Chapter 36
Chapter thirty-six
Blue
Maverick
Six weeks.
Six weeks had come and gone. Cheyenne was officially out of her first trimester and well into the second. Though the only other person besides me who knew was Charlie still. As far as I could tell, Ryder didn’t have a clue, for which I was ever grateful to Charlie.
She and Ryder had just made an official announcement the week before—a little baby boy due mid-February—and even though Cheyenne wouldn’t admit it, I think a part of her longed for the ability to do that too.
She didn’t want Nate finding out. I’d tried to tell her that there wasn’t anything he could do. That being he was a part of the horse world as well, we’d likely run into him at some point, so why did it matter if he found out now or later.
But she was adamant on not doing an announcement. At least not right now.
But let me tell you, it was hard as hell keeping this a secret from Cash, Ryder, and Bad and Aunt Violet.
I had no right to feel the level of happiness and excitement I did, but I wanted to share that with them anyway.
And each day I had to keep it a secret from them grew harder and harder.
Not to mention, it was getting more difficult for her to conceal with each passing week.
I think a part of her was scared. Scared to know how everyone would take it. Cash and Ryder would be thrilled. I honestly think Bad would be fine with it as well. The only wild card was Aunt Violet. I honestly didn’t know how she’d react.
“Breakfast’s ready,” I called over the music playing through the house’s speakers as I made her a plate of bacon and pancakes with chocolate chips on them.
She wanted them damn near every morning, and Lord help me if I didn’t have the stuff to make them.
I’d known pregnancy hormones were a thing, but they could switch on and off at the most random things.
I’d learned real quick to keep an extra bag of chocolate chips in the pantry.
Cheyenne didn’t answer. Though with the music on, I wasn’t surprised. I placed her plate on the island and walked to our bedroom, halting in the doorway.
She stood almost diagonal to me, her profile on display as she turned this way and that, examining herself in the mirror.
She wore a cobalt blue bra and matching underwear—my new favorite color—and her long, light blonde curls fell almost all the way down to her hips.
She was absolutely stunning as the mid-morning sun shone in on her from the window, making her look like some sort of angel sent down to earth.
But the most beautiful thing about the picture, the thing that took my breath away, was the swell of her stomach.
She’d started to show a few weeks ago, not to the point she couldn’t hide it, but right now was the first time she really looked pregnant.
It knocked the breath from me. I can’t even begin to describe just how fucking beautiful she was or what seeing her like that did to me.
Like a moth to a flame, I found myself making my way up behind her.
I pulled her back against me, placing a hand over her stomach, while trailing a path of kisses up along the curve of her neck.
“You’re absolutely gorgeous,” I murmured in her ear.
“Really?” I wondered if she even realized the nervousness in her voice. She met my gaze in the mirror for a moment before glancing at her stomach. “Even like this?”
I couldn’t believe she was asking me that. She was absolutely gorgeous. “Especially like this,” I replied, holding her gaze.
Her eyes sparked with surprise, her smile soft and full. She leaned back into me, her eyelids fluttering closed as we swayed to the music coming from the speakers.
“We should probably tell everyone,” she said softly, breaking the quiet as she turned to face me. “At least your family.”
My brow rose.
“I’m sick of tryin’ to hide it. I don’t know how Cash hasn’t figured it out by now, and I’m tired of comin’ up with lies for why I can’t drink with him.”
I nodded, trailing my fingertips up and down her back. “Okay, how do you wanna tell them?”
She shrugged. “Well, it’s Thursday, which means game night. Might as well tell ‘em then.”
“Want me to invite Bad and Aunt Violet? Or should I wait?”
She chewed her lip. “How do you think they’ll take it in person?”
I pursed my lips. “Bad’ll be fine, I think. Shocked, but he’ll deal with it well. Aunt Violet may be a bit prickly at first, but she’ll come around quickly enough.” My lips pulled up into what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “She’s been all but beggin’ Cash and I for grandbabies for years now.”
Cheyenne’s gaze still held a hint of worry, but she blew out a breath and nodded. “Okay. Let’s set it up then.”