Chapter 12
Twelve
Lacy waved at Jessie as soon as she stepped out of the Montgomery Defense building.
There was something to be said for Hawk’s apartment being so centrally located to all his friends.
Granted, Lily and Gunner, and Mae and Stone all lived off-site now, but it was still nice to know that Lacy and Sloane were close by with their guys.
“Hey, I’m so excited for this walk!” Lacy bounced on her toes, smiling as she zipped her jacket up. “I hope you don’t mind. Nash took Embrie to school, so I’ve got the baby.”
Jessie smiled down into the stroller, where Cami was bundled up like a little baked potato. “Of course I don’t mind. In a few months, I’ll have a little one tagging along everywhere with me, too.”
Lacy’s hand landed on Jessie’s arm. “You will?”
Jessie nodded.
“You and Hawk?” Lacy’s voice dropped to a whisper. God, why wouldn’t her voice work? Jessie just nodded again. Her sweet friend wrapped her arms around Jessie and gently bounced up and down.
“Oh, Jess! I’m so excited for you! How are you feeling? Is Hawk taking good care of you? When are you due? Do you know what you’re having? Who else knows?”
Jessie laughed as Lacy took a step back, her hands resting on the stroller.
“That’s a lot of questions, but here I go.
I’ve been feeling awful. Truly, I feel like people haven’t ever been honest with me about how sick someone can feel when they’re pregnant.
But Hawk has been incredible. I’m almost out of the first trimester, and we don’t know yet, but I think it’s a boy, and Hawk has taken to calling us ‘his girls’, so I think we know what he’s hoping for. ”
“Oh god, I remember feeling so exhausted when I was first pregnant with Cami. Thank goodness I only got sick a few times. If you ever need anything, you just shoot me a text and I can come over.”
“That’s really sweet. Thank you,” Jessie sighed. “I’m going to tell Sloane and Lily, too, but I haven’t figured out how to tell my family so we’re just keeping it quiet for now…”
They began walking towards the park. The sun was starting to really feel warm, the kind of heat that said springtime was only a few days away. Jessie couldn’t wait, but at the same time, it meant she was running out of time with keeping her pregnancy from her family.
“You don’t think they’ll take the news well? Dolly’s only told me about a million times since I started showing with Camilla that she’s ready to be a grandma.”
“I’m sure she is. But she doesn’t mean because of me. She means Colt, or Hayes, or even Lachlan. Beau and I… we have responsibilities to the family. And I don’t want to let her down. I’ve already been slacking with how sick I’ve been.”
“Does Birdie know? Is she taking care of you during the pregnancy?”
Jessie laughed again, but this time, it was void of emotion.
“I’m hoping she will be my midwife. Hawk was nervous with the idea, but she’s who I trust and I know I’ll feel so safe with her for the delivery.
But she doesn’t know, yet. In fact, the reason I’m meeting her this morning is because I forgot to tell her I used her as my alibi yesterday when I was really sick and Hawk was stuck taking care of me. ”
They turned the corner and Jessie spotted Birdie right away, her vivid copper hair and freckles standing out against her ivory skin.
Jessie’s stomach churned the closer they got, her nerves starting to get the better of her.
At least the bench she’d told Birdie to meet her at was close to the restroom.
“Hey, Birdie,” Lacy greeted their friend.
“Hey, Lacy. Oh my gosh, Cami is getting so big! This is such a happy surprise, I didn’t know you’d be joining us this morning.”
“Oh, I’m not. Well, not really. Not right now. I’m going to walk this little one around the park while you two chat. I’m desperate to move my body. But I’ll be around and we can catch up once you two are done.”
Lacy grinned at Jessie. “Good luck. Remember, it’s okay to need support and to lean on those who love you.”
“Thanks, Lace.”
“Well, that was ominous,” Birdie said. “Sit. And tell me why I’m taking care of you with the flu, but I’m not actually taking care of you and you don’t have the flu.”
Jessie blew out all the breath in her lungs. “I’m pregnant.”
Birdie’s mouth dropped open. “Oh, Jessie.”
The sadness in her voice hit Jess right in the gut. “I’m not upset about it. I mean, I was at first, but Hawk’s been so amazing and sweet.”
“Okay, I just need a minute here. You’re pregnant, and it’s Hawk Morgan’s.”
“Yes.”
Birdie folded her arms across her chest and leaned back, her eyes dropping to Jessie’s hands. “Where’s the ring?”
“What?” Jessie smiled. “There is no ring?”
“Hmm, guess the rumor about those guys isn’t true.”
“Oh no. It is. He asked me to marry him about ten seconds after I told him I was pregnant. But I told him no.”
“You did?”
Jessie sighed. “I don’t want him to be with me just because of the baby.”
“Do you honestly think that’s why he was asking?” Birdie’s eyes crinkled in the corner as she scrutinized Jessie’s face. Her long blond hair, tightly woven into a four-strand braid that laid neatly over her shoulder, shimmered in the sunlight.
“At first, maybe,” Jessie admitted. “I mean, it was a one-night stand.”
“That you wanted to be more.”
It wasn’t a question. Birdie always had this way of seeing right through any wall Jessie tried to put up.
“Yeah. Of course, I mean, you’ve seen him.
He’s everything I find attractive in a man.
And not even just physically. I thought our spark was just because he’s a big flirt and his attention made me feel worth something to someone outside of my family, but it’s so much more than that.
He wants the baby… but I see more and more how he wants me too. ”
“I’m so happy for you, Jess. I can’t believe Beau didn’t spill the beans to me yet!”
Her face flushed. “He doesn’t know. I haven’t told my family yet.”
“Ah, so that’s why Dolly thought you were at my house with the flu.”
Jessie bit down on her bottom lip. “I’m sorry. I’ll tell them soon. I just need to work up the nerve.”
“Well, I’m here for you, however you need. You can actually come stay at the house if you need to.”
“You know how I feel about—”
“Lainey moved in with her boyfriend two weeks ago.”
“Oh.” Now that was a surprise. Lainey and Birdie were the absolute opposites of each other, but they were sisters who’d had an unbreakable bond. “How do you feel about that?”
“Let’s just say I’m not thrilled, but she’s convinced he’s the guy for her and I’m just trying to be the supportive—and not at all overbearing—older sister. So, you can come stay any time you want. Even if I’m working overnight at the hospital. My place is your place.”
“You’re the best. That’s honestly why I wanted to ask you…” Jessie fiddled with the edge of her shirt. “I was wondering if you’d be my midwife. I just feel like I need someone who knows me.”
“Of course!” Birdie smiled. “I’m so excited! I’d love to be your midwife. You know, I’m actually thinking about starting a whole mind, body, spirit class for birthing moms, and you can be my crash test dummy!”
“Wow,” Jessie laughed. “I’m not sure that really sells it. Besides, I’m only sure about one thing when it comes to having this baby, and that’s that I want the epidural.”
“That’s perfect, Jess. If that’s what’s right for you, that’s what we’ll plan on doing. But it’s still a marathon for most moms, and going in with a good mental mind frame is important.”
“Okay, that’s how you sell it,” she laughed. “I’m in.”
Jessie wrapped her sweet friend up in a hug.
“Hey, guys. Sorry, I don’t mean to crash your conversation.” Lacy walked back up to the bench completely out of breath.
“Are you okay?” The frantic look on Lacy’s face immediately set Jessie on edge.
“I think so. I don’t know. I have some anxiety I've been working through since Cami was born, but something doesn’t feel right.”
“About what?” Birdie asked.
“That car over there.” Lacy’s eyes went over to the bright green Camaro Jess had just seen park. “It circled the park twice while I was walking and when I stopped to call Nash, they pulled away and came over here to park. I’m probably overreacting, but after what happened to Embrie, I just can’t…”
“No, you’re good. Is Nash on his way here?” Jessie asked.
Lacy nodded. “He was in a meeting with the team. He said he was on his way, but I think we should start walking back and meet him in the middle.”
“I’m at the clinic today.” Birdie stepped between Jessie and her view of the car. “I’ll walk back with you guys. I think the fact that a lime green sports car is easily identifiable—especially in Silver Springs—is on our side, but let’s not tempt fate if something weird is happening here.”
Sebastian stood at the front of the conference room, briefing the team on everything he and Hawk had been working on for the expansion of The Trident brand.
But Hawk could barely concentrate. Jessie had been feeling better when she headed out the door to meet up with Lacy, but he was feeling jittery knowing she was telling someone outside of his family about the pregnancy that morning.
Would Birdie say something to upset her? Would Jessie reach out to him if she did?
“Phoenix and I will be traveling to D.C. at the end of March for this project, but anticipated groundbreaking won't be until next spring, if we can get the funding secured. Sometime in the next few weeks, when the presentation is getting close to the finish line, I want each of you to look it over and make sure we’ve covered our asses on all the things we would change now that we have experience training at The Trident.”
“Cap,” Hawk stopped Sebastian.
“Yeah?”
“I think we need to bring Wings onto the presentation team.”
Sebastian’s eyes flicked to Nash before nodding. “That’s fine. You think you won’t be able to handle it on your own?”