Coming Innocent (Welcome to Carson #5)

Chapter One

THE CONFINED SPACE OF the car sends chills of claustrophobia through her system, something she has never experienced in the past, but suddenly finds herself enraptured by it as the days continue to creep by.

Avery knows that she should feel grateful that she has been able to carry one child – let alone twins – but as the smell of fried chicken from Angie’s Diner wafts through the air and fills the cabin of her SUV, leaving her in a nauseated state, she finds herself groaning in misery.

Finally, she watches as Logan steps out of the doors of Nelson’s Pharmacy and heads in her direction, crisp white paper bag hanging from his fingers – her saving grace.

“Hey, beautiful,” he says as he opens the door and steps into the car. “You’re looking a little green. Do you want one of these now?”

Avery takes a deep inhale through her mouth, trying to keep from drawing in the scent of the offensive chicken, and exhales before responding.

“It’s the food from Angie’s. And yes, please. I need one of those pills stat.”

Logan offers her a sympathetic smile before opening the child-proof cap of the amber bottle and handing her one of the self-dissolving nausea tablets.

She places it on the back of her tongue and closes her eyes while resting her head on the cushion of the seat, waiting for the miracle pills to take effect.

“I’m sorry you’re still feeling so poorly. I was sure it would have passed by the halfway point,” he commiserates as he strokes a hand across her cheek and into her hair.

Logan has been an ideal husband and soon to be father, doting on her at every turn.

Once the tablet dissolves it only takes a minute before she can feel the effects working their way through her system, immediately offering her some sort of relief.

She opens her eyes and glances over at the man that makes her live again, the man that shows her what it means to love with all of your heart. Avery turns her head into his palm and offers a slight smile.

“Thank you for rushing in there to get them. I can’t believe I forgot to grab them after work yesterday.”

“It’s no problem. We still need to have that conversation about you working.”

Avery rolls her eyes and turns her head back to face out the front windshield.

“No, we don’t. Charles says I’m perfectly healthy and can work as long as I feel that I can.”

As Logan shifts the vehicle into drive he huffs under his breath, but loud enough for Avery to hear.

“Yes, but he isn’t the father.”

“Logan,” Avery sighs.

“Avery,” he mimics.

Not wanting to continue the useless argument, Avery rests her hand on her expanding belly, feeling the four feet and hands wiggling around beneath the skin, making themselves known.

Knowing she has two lives growing inside her, depending on her, makes her question her own motives to continue working.

If she knew staying at home and stopping work would keep them safe she may reconsider her stance on the subject.

Lost in thought, Avery startles when the SUV stops in front of her contribution to the town of Carson, North Carolina. The town that welcomed her with open arms even after learning she was the product of an affair from the town hero.

The expansive building before her of glass and stone blends seamlessly with the rest of the surrounding buildings, just as she had imagined. The first floor is a dedicated pediatric clinic with everything provided per the Director’s aspects.

They were about an hour from a major hospital, so Avery spent the money she had inherited from her late fiancé to provide the growing town with the most cutting-edge equipment to cater to the families – including her own.

Her husband’s friend Brooks had signed on to take the Director’s position and had been integral in getting the project off the ground.

As far as she knew, it was practically finished. A few modifications were needed on the third-floor space, items her brother Jameson needed for his software business, but besides that, the clinic should be on schedule for its ribbon cutting in a month.

“Want to do a walk-through? They finished laying the floors yesterday.”

Excitedly Avery releases her seat belt and jerks forward in her seat. A pinch spanning across the right side of her abdomen overwhelms her and she grimaces in pain. Logan is opening her door just as he notices the agony cross her face.

“Is everything alright?” he asks as he places his hands gently on her stomach, feeling around for any tightness.

His gentle hands massage the side of her stomach where she gestures and she feels instant relief.

“Better?”

“Yes,” she replies warmly.

“That’s happening more often. It’s been what? Six times this weekend? Should we call Charles?”

“I’m sure it’s nothing. They just don’t have a lot of room in there anymore. We don’t need to bother Dr. Burnett.”

Logan gazes at her in question but lets it drop as he helps her step from the car.

With her still wrapped in his arms, her belly pressed against his taut abdomen, he leans forward and captures her lips with his own in a chaste kiss.

“I love you, beautiful. I just want to protect you and the precious babies you’re giving me.”

Reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck Avery presses another kiss against his lips.

“I’m ok and the babies are ok. If anything changes I’ll let you be the superhero and take us to the doctor. Ok?”

“You promise?”

“Absolutely.”

“Alright, well let’s go do this walkthrough. I believe Brooks schedule the inspection for next week so we’re almost done. Luckily, right in time for the babies to get here.

In her thoughts Avery can’t help but tack on, “they can’t get here soon enough.”

***

STANDING ON THE FRONT porch of the reconstructed farmhouse Nikki takes a deep breath of the crisp mountain air before taking a sip of her coffee. The day is well in already, Austin allowing her to sleep in a few extra hours as he finished prepping the baby room for Grace’s arrival.

She had found a picture in a magazine a few weeks prior and Austin had been hell-bent on making that image a reality for her. And it was. It was every little girl’s dream nursery with white paneling, pale pink curtains, and a crib built by hand with a family’s love.

“There you are,” Austin bellows from behind her as his strong arms wrap around her large stomach, encasing them in his hold. Duke, their beagle, hops around merrily around their feet until he catches the wind of a squirrel and takes off.

Her husband brushes aside the hair from her shoulder, exposing her neck, where he bends down to nip at the sensitive skin.

“How are my girls this morning?” he whispers as his right hand travels across her abdomen and across the waistband of her lounging pants.

“Mmm, we’re good. And as much as I would love to keep doing what we did last night, I need to get ready for the baby shower.”

“That’s today?”

Nikki turns around in his arms and rests herself against the porch banister.

“Yes, it’s today. I need to finish wrapping Avery’s gifts.”

“You’re kind of amazing you know that? Suggesting the shared baby shower with my mom is a really nice gesture.”

“Avery’s my best friend and I am really excited our kids are going to be born around the same time. They won’t just be cousins; they’ll be best friends too.”

Leaning forward, Austin kisses the spot right under her earlobe that he knows drives her wild as he whispers, “See? Amazing.”

“I just want her to have something special. I know you do too. Come on, I’m finished so I can help you grab all of the decorations from the guest room.”

Nikki rises onto the tips of her toes and presses a quick kiss against his lips before grasping his hand and leading him through the house and up the stairs.

“I just need your help getting the centerpieces put together. Your mom is handling the rest.”

Austin watches her instruction, taking the small candelabras and gluing silver plastic plates onto the flat round disks used to hold the candles at one time to make something that looks like a stand for food or desserts.

They work together to create eight different stands all painted an antique white color. Amy, Austin’s mother, wouldn’t let her do more than the centerpieces since it was technically her baby shower too, but planning events was something she enjoyed, almost as much as writing.

She hadn’t told Austin yet, but her first two books were already written and edited by a friend of hers that works for the paper.

Nikki wasn’t sure if Austin would want to read the romance novels, but she wanted to share them with him none-the-less.

She had even considered submitting them to find a publisher.

Becoming an author had always been her dream, and now that she had the opportunity to work from home since Austin’s business had made him a millionaire, she had no excuse to hold herself back.

“What are you thinking so hard about over there?” he asks breaking her of her musings.

“Well, I…” she flusters unable to meet his eyes in nervousness.

Austin stands from his spot and moves towards her before crouching down to gaze at her lovingly.

“What is it, darlin’?”

“Well, I finished the two books I had been working on and…you’ll probably think it’s silly, but I was thinking of sending them off to find a publisher.”

“Really? Nikki, that’s remarkable. Do you know who to send them to? Can I read them?”

Her eyes widen in surprise at his request.

“You really want to read them? You know they’re romance novels, right?”

“Of course, I want to read them. I want to read anything you do.”

“Ok, I can give you the editor’s copy. And I think I need to find an agent first, at least if I want to brand out to some of the bigger publishers.”

“I’m really proud of you. I can’t wait to read them.”

“You’re not just saying that?” she questions skeptically while she adheres the second to last plate on the candelabra.

“No way. And when we finish these I’m going to take you back to our bedroom and show you how fucking proud of you I am.”

Her cheeks heat with his implied words and she takes a deep breath as she adheres the last plate.

“What did you have in mind?” Nikki asks as she grips the edge of the dresser to help move into a standing position.

Austin doesn’t speak; instead, he cradles her face in his hands and kisses her passionately. His lips take ownership of hers, their tongues tasting the sweetness of their mouths.

“Austin,” she moans as she unsuccessfully tries to press her body closer to his, but her burgeoning stomach is in the way.

Without hesitation, Austin steps back, leans down, and scoops her into his arms. He cradles her as if she is precious cargo that weighs little more than a pillow.

“Don’t worry, darlin’. I’ll take care of you.”

Once they enter the bedroom and he gently lays her body on the bed he proceeds to spend the next hour worshiping her body and reminding her why she was nothing less than perfect to him.