Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
FERN
I hate morning sickness. Maybe I should start bringing snacks into the office. According to Maia, eating small portions of food helped her upset stomach. I should tell her that I’m pregnant and hope she’ll help me with tips and… no, I can’t tell her.
Mom has to learn before anyone else. I’m not ready for that, though. She’ll think this is her chance to show me that she can be a better mother than I am—with my children. Am I crazy?
Maybe I should try to fix things between us. After brushing my teeth and rinsing my mouth vigorously, I walk back to my office.
Surprise, surprise, Elliot is inside, scanning the area. I swear it feels like he’s measuring the place.
“Can I help you?”
He turns around and smiles at me. “Hi.”
I wave at him.
“Are you okay?”
No, but I’m not going to tell him. “Uh-huh.”
“You look?—”
“Don’t say green,” I warn him.
“Like you could use a nap,” Elliot finishes.
I yawn and nod. “I am tired. If I could fit a bed or a bigger couch in here, I would do it immediately.”
“There’s an entire floor that you could use in the North Bay building.”
I’m tired and maybe hallucinating. He’s not making sense. “What?”
“You should move your office there,” he states.
“I like it here.” I point at my couch. “I can’t be without it.”
“We can design the floor so it’s cozy—I’ll even include a sleeper couch in case you have to take naps. We can add a nursery area for the babies.”
If his suggestion didn’t sound crazy, I’d say yes immediately. I’m still trying to figure out how I’ll be able to work and take care of… maybe I should wait until I learn how many children we’ll be having before I jump to conclusions.
“Why do I want an entire floor?”
“For the people who’ll be working for you,” he states.
“I’m not hiring anyone.”
“Listen, I’m all for supporting working parents—my company has one of the best programs in the country. However, I think you can use a person or two to give you a hand. If it’s twins…” He shrugs.
“What happens if it’s triplets?” I argue, will that change his mind? Will he leave? “We’re yet to confirm how many we’re expecting.”
“Either way, we’re going to be too busy. They’re three and we’re just two people. We’ll need to strategize and… I already have a plan in place. I don’t need to go back to work for a couple of years though, I’m here to support them—you.”
I give him a suspicious stare. “Wait, are you scared of three little babies?”
“I wouldn’t use the word scared, but I’ll be cautious. They’ve known each other for longer. What if they’re strategizing as we speak? They’ll wear us down and rule the house.”
I laugh at his ridiculous response, not because it’s wrong, but I can imagine my three brothers doing that even before they were born. I touch my belly, wondering if they’ll be just like their uncles. And I hope they are because I adore those three.
“Do you have time to take a tour? I have a few ideas.”
“Tour?”
He nods. “Yes, around the city. I’m searching for a new place. I moved out of the studio before… Anyway, I have to find something soon.”
“You could stay in Santa Cruz.”
“It’s a possibility. It all depends on where we decide to live.”
Am I missing something or is he strategically skipping a few words so this conversation confuses me and I end up saying yes? That’s what Lysander and Aslan do. Thankfully, Gatsby is nerdy enough that he clarifies and ruins their stupid plans.
“So, who is we ?”
“You and me. We’ll be moving in together.”
I can’t stop staring at him. “Together?”
He chuckles. “You look like I just offered you poison. I’m a great roommate.” He crosses his heart. “I swear.”
“Why do I want to live with you?”
“So, we can raise our children together.”
“Can’t they just…” I sigh because he makes so much sense.
“We’re going to become a family, Fern. I’m sure it’ll be easier if you don’t have to share responsibilities or their love with me. But I’d love it if you could do it for them—for us.”
I feel so selfish. He’s right. I can’t just keep them away from him. He wants to make an effort, and I’ve seen how he loves his family, even when he stays away from them. I look at my office, which is a mess, and then at him.
But I can’t just leave, and before I can make an excuse, he says, “Let’s make a deal. We can go through the real estate tour I planned, and tomorrow, I’ll help you get organized. After all, I have some experience with the foundation.”
Doing it alone would be easy but only for me, and how long can I sustain that? I can give him a chance to tell me what he’d like to do, and we can adjust to what I feel comfortable doing. We can compromise, can’t we?
“You want to move there.”
We’re in Paradise Bay, staring at the property next to my family’s.
“This would be a weekend home, where you can spend time with your family. Aslan and Gatsby bought properties around?—”
“It’s so you can hang out with them?”
“No, so the babies can be with their cousins during the weekend. Unless we’re in Santa Cruz. I should build a guest house there.” He grabs his phone and makes some more notes. “We can also use this house during the first months of their lives—your mom will be close, and she can help.”
Obviously, he doesn’t know my mother. One day she’s going to be a super grandma and hover around, and the next, she’ll disappear.
“Why do I want that?”
“My sisters liked when the family pitched in. I just…”
Okay, maybe I’m being harsh with Mom. She could be a good Nana. “I never thought about that.”
“It’s just an idea.”
Looking at my childhood home, I wonder what my family will say, think, or do when I tell them about what’s happening. Well, mostly Cory and Mom. I’m sure all my brothers know because they can’t keep their mouths shut.
“Everything okay?”
“I have to tell Mom.”
“We can do it whenever you’re ready.”
“I’ll probably do it tomorrow, during the dinner. When are you leaving?”
“I’m not,” he says.
“Why not? The babies won’t be here until later.”
“I don’t want to miss anything.”
What can he miss? Puking twenty-four-seven? Cravings? Moody Fern? That’ll be the best way to convince him that falling in love with me is the worst idea ever.
“It’ll be fine. They won’t notice if you don’t live with us.”
“I will,” he whispers. He’s so close to me, I want to hug him. “I need to be close to you.”
He lowers his mouth and kisses me with the same passion he did the first time. I hope it continues forever.
But can there be forever between us?