea when conception might have been?”
“Yes,” Carter and I say in unison.
Dr. White whips her gaze back to Carter and me, probably because we’re acting a little strange. “And when might that be?”
“Six weeks ago.” Again, by accident, we speak at the same time.
The doctor smirks to herself. “Perhaps Rosie can answer the questions. Just an idea, as she is the pregnant one.”
Carter doesn’t seem thrilled with that suggestion. “Fine,” he grinds out before he sinks back into the chair.
“If it’s six weeks ago then you are about eight weeks pregnant. We will be able to see now on the monitor, so let’s go ahead and do an ultrasound to check everything is okay there.” She’s already preparing things and grabbing a wand that she puts gel on.
Carter attempts to get a closer look, and my face is blank.
“It will be a little cold, and you’ll feel a little pressure, but we’re going to have a look.”
I nod in understanding, and then she reaches under the gown as I lie back and stare at the ceiling, flinching only slightly.
Carter scoops my hand into his as we wait for the doctor to say something. I can feel the wand moving in various angles while Carter seems to be staring at a screen where the doctor occasionally punches a few keyboard keys.
“Well, for sure you have a little baby in there. Also, looks to be exactly around the eight-week mark which means it will be a February baby. I can see a steady heartbeat, too.”
Instantly, my eyes bolt to the screen where she points to the little dot flickering on the screen.
Both Carter and I stare in awe.
“We’ll have a little listen.” The doctor presses a button, and then our small space fills with the sound of a heartbeat.
It’s fast and strong and reminds me of swimming under water.
“That’s a baby,” I whisper to myself and feel the tears forming in my eyes. A beautiful little wonder.
The touch of lips to the back of my hand briefly causes my gaze to shift to see that Carter has our hands interlinked tightly and he kissed my skin. His eyes have a glint of emotion that I’ve never seen on him.
“Our baby,” he whispers softly.
That’s it.
That just tipped me over the edge, and a happy tear slips down my cheek.
“I’ll print a few photos. It’s still quite early, so there isn’t so much to see, but when you’re back to see your OB in a few weeks then you’ll see a more defined shape. But before then, I want to have your lab work done again in a week. Who is your OB?”
“Oh, near where my parents live over in Bluetop,” I casually say as I continue to stare at the screen.
“We’ll get back to you on that. It’s up for discussion,” Carter intervenes.
Now my eyes dart to Carter. “Seriously? You’re bringing this up now?”
He doesn’t let go of my hand and lifts his shoulders. “What? It might be an idea to have your doctor closer to Everhope. You’re going to deliver the baby here anyhow.”
“Am I?” I’m getting a little steamed right now.
“Okay then,” Dr. White interjects awkwardly as she slowly removes the wand. “The file can go anywhere, so you two can figure it out. For now, we should all focus on the fact that Rosie is dehydrated, and I’m going to give her some IV fluids to rectify that.”
I prop myself up on my elbows. “Is the baby going to be alright?” Panic hits me.
“The baby is fine. You just saw him or her. But you need fluids, and I’ll prescribe some medication for the nausea, too. Try and take it easy. The IV should take a little over an hour, then you can head home and rest. I’ll have some information printed for what you can try at home to help with nausea, preventing dehydration, and increasing your iron.”
“Sure thing. I’ll ensure that happens,” Carter intercepts again.
Rolling my eyes, I give up and lie back. “This is going to be impossible.”
“What? Call me crazy for wanting to take care of you and our baby.”
“Okay, well… try to rest,” Dr. White comments.
I toss my hands up and blow out a breath. “This is what happens when two ex-spouses decide to make a baby.”
“Did we decide? I would say fate just threw this at us,” Carter corrects me.
“Huh, so you’re Sheriff Carter’s ex-wife. Carter’s mom, Nancy, talks about you all the time when I run into her around town. I just moved here a year ago, but I feel like I already know you.”
My cheeks hurt from a tight smile. “My former mother-in-law isn’t so great with boundaries. Now, we’d appreciate if you keep this little situation under wraps.”
“Say no more. You have patient confidentiality. Well, I’ll leave you two alone, and the nurse will be in soon to place your line and start the fluids. Try and sip electrolyte drinks and juice on a regular basis. Stick to bland foods. Like I said, make an appointment to come back in for another blood test. Feel better soon.”
The moment she is out of earshot, I dagger my eyes to Carter. “Can you stop being so damn adamant?”
He leans in, and I feel him in my air. “No. Get used to it. You’re moving in. How else can I take care of you? I doubt saying you have food poisoning will work every day. Your mom for sure won’t buy it, which means you have to deal with your parents knowing you’re pregnant and not letting you have a second to yourself.”
Shoot. He’s right.
“Rosie, I’m putting my foot down. When we become roommates, even if I’m on duty I can still stop in to check on you.”
“Yeah? And how will that be the answer when everyone realizes that I’ve moved in with you? Because that won’t raise any questions.” I’m being sarcastic.
He rubs the stubble on his chin as he now realizes that his plan isn’t ideal, either. “Okay, for now it’s a little complicated to explain this since we want to keep the news to ourselves. But make no mistake, I give zero fucks what people’s opinions might be when they discover that we’re having a baby.”
Who the hell is this Carter in front of me?
He’s out to burn the world down if he needs to. It’s some twisted alpha male thing, minus the werewolf or hot guy from Twilight part.
Carter is sexy right now but delusional.
We can’t just live together at the click of his fingers.
Before I can point out that fact, a new wave of misery takes over my body. “Oh no.”
Give the man a treat because he now understands my cues and quickly grabs an emesis bag to hold out right in front of me.
I try but only my stomach moves with nothing coming up. It passes, and Carter combs a few strands of my hair to the side. Since yesterday, all he has done is be by my side. It could be suffocating, but it’s comforting not to be alone in this.
A middle-aged nurse arrives with the IV set-up and fluids and a smile on her face. “You’ll feel better in a jiffy. How are you with needles?”
“Fine. Just get this over with.”
My hand is squeezed again by Carter. “It’s going to be okay.”
The coolness of the air-conditioning is refreshing, and the feeling of the nurse spreading a blanket over me relaxes me.
“Let’s get you nice and comfortable. I assume Sheriff Carter is sticking around.” She begins to check my arm for veins. “It’s good to have someone with you for this.”
“I’m not leaving.” He makes it clear to all of us.
I must be halfway through the fluids by the time I feel a dose of energy return. Luckily, we’ve been quiet. I closed my eyes a few times to doze off, but I’m unsuccessful. Carter continues to stroke my forehead, and it’s wildly the answer to what I physically need right now.
I scoff a laugh to myself. “You’re really a popular guy around here. Mayor Carter doesn’t have the same ring as Sheriff, though.” My voice is still fragile, but I don’t want more silence.
“You can call me what you want.”
“Soon you’ll add Dad to your title.”
Our eyes latch, and the ghost of a smile appears on his mouth, and I even have a faint smirk.
“Rosie…”
“Hmm.”
“You’re physically miserable, but I’ll be miserable if I have to watch you from afar.” The plea in his voice strikes a chord in me. He sounds like a man suffering and on his knees. His words grab onto me because it’s too strong of a sentiment to ignore.
The nurse pops her head around the curtain, breaking our moment. “Still not quite there, but the doctor forgot to give you these.” She steps into our space and quickly hands some photos to Carter. “I’ll be back soon.”
When she’s gone, Carter slowly raises the squares in his hands. I look on and see the ultrasound pictures.
The little heart with my name up on the corner along with the date. It says my maiden name Blisswood, instead of Oaks. That’s a not-so-subtle reminder that I no longer carry the name of the man next to me.
Yet this baby is a stronger bond than a name.
Our eyes lock and I see it far too well. The promise that he’s serious with every word he’s said since the moment he found out.
That also means that he won’t give up on his idea that I should return to Everhope.
I didn’t think enough about how to logistically arrange this pregnancy. It’s only been a few days, in which I’ve spent most of it with morning sickness.
The only thing that is clear is that I wanted to tell him right away. I did that because he is this kid’s father, and he has every right to be involved.
He’s already willing to jump through hoops to take care of me.
I glance at our baby, then my eyes fly up to meet Carter’s.
It’s all overwhelming.
But I’m not sure it’s why it rolls off my tongue. “Okay.” I breathe a sigh of defeat. “I’ll move in…”