Chapter 35 Beatrice
BEATRICE
“Stop worrying,” Sienna says as I run my hands over my sides and look down at myself for the millionth time in the last fifteen minutes.
The moment I told her that I may or may not be having a date with Everett this evening, she immediately dove into her wardrobe to see if she had something for me to wear.
I wasn’t optimistic, considering she’s a size smaller than me on a good day, but that didn’t stop her from turning up at my place loaded with bags and options.
And much to my surprise, a number of the dresses were actually wearable.
We shortlisted a handful before she declared that it had to be this one.
While I like it—love it, actually—that doesn’t mean I’m entirely comfortable.
It’s a maxi dress that covers me well enough, and unlike my dress the other night, it contains the girls.
But it’s fitted over my belly, and…I feel pregnant.
I know it’s ridiculous. It’s nothing more than bloating, but still, I feel huge.
I tried on a different one, which wasn’t so fitted, and that felt like I was wearing a sack.
I guess the moral of the story is that when you’re at the stage of pregnancy of just being a bit podgy, nothing looks or feels good.
“You look hot. He’s going to love it.”
“I’m not sure I want him to love it. Wouldn’t it be easier if I turned him off?”
Sienna smiles at me. “If you’re going to do this fake relationship thing with him and want the press to believe it, then it needs to look authentic. He needs to find you hot, or it’ll all fall apart.”
I know she’s right. But it doesn’t stop my stomach from twisting into knots.
“You look like you’re about to vomit,” Sienna points out.
“I might,” I confess before sitting on the edge of my couch. Everett is due to pick me up in less than fifteen minutes. I need to head downstairs to ensure he’s not early and tries to get up here.
“You’ve got this. You’re going to give him the best date of his life.”
“I’m not sleeping with him,” I blurt.
“I never said you were.”
I blow out a shaky breath. “I wish I knew what we were doing.”
“So you could overanalyze it? I think it’s romantic that he wants to keep it a secret.”
“This isn’t about romance,” I point out, but she waves me off, not wanting to ruin her little fantasy. Wiping my sweaty palms on my thighs, I push to my feet again. “I should go down.”
I walk over to where my purse is waiting on the kitchen counter and check my cell. There isn’t anything new from him, so I can only presume he hasn’t changed his mind.
Sienna gathers her things, and before I know what’s happening, we’re racing down the stairs and toward the door that will allow us to breathe in fresh air.
“The sooner you get out of here, the better,” Sienna states once we’re in the parking lot.
“Given up trying to sugarcoat how awful this place is, huh?”
“There is only so much glitter you can roll a shit in, Bea.”
A laugh bursts out of me.
“I’m going to go,” Sienna says, fishing her keys from her purse. “Call me later. Let me know how it goes.”
“I will,” I promise before she leans forward, drops a kiss on my cheek, and then saunters toward her car.
She’s about halfway there when she stops and looks back over her shoulder.
“And if you get the chance, make sure you let him rock your world. Things will be better tomorrow if you get what you need.”
My mouth opens and closes like a fish. I haven’t said a word to her about my toy frustration, but it seems she might just know anyway.
I heave a sigh, but it quickly turns into a shriek when a deep chuckle erupts right behind me.
“Oh my god,” I gasp as I spin around and find Everett standing there, looking amused as fuck. “What the fuck? Do you often go around sneaking up on women?”
His smirk grows. “No, I can’t say I do. Honestly, they’re usually sneaking up on me.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes. “Of course they are.”
He takes a step closer, and my breath catches at the heated look in his eyes.
“Lucky for you, right now, there is only one woman I want chasing me anywhere.”
My lips part in shock, and his eyes instantly fall to them before dropping even lower.
Fire ignites in my belly, spreading through my veins as his eyes climb back up to find mine.
“You look incredible.”
Heat blooms on my cheeks and my arms instantly wrap around my middle, covering the part of me I like the least right now.
“Hey, don’t hide from me,” he says softly, circling his fingers around my wrists and prying them from my body.
His eyes lock on my stomach, and I squirm, wishing the ground would swallow me up.
“You’ve…you’ve got a bump.”
A nervous laugh bubbles up. “I’m bloated and overweight.” I slam my lips shut the second the words are out, regret dripping through my veins.
“You’re pregnant, and you’re gorgeous.”
I stare at him, searching for the lie in his chocolate eyes. But there isn’t one.
“Are you ready to get this date on the road?” he finally asks, reaching his hand out for me to take.
“So this definitely is a date then?” I tease, trying to forget about the previous moment between us.
“I decided that it is,” he states as he engulfs my tiny hand in his massive one and gently tugs me into his side. I fall into step easily as we move toward the parking spaces. But as I scan the cars, I don’t see his obnoxious truck.
I don’t say anything; instead, I lose myself in the feeling of his skin against mine and blindly follow him—until he comes to a stop beside a racing-green sports car.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a car, sweetheart.”
“Y-yeah, I know that. But…it looks like it belongs in the movies.”
“Well, we are in Hollywood,” he teases as he pulls the passenger door open.
“This is yours?”
“Sure is.”
“But what about the truck?”
“That’s mine, too.”
“Of course it is. So this is what? Your weekend car?”
“I figured you wouldn’t want to spend the evening climbing in and out of my truck. So I got this.”
I still as his words hit me. “You bought this specifically for today?”
He shrugs one shoulder as if it’s no big deal.
“Everett, that is crazy.”
“I know. I’d much prefer getting a handful of your ass as I help you up. Look at me being all chivalrous and shit.”
“Your momma would be proud,” I tease before climbing into the fancy car.
While the outside might be a deep olive green, inside is the softest tan leather I’ve ever had the pleasure of sitting on.
Once he’s happy I’m securely inside, he closes my door and jogs around the hood to join me.
No sooner does his ass hit the seat than my stomach growls loudly.
“Hungry?” he laughs.
“Constantly.”
“I know how that feels.”
“All I want to do is eat a massive meal to try and banish the hunger, but I can’t. Small and often is the way to go,” I explain as he pulls out of the space and hits the road.
“I’ve got the perfect thing,” he says proudly, wiggling his brows.
I roll my eyes, but decide against commenting. “You’ve barely picked me up and you’re acting as if you’ve got this date thing locked down.”
“Well, I don’t want to brag, but I think I’ve nailed it.”
“Only time will tell,” I tease.
“How have you been doing?” Everett asks as we join the highway.
“Yeah, good.”
“Sickness? Pain? Anything?”
I can’t help but laugh. “Everything.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
I give him a double take as he drives.
He’s wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing his muscular, corded, inked forearms. Honestly, it’s like sitting here watching live porn as he grips the wheel so tightly his knuckles turn white.
And don’t even get me started on the way his chinos stretch across his thighs, or the more-than-noticeable bulge behind the zipper.
Get a grip, Beatrice. He is just a man.
A man who can provide you with all the things you need right now…
“I…umm…” I stutter when he glances over and raises a brow when he catches me checking him out, reminding me that he asked me a question. “I…uh…I didn’t think you’d really care about my morning sickness.”
“I told you to tell me everything. I want to be involved.”
“I know that me spending the best part of my mornings thinking I’m going to vomit at any moment isn’t something anyone wants to hear about.”
“I do,” he says confidently. “There isn’t much I can do to help you right now, but I can listen.”
My brows pinch.
“What?” he asks with a laugh.
“Why?”
“Why what? Why do I want to know, or why am I willing to listen?”
“Well, both.”
“Because you’re growing my child. Because I was just as present in the making of said child as you were. You might be the one who’s pregnant and dealing with the changes, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to bail on you. I’ve got a responsibility, and I'm fully prepared to embrace it.”
“But you’re a fuckboy.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.
“I guess. Doesn’t mean I’m not a decent person,” he counters, sounding way less pissed off than he should be. “Maybe all of this was the kind of reality check I needed.”
“To save your career?”
“Or my life.”
“Your…”
“Forget it. So, morning sickness…” he prompts.
As he begins driving along the coast, I stare out at the sparkling ocean and tell him about everything I’ve been experiencing, from the nausea to the aching feet and hips, and the constant hunger. I talk about telling the girls at work and how they took it, and a few other things in between.
He talks about the fundraiser, his sister’s engagement and fast-approaching wedding, and his teammates. He talks specifically about one he’s concerned about. He doesn’t give names, but it’s clear that whatever he’s dealing with is weighing on Everett.
“Where are we actually going?” I ask when we’ve been driving for almost an hour.
He told me not to eat before he picked me up, making me assume we were going for dinner, but I’ve had to pull a couple of crackers from my purse that I stashed for emergencies.
“We’re nearly there,” he says before taking the next right and driving closer to the beach.
“What is this place?” I ask when he pulls to a stop beside what looks like nothing more than a beach shack.
“Just wait.”
So I do, and only seconds later, he opens my car door and holds his hand out for me.
“Who knew Everett Donnelly could be such a gentleman?” I say as he tugs me to my feet and straight into his body until there’s barely an inch between us.
He looks down at me with those hungry eyes, and my stomach flips as the familiar ache I’ve been dealing with recently gets more insistent between my thighs.
“It can be our little secret,” he says before lifting his hand to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. “Ready to have your mind blown?”
“I’m not having sex with you.” I gasp the second I hear myself. “Shit, I didn’t mean. Well, no. I did. I’m not. Fuck. I’ll just shut up now.”
He chuckles before threading his fingers between mine and leading me around the side of the building.