Chapter 25
All in – includes doctor appointments
Aurora
M y phone alarm beeps to remind me I need to get going. I finish the email I was writing as quick as I can before shutting down my laptop.
I stand and Bowie barks in her sleep. I cuddle the puppy to my chest as I search for Jett.
“Jett!”
“What is it?” he asks as he saunters down the stairs in an old pair of jeans and a threadbare t-shirt. The jeans hug his thighs and the t-shirt strains against his chest. I know exactly how sexy those muscles are without any clothes on them. I itch to touch them again.
Whose idea was the no sex rule again? Oh, right. Mine.
I clear my throat. “I have an appointment. Can you watch Bowie?”
I try to hand him the pup but he holds up his hands. “What kind of appointment?”
“Ob/gyn.”
“Hold on. You’re going to an appointment about the baby and you didn’t tell me?”
I shrug. “I didn’t realize you’d care.”
Or, more accurately, I was afraid he wouldn’t. My life is perfect at the moment. I don’t want to push it and find out it was all a dream.
He palms my neck and squeezes. “I said I was all in. All in means I’m going to every doctor appointment with you.”
Bowie licks my chin. She doesn’t enjoy being forgotten.
“What about this fur ball?” I ask. “She can’t come with us.”
“Give me five minutes. I’ll drop her off at Fender’s and grab his car keys while I’m at it.”
He’s gone before I can tell him I already ordered a cab. It’s probably better this way. He’ll complain I should have never ordered a cab in the first place. Jett can be a Mr. Bossy Pants when he wants to be.
He returns less than two minutes later. “Let’s go. You don’t want to be late.”
“Aren’t you going to put on a coat?”
“I’ll be fine.”
I roll my eyes as I grab his coat and shove it into his hands. He’ll give every woman at the doctor’s office hot flashes if he doesn’t cover up. Judging by the smirk on his face, he knows what I’m thinking.
We settle in the vehicle. It’s a huge Hummer. It should be obnoxious, but it’s not since Fender is six-foot-six and as wide as a football player. He needs his space.
Jett pairs his phone to the radio and switches on some music as we begin to drive.
“Who is this?” I ask after we’ve listened to two songs.
He shrugs. “I’m not sure. I’m always getting demo tapes to listen to.”
“They’re good. I wonder if they have a manager yet.”
He glances over at me. “You want to recruit them?”
I grimace. “I wish. Mike isn’t interested in the bands I want to recruit.”
“So, start your own management firm.”
I snort. “Yeah, sure. I’ll get right on that.”
“I’m serious. You have a ton of experience managing Cash & the Sinners. You can use me as a reference if you want. I’m sure the guys will agree.”
“I don’t manage Cash & the Sinners. I’m your PA.”
Now, it’s his turn to snort. “I’m a musician, but I’m not stupid. I know you do most of the work and Mike only shows up for photo ops. What’s holding you back?”
“I wouldn’t know where to begin. I’d have to start my own company. I have no idea about laws and financial requirements and … I don’t even know what I don’t know.”
“Leia could help you. She has an MBA and basically manages Brody’s business while he develops software.”
It’s a tempting idea. But it’s all too much. “Did you forget I’m having a baby?”
He shrugs. “If you want to quit working to stay home with the baby, I’m fine with it. But I can’t imagine you sitting at home for very long.”
I can’t deny it. “We’ll see what happens when the baby comes.”
He chuckles. “Learning how to say no already without actually using the word no. Your mom moves are coming along fine.”
Warmth spreads through me. I can’t wait to be a mom. I’ve always wanted a family. And this baby will want for nothing. He’ll be surrounded by so much love, he won’t notice he’s missing grandparents.
“This is a different band,” Jett says as he increases the volume. “What do you think of them?”
We listen to various bands as we drive to the next town for my doctor’s appointment. The conversation is relaxed but lively. This is what I’ve always wanted with Jett. Not the animosity he threw around before.
But since I now know his back story, I can understand why he was afraid to start a serious relationship. Lord knows this relationship is going to be full of bumps. But I’m resilient. I can handle it. Anything for Little Bean.
“Wait there,” Jett says after he parks in front of the doctor’s office.
I debate whether I should listen to him or not for a few seconds. On the one hand, I love the idea of a man opening my door for me. On the other hand, I’m afraid to get used to it.
Before I can make up my mind, Jett’s opening the door and offering me his hand. I take his hand and let him help me down from the vehicle.
“I don’t know how Leia gets in and out of this monstrosity. She’s even shorter than me.”
Jett chuckles as he leads me into the building. I check in for my appointment and we find seats in the corner.
The other women stare at Jett but there are no signs of recognition. This crowd apparently doesn’t know what the drummer of Cash & the Sinners looks like. Good. Because he’s mine and I’m not sharing.
“Ow.” Jett removes my nails from his thigh.
“Oops.”
He leans close to whisper in my ear. “Don’t be jealous. You’re the only woman I want.”
I ignore the shiver his breath on my skin causes. I refuse to get all hot and bothered before a doctor’s appointment.
“Aurora Sharpe!” A woman calls and I stand.
To my surprise, Jett stands with me. “All in.”
I nod. All in.
The nurse leaves us in the room after instructing me to strip and put on a gown.
“I didn’t know I’d get a strip tease today.”
I glare at Jett. “Turn around.”
He chuckles but he does as he’s told. Once I’m wearing the gown, he helps me onto the table. The doctor enters a few moments later.
“Good morning, I’m Dr. Edwards. And you must be Mr. and Mrs. Sharpe.”
Jett growls but I slap him before he can respond. “I’m Ms. Sharpe and this is Mr. Peterson, but you can call us Aurora and Jett.”
“Aurora and Jett.” She smiles. “Are you ready for your first ultrasound?”
Jett’s eyes light with excitement. “Yes.”
“Do you want to know the sex of the baby?”
“I don’t know.” I bite my lip as I consider the question. “What do you think?”
Jett bobs his head. “Yes. I want to know.”
I giggle. “You didn’t hesitate.”
“What?” He shrugs. “I’m excited.”
“I love an excited Daddy,” Dr. Edwards says as she preps the ultrasound machine. “What does Mom want?”
I love the sound of her calling me Mom. I can’t wait for our child to say it.
Jett squeezes my hand. “If we know the sex, it’ll help us figure out what clothes to buy and how to decorate the nursery.”
“We’re not doing pink for a girl and blue for a boy. We’re sticking to gender neutral colors and clothes.”
“I’ll need a second to come up with another excuse why we need to know the sex of the child,” Jett tells the doctor.
“How about names?” she suggests.
I groan. “You’re not supposed to be helping him.”
She snorts. “Can you blame me? I’m over sixty and I want to have his babies.”
I roll my eyes. “Great. His ego can barely fit in the room with us as it is.”
She lifts up my gown and smears gel on my stomach. “What’ll it be? Yes or no.”
My gaze meets Jett’s. His eyes are pleading. Damn. I can’t resist him. I blow out a breath. “Yes.”
“Ready, Mom and Dad?”
Jett nods. “Ready.”
She places the transducer on my stomach and moves it around until a whooshing sound fills the room.
“What you’re hearing is your baby’s heartbeat.”
“It’s really fast. Is that normal?” Jett asks.
Dr. Edwards nods. “It’s normal.” She points to the image on the display. “This is the baby’s arms. Here are the legs.”
“Are those fingers and toes?” I ask.
“Yes. Now if baby Sharpe will just rotate for us, we can confirm if baby is a boy or a girl.”
She presses the transducer a bit harder against my stomach and moves it around. “This might help.”
Jett squeezes my hand as we watch the screen and wait for Little Bean who isn’t so little anymore to move. I’m about to give up when the baby rolls.
“And?” Jett asks.
“Sorry for him. When they were handing out patience, he was off causing trouble.”
“No worries,” Dr. Edwards murmurs as she studies the screen. She smiles. “I believe we have a girl on our hands.”
“A girl?” Jett asks. He kisses my forehead. “We’re having a girl. I hope she looks exactly like her momma.”
“But with your blue eyes.”
Dr. Edwards sighs. “I love new parents. Do you want a picture?”
“Yes!”
“Jett,” I warn.
“Yes, please.”
“If your little girl is anything like her momma, she’s going to have the boys eating out of her hand,” Dr. Edwards says.
“I think I need to buy a shotgun,” Jett mutters.
The doctor barks out a laugh before handing me a picture and switching off the machine.
“Make an appointment at the front desk before you leave,” she says before exiting the room.
Jett leans his forehead against mine and places a hand over my stomach. “I can’t wait to meet her.”
“Me too. I…”
I bite my tongue before I say I love you. I don’t love Jett. I can’t. It’s too soon. We’ve been a couple for less than a week. And before we got together, he ran hot and cold ever since he found out about the pregnancy. And then there’s the whole decade of animosity toward each other.
It’s too soon for love. It must be the hormones speaking.