Thirty Six
July First
Whitney
Whitney and Fade stopped at the bakery on the way to Orion and Aldous’ birthday party to pick up the cake she’d ordered. The warm scent of sugar and vanilla filled the car as they pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex.
“Make sure no one looks at the cake until it’s time,”
she stressed as Fade shifted into park.
“Well, they taped the box shut, so I don’t think that’s gonna be a problem,”
he teased, opening his door. “Wait there and I’ll help you.”
He jogged around the car and unlatched her door with a quick, easy motion. Dropping one hand to hers, she passed him the pink, square box, and he lifted it easily into one arm before offering the other to help her out. As she stood, his eyes swept over her, taking in the tight green dress that hugged her tall, slim frame. Their plus-one remained undetectable this early on, though the knowledge of the life growing inside her made his protective instincts flare in ways he hadn’t quite figured out yet.
Before she could step away, Fade tugged her closer by the waist and stole a lingering kiss. “You’re gorgeous,”
he murmured, his breath warm against her skin. Then, with a smirk, he added, “Y’know, I’m starting to think maybe a boy would be better after all. I don’t want her dragging some asshole home for me to deal with.”
“Oh, so instead, we’ll just be providing the asshole?”
she teased.
“Not if I can help it.”
He squeezed her waist, his thumb brushing the curve of her hip. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”
As they walked to the front door, his hand slid down from her hip and gave her backside a playful squeeze.
“Fade!”
She looked back at him with a mock-glare, though the corner of her mouth twitched with amusement.
“What?”
he asked innocently.
“You always do this, get me all hot and bothered right before we’re around our friends.”
He grinned. “Makes for an interesting night.”
The door swung open, and Fade immediately shifted into his usual cool demeanor. “Aldous.”
He nodded at the birthday boy before stepping inside.
“Happy birthday, Aldous!”
Whitney said, wrapping her brother in a warm hug before following Fade inside.
Aldous barely had time to respond before Brittanya swept in. Suddenly Aldous was too busy sliding his tongue down his girlfriend’s throat and his hand up the back of her dress to answer. “Gross,”
Whitney muttered under her breath as she shut the door behind her.
Aldous just laughed.
Shaking her head, she made her way toward Orion, who was sitting at the table. “Happy birthday,”
she said, bending down to kiss his cheek.
“Thank you, sis.”
He smiled warmly.
Whitney felt Fade brush against her back just as Rachel approached. She smiled at her future sister-in-law. “Hi, Rachel. How’s the wedding planning going?”
Rachel sighed, looking exhausted. “Fine. But at this rate, we might just elope. Getting him to commit to any decisions is like pulling teeth.”
“That sounds like Orion,”
Whitney said with a sympathetic smile.
Before Rachel could reply, the doorbell rang again. Aldous opened it to reveal Wolfgang and Juniper, completing their little friend circle, the four couples who had become their family over the last year.
“Hello, hot stuff,”
Whitney greeted June, kissing her on the cheek.
“Hey, beautiful.”
June grinned.
Brittanya sidled up next to Whitney, eyes twinkling mischievously. “Sorry,”
she said in a tone that suggested she wasn’t sorry at all. “Actually no, I’m not. After all the times I had to see or hear what came after your makeout sessions with Fade? This is payback.”
“Oh, yeah? How’s your new roommate?”
Whitney countered with a smirk.
Brittanya made a face. “She’s a grad student. I’ve turned into you, I’m the oldest one, always sneaking off to be with my boyfriend.”
Then, with a wicked glint, she added, “And if Fade’s anything like Aldous, now I know why you were always sneaking off.”
“Please stop comparing my brother to my husband,”
Whitney groaned. “And it’s not even my aggressive, dickhead brother, it’s the sweet, innocent one!”
Brittanya snorted. “Innocent? Yeah, no. Let’s just say I’m starting to learn where all that pent-up aggression goes. By the way, how long are bite marks supposed to last?”
Whitney sighed, deciding it was safer to keep her mouth shut. Fighting it would only give Brittanya more ammunition.
As they moved toward the counter where Rachel and Brittanya had set out a taco spread, Whitney grabbed a plate, only for Fade to appear behind her and take it right out of her hands.
“Go sit down,”
he ordered, his voice warm but firm.
She tilted her head up at him with dark eyes and a playful smirk. Leaning in close, she whispered, “Yes, daddy.”
Fade groaned, rolling his eyes. “Don’t start.”
Unfortunately for him, Aldous overheard, “I’m gonna do what I do best and pretend I didn’t just hear my sister’s daddy issues.”
Whitney gasped and spun around. “It’s a joke, Aldous! And don’t pretend you don’t have them, too!”
That shut him up and Whitney seized the opportunity to escape, heading to the table where Brittanya was already seated.
She watched Fade from the corner of her eye, still amazed by the little gestures that showed how much he cared. Like the way he made her plate and brought it to her without being asked, setting down a glass of water beside it.
“Thank you,”
she murmured, her heart swelling with love.
He just kissed the top of her head before settling into the chair next to her.
But as the conversation flowed around her, Whitney’s nerves started creeping back in. She hadn’t told anyone yet and the idea of stealing attention on her brothers birthday made her stomach twist. What if he wasn’t happy for her? What if people thought she was trying to make everything about her? What if the texture of this taco shell got weird halfway through and she had to puke right there at the table?
She groaned softly. Fade’s hand immediately landed on her thigh under the table, warm and steady. “You okay?”
he asked softly.
She nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah. Just… excited. And nervous.”
His thumb brushed over her skin. “It’s gonna be okay,”
he promised. “They’re gonna be happy for you and for us.”
“Whitney,”
June’s voice cut through the hum of conversation, getting her attention.
“Yes?”
Whitney blinked, looking across the table, startled.
June’s face lit up with excitement. “We have a date.”
Whitney’s brow lifted in surprise. “You do? For your wedding? When?”
“We put our application in for November second.”
“Of this year?”
Whitney leaned forward, bracing both hands on the edge of the table.
June nodded, grinning. “Yes! And I want you both there. You can even wear that blue dress again!”
Whitney laughed awkwardly and nodded. “Yeah. That’s awesome.”
But even as she smiled, the nerves she’d been fighting all night started creeping back in. “I—I need to go to the bathroom.”
She stood quickly, catching Fade’s eyes as she turned away and mouthing, I’m fine.
Inside the bathroom, she washed her hands and stared at herself in the mirror, her pulse racing. “Thirty more minutes and the secret’s out,”
she whispered, patting her face with cool hands. She took a deep breath and opened the door, only to find Fade leaning against the frame, waiting for her.
His dark eyes flicked over her, and his tongue grazed his bottom lip in that slow, deliberate way that always spelled trouble.
“Absolutely not,”
she warned, circling him before he could try anything. “I may have had a wild past, but I draw the line at getting freaky in my brother's room.”
Fade smirked, watching her walk away. “You used to be so fun.”
She didn’t take the bait, just rolled her eyes and headed back to the table.
As she started gathering their plates, June stepped in beside her. “Oh, here. I’ll take care of it.”
“Okay?”
Whitney handed the plate over slowly, suspicion flickering in her mind. Did June know? Did Fade tell Wolfgang and he told June? But no—that wasn’t possible. Fade had only found out three days ago. She shook the thought off, trying to push down the rising nerves.
She fell into step with the other women, helping clean up the food, when Fade appeared behind her again, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.
“What are you doing?”
he murmured into her hair.
She twisted around in his arms, looking up at him. “I’m trying to act normal. If I don’t, I get weird and awkward. Did you tell anyone?”
“No.”
He brushed a soft kiss against her lips. “Try to relax, okay?”
“Ugh, here we go. Whitney and Fade are making out,”
Brittanya teased from across the room.
Whitney grinned and stepped back, shaking her head. “No, we’re fine. Perks of not living here—we can’t just run off whenever we want.”
Fade smirked. “They can watch if they feel like it.”
“Oh, stop.”
She gave him a playful push and went back to packing up leftovers.
But Fade wasn’t done with her. He came up behind her again, his voice low. “I really would like you to sit and relax.”
“Could you help, then?”
she asked with a teasing smile.
“Sure.”
He plucked the spoon from her hand. “Go sit.”
Whitney found her chair again, resting her elbow on the table and propping her head in her hand.
“You okay?”
June asked, wiping down the table.
“Yeah,”
Whitney lied, rubbing her stomach absently. “My pelvis has been acting up.”
“Oh no! Did you do something to it?”
“I think I just slept funny.”
Brittanya, of course, couldn’t resist. “Is that what we’re calling it?”
she teased with a wicked grin.
“All right,”
Fade called out, saving Whitney from any further embarrassment. “Whitney and I have somewhere to be, so let’s cut the cake.”
The room shifted as everyone gathered around the kitchen island. Orion and Rachel left the couch, Wolfgang and Aldous broke off their conversation, and Brittanya grabbed a stack of plates.
Whitney took a deep breath as she joined Fade by the counter, her fingers brushing against his arm. “You guys have to open it together,”
she said, her voice steady despite the pounding of her heart. “It’s… it’s specially ordered.”
Orion shot her a curious look, one brow raised. “Okay?”
Fade’s arm slid around her waist, tugging her into his side as Orion picked up the cake knife and sliced through the tape on the pink bakery box. The room seemed to hold its breath as the flaps folded open and then Orion and Aldous both just… stared.
Aldous’s mouth tugged into a slow, knowing smirk. Orion’s eyes flicked up to hers, his face unreadable. “Are you serious?”
he asked, his voice almost too quiet.
Her stomach twisted. “Yes,”
she whispered, barely able to get the word out.
For one agonizing second, there was silence. Then Orion smiled, really smiled, and the tightness in her chest finally released. “That’s awesome,”
he said, his voice warm.
“Oh my God,”
Brittanya gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth. “You’re pregnant?”
Her wide eyes found Whitney’s, and the room erupted with excitement.
“Yes,”
Whitney said again, her own eyes filling with tears. The joy and acceptance radiating from everyone around her was overwhelming, more than she’d dared to hope for.
June practically shoved Wolfgang out of the way to get to her. “Congratulations!”
she squealed, wrapping Whitney in a tight hug.
Orion was right behind her, waiting his turn, and when June finally stepped aside, his face softened as he looked at his sister. “Congratulations, big sis.”
His arms wrapped around her, and it was the hug she’d always wished for—one that felt like home, like love, like she hadn’t messed up their lives by saving her own.
When he pulled back, his eyes were still warm. “I’m happy for you,”
he said quietly.
“Thanks,”
she whispered, her voice cracking.
Orion turned to Fade, offering his hand. “Congratulations, man.”
Fade grinned and pulled him into a quick, rough hug with a firm pat on the back. “Thanks, brother.”
“Boy or girl?”
Orion asked as they pulled apart.
“We won’t know for a few weeks,”
Whitney said, wiping her eyes with a laugh.
“I hope it’s a boy,”
Orion teased, his smile widening. “Got to keep the crazy gene going.”
Whitney looked around at the people she loved, her heart so full it hurt. “We’re due in January,”
she announced, and the excitement rose again.
Brittanya reached for her, resting a hand on her stomach. “You’re already that far along? You’re not even showing!”
Fade leaned down, his voice dropping into that low, playful murmur. “Can you make sure she doesn’t do anything crazy? Her pelvis can refracture if she’s not careful.”
Brittanya nodded quickly, her eyes wide with mock seriousness. “Got it. Operation Keep Whitney Safe, commencing now.”
As the laughter swirled around them, Fade bent to nuzzle into Whitney’s hair, his breath warm against her skin. “Let’s get you home,”
he whispered, his lips brushing her ear.
Then he nipped at it, and she shivered, smiling. “You’re impossible,”
she murmured.
“And you still love me.”
And she did—more than anything.
Ten Years Later