Chapter 34
Chapter thirty-four
The scent of vanilla and rum fills the air as I roll into the pillow, searching for more.
My hand stretches across the sheet, but Gage’s warm body is nowhere within reach.
I pry one eye open. The room is mostly dark, but there’s a clock on the bedside table showing it’s nearly seven o’clock.
I’m normally on my way into the office by now, if not already there.
Something Caleb is no doubt going to notice.
I sit up, soft black sheets pooling around my naked waist. I’m not sure where my clothes ended up last night, but Gage’s T-shirt is thrown against the chair in the corner.
I pull it over my head, delighting in the feel of the worn cotton, soaked in Gage’s cologne.
I dig my nose into the neck, shamelessly inhaling.
There’s a glass of water on the bedside table that I’m instantly reaching for, but my attention is swiftly stolen by a photo leaning against the lamp.
It’s me and Gage. This is from the plane, the first weekend we met, and the start of when everything changed.
I’m snuggled right into his side, our hands almost touching where they rest over his stomach, and one big arm is wrapped behind my back, holding me tightly.
I place it back against the lamp with a smile, then make my way out of the bedroom in search of him.
As I draw closer to the kitchen, I can hear the low rumble of his voice.
“We believe my wife may already be a few weeks along.”
I freeze when I hear Gage call me his wife. My jaw drops, hands braced in case I fall, because I’m not sure if I heard that right.
“We were in a car accident last week, so I want to make sure they’re okay. I—” I hear Gage sigh into the phone. “I need to make sure they’re okay.”
I melt on the spot before creeping further down the hallway, poking my head around the wall to peer into the kitchen. Gage has his phone held between his ear and shoulder, and he dunks a teabag in a travel mug.
He stops to pick up a pen from the benchtop and scribbles on a notepad. “Today? That’s great. Thanks. We’ll see you then.”
I quietly join him in the kitchen, circling my arms around his waist as I press my chest to his back.
“So, does your family know about this wife you supposedly have?”
He chuckles, resting a hand over mine.
“I wasn’t sure if they’d let me make an appointment on your behalf if I said you were my girlfriend.”
“Ah, another conversation I’ve not been privy to.”
He’s already smiling as he spins on the heel of his good foot, bringing us face to face. One hand comes up, tucking my hair behind my ear before he leans down to kiss me.
“Good morning, Buttercup.”
I hum, running my hands up his back. “Morning, Grim.”
“You’re right. Things were said last night, but perhaps not one of the most important things. We’re having a baby together. We obviously have feelings for each other.”
“We do?” I gasp.
Gage rolls his eyes and bites his bottom lip as he leans down, wrapping an arm behind my back and hauling me onto the benchtop behind him.
“Careful.” I slap his shoulder. “You’re going to hurt yourself if you keep doing things like that.”
He stands between my open legs, kissing over my heart and up my neck. “But I like moving you exactly where I want, so I can do whatever I want to you.”
“Well, you’re just going to have to curb your urges until your leg is better, mister.”
“Impossible when it comes to you.”
I smile, then drop a kiss against his lips, my hands framing his face and running through the stubble he’s let grow out thicker than I’ve ever seen. “You were saying?”
“We have feelings for each other.”
“Yes. I feel you can be very grumpy.” I yelp when he tickles my sides. “Okay, I like you.”
“You like me?” he murmurs.
“More than like you?” I stare into his eyes, a shade of green that’s quickly become my favourite.
“I didn’t know it was possible to feel the way I do about you. It’s so easy to breathe when you’re around, but at the same time, you take my breath away,” he says, resolute in his confession.
“I l—”
“I love you.” Gage quickly snatches the words from me. “You’ve given so much of yourself to me over the last few months. You’ve given so much of myself back to me. I couldn’t let you say those words first. They had to be mine.”
I rest my arms over his shoulders, brushing my nose against his. “I love you, too.”
When he kisses me, I feel it in my soul, warming me from the inside out.
“Anna came through with some recommendations. I was able to get into a GP after hours today so we can get your referral, and then we’ll see the OBGYN on Friday.”
“You’ve been busy this morning.”
He reaches behind me. “I also made you a ginger tea, and there’s a yogurt parfait in the fridge for your breakfast.”
It feels as though my stomach swoops as I’m caught off guard by Gage’s actions. He’s surprised me from day one, but nothing prepared me for the way he’s been since finding out I’m pregnant. The way he looks after me and wants to do things for me, it feels like I have a true partner in all of this.
“Thank you, Grim. That’s very sweet. I should probably head home so I can get ready for work. Caleb is surely wondering where I am.”
I drop down from the counter, moving to the fridge and searching for the breakfast Gage spoke of. There’s a mason jar on the top shelf layered with yogurt, oats, berries, nuts, and what looks like maple syrup drizzled down the sides.
I can feel the blush that fills my cheeks as I turn back to him, hugging the jar to my chest. “This is so cute.”
He doesn’t share my smile, instead frowning as he looks at his watch. “It’s before seven. Cale will really be wondering where you are at this time?”
“He doesn’t expect me in, he just knows I’m an early riser. I’m always in before seven, but by the time I get home, get ready and walk through the office doors, it’ll probably be closer to eight.”
“Oh,” Gage says, still sounding concerned.
I set my breakfast jar on the counter behind him, leaning my hands on his chest, tracing the lines where my name is inked.
“I can see you’re worried, but there’s no need. OG won’t mind if I’m late. I’ll text him in a sec.”
“Well, he’ll have to get on board if you need to work fewer hours. You’re pregnant.”
“Plenty of pregnant women still work and literally do everything they did before they were pregnant.” He has a sourpuss look on his face, making me giggle. “Why are you grumpy?”
He rests his hands behind my lower back. “Well, I don’t want you to do more than you feel able to.”
“I promise, if my body tells me to slow down, I’ll listen. But there’s no need to make changes to my daily life unless I’m medically required. You can even ask the doctor when we see them, if that’ll make you feel better.”
“I suppose,” he grumps.
“What are you doing today?”
“I normally garden, catch up on admin, and go to Life Vine on Mondays, but with my leg, I can’t do too much of my normal stuff.”
“How is your leg? I’m sorry, I haven’t even asked about your injury.”
“It’s fine.” Gage shakes his head. “Doctor gave me some light exercise to do to keep the joints and muscles from going stiff, but there’s not a whole lot I can do until the cast comes off, which is probably another five weeks, at best.”
“Do you want me to come over tonight? I can cook us dinner.” I smile.
“I want you to come over tonight because I need you sleeping in my arms. I’ll make us dinner. It’ll give me something to do, and I can have it ready by the time you get home.” His eyes widen. “Ah—you know, when you finish work and come back here.”
I lift my chin and pucker my lips, calling him down to my level. “That sounds very nice. Thank you.”
I pick up the tea and breakfast jar and slowly back away. “I’ll see you later, Grim.”
“I’m counting down the hours, Buttercup.”
***
Just as I expected, it’s nearing eight by the time I get to work. I’m scrolling through work emails on my phone as I cross through the door to my office.
“Good morning.”
I flinch at the unexpected voice and look up to see Caleb sitting in my seat.
“Hey, OG. Sorry I’m late.”
“It’s not a problem.” He’s smiling weirdly. Why is he smiling like that? And that’s when I notice his assistant, Riley, is sitting on the couch near the window.
“Can I help you guys with something?” I ask, looking back and forth between them.
“Did Gage call you last night? He told me he was going to call you last night.”
“Ah, yeah, we spoke.” Amongst other things.
“Oh, good. Good. So you worked things out?” I really hope Gage and I were more subtle over the last few months than Caleb is being right now.
“What was there to work out?” I shrug.
“Oh, give it up, blondie, we know you two have been banging,” Riley cries out, making my jaw drop.
“Riley!” Caleb scolds. “We said we’d make her admit it.”
“Well, I’m impatient. I’ve suspected something for weeks. Weeks, I tell you!”
Silence falls over my office as we all stare at each other, waiting for someone to break.
“So, are you dating my brother now? I know I was against it at the start, but that’s only because Gage has never dated, and I didn’t want him making things awkward between us. You’re my best friend.”
Riley gasps, with a hand held to his chest. “I’m not your best friend?”
Caleb raises his eyebrows over his glasses at him, as I pull out my phone to text Gage.
ME:
Your brother is in my office. He wants to know if we’re dating. What do I tell him?
My phone lights up with an incoming video call. I glance over at Caleb, wondering how to answer.
“Morning, Gage,” I say, going for nonchalance.
He looks freshly showered, his damp hair making the waves more pronounced.
“Hey, baby. Did you get to work okay?” His gentle tone makes my heart swoon. And he just called me baby in front of his brother.
Caleb’s eyes go wide as an owl’s. “Are you cheating on my brother already?”
“What? No! This is Gage. You heard him.” I smile as I look back at my screen, where Gage stares intently back at me.
“There is no way my brother just used that tone and called someone baby. He’s been replaced by aliens, I’m certain.”
I join Caleb at my desk, holding the phone in front of our faces.
“Morning, brother. Don’t let my girl work too hard.” Gage winks at me.
“And what a morning it is. Just wait until the family finds out about this. Mum and Grams are going to be beside themselves with joy. You might be in trouble with Beth for not telling her the news first, though.”
“Don’t be too sure of that,” Gage says, shifting his phone to show Beth standing beside him with a shocked expression of her own.
I hope she’s not mad at me for keeping what was happening between me and Gage a secret. It’s only because I was unsure of where we stood. I didn’t want to read into anything, and Gage struck me as someone who didn’t easily share details of his personal life, even with his family.
“Hey, Beth. Thanks for your help last night.”
“I’m so happy it all worked out.” She smiles before side-eyeing Gage. “You best keep it working.”
“Don’t worry,” he says to her, then looks back at the screen. “I will.”
I hold up a fist, showing him my pinky and reminding him of the promise we shared last night. Only the two of us know the full extent of our secret. He does the same, holding up a tattooed hand with a pinky stretched.
“I’ll see you later for dinner, baby. I love you.”
I don’t think Gage hears my words back over Beth’s squeals, but he smiles anyway before hanging up.
I put my phone on the desk, then look at my boss. One of my best friends.
“What was your question again? Oh, yes, am I dating your brother?” I chuckle, but Caleb doesn’t reciprocate. Instead, he looks at me in disbelief.
“Izzy. You made my brother fall in love. I didn’t think he’d ever experience that.”
“The same could have been said about you a few months ago, if it weren’t for the future Mrs,” Riley says, speaking of Lex.
Caleb clears his throat, squirming in my seat as he crosses one leg over the other.
“I wasn’t opposed to one day meeting someone, though. I just didn’t expect to meet them so soon. I certainly didn’t expect the feelings to hit me like a freight train. But with Gage, I thought he was determined to be alone forever, vehemently so.”
“I guess forever had other plans for him.”
Just wait until they find out about the baby.