Chapter 24
It’s difficult to argue with a man while he’s carrying you to bed.
Terri
I groan when my phone rings. I’m ready for this day to be over. I check the time. It’s seven, and I don’t have an event tonight. The day should be over already.
My phone rings again to remind me my day is never over when I’m planning a wedding. And I’m always planning a wedding. I am an event planner after all.
“Good evening, Brittany.” I emphasize evening in the hope she’ll realize it’s too late to call.
“Terri, I have some requests we need to discuss.” Nope. No clue it’s too late to call. Not even an ‘I’m sorry for calling so late’. Brides and their little bridal bubbles will be the death of me.
I stifle a yawn. “We already discussed your requests. Are these additional requests?”
“We missed a few.” Missed a few? Hardly. She’s probably been spending time on social media where she got a bunch of crazy ideas. “First of all, I want all the guests to release glitter into the ocean simultaneously.”
Crazy ideas, it is.
“Glitter in the ocean?”
“They make biodegradable glitter. I read about it.”
The issue is not whether the glitter is biodegradable.
“You do realize glitter gets everywhere and there’s usually a breeze along the water. Which means the likelihood of guests getting glitter in their eyes and other places is extremely high.”
Has she never been glitter bombed before? Glitter is a miracle product that multiplies when no one is paying attention.
“Don’t care. I want it. I saw it on TikTok.”
Social media strikes again. I scribble a note. “I’ll see what I can do. Have a—”
She cuts me off. “I’m not done.” Of course not.
“What else?”
“I read there’s a seal named Sammy on Smuggler’s Hideaway.”
“There is.”
“He should deliver the rings.”
How I’d love to see Sammy deliver rings at a wedding. He’d galumph down the aisle before swallowing the rings and taking a nap on the bride’s feet.
“Sammy is a wild animal.”
“Animals are trainable.”
“Sammy is not. The likelihood he’ll steal the rings is high. Or he’ll plain not show up because he’s too busy sunbathing on his favorite spot of grass.”
“You could hire an animal trainer to arrange it.”
Animal trainer? I nearly growl. The smugglers would tar and feather me if I hired an animal trainer for Sammy.
“I’m sorry, Brittany. This is one request I can’t grant.”
“If I can’t have Sammy the seal, I want dolphins at the reception.”
I cough to hide my laugh. Brides get more ridiculous every year. I blame social media. You know those pictures are mostly fake. But future brides apparently don’t.
“This is not SeaWorld. We don’t have dolphins on retainer.”
“You’re supposed to be the miracle wedding planner who can make magic happen! Thus far, all you’ve done is told me no. At least tell me it’s possible to move the ceremony thirty minutes later so the sunset is pinker.”
I grab my agenda and open it. We don’t have any other events the day of her wedding. “I’ll make the arrangements.”
“Finally. Something you can do. I should complain to your boss about your inability to listen to me.”
“Do you need his number?” Hudson doesn’t handle demanding guests well. He’ll probably threaten to cancel the wedding. I’d love to see her reaction to a cancellation.
“Whatever. I need to re-do my Pinterest board considering your lack of cooperation.” She hangs up.
I sigh and drop my phone to my desk. I’ll make the arrangements for the time change and then I’m going home. My stomach rumbles with hunger. It’s definitely time to go home.
“Sprite.” Someone shakes my shoulder.
“Five more minutes.”
He chuckles. I force my eyes open and come face to face with Nolan. My brow wrinkles.
“What are you doing in my bedroom?”
“You’re not in your bedroom. You’re at your desk at work.” He motions to the room.
“I must have…” I trail off to yawn.
“You need rest. Dr. Reynolds was clear about this.”
“I know I—” I squeal when he picks me up. “What are you doing?”
“Taking care of you.”
I roll my eyes. “My legs work perfectly fine.”
His gaze drops to my legs. “Your legs are pretty perfect.”
I grunt. “I’m short. My legs are little stubs.”
“Wrong. Your legs feature in my dreams.”
I raise an eyebrow. “In your dreams?”
His eyes heat. “My dreams when I’m awake and in the shower with my—"
I slap a hand over his mouth before he can finish. “Behave.”
He shrugs. “I was just being honest.”
He presses the button for the elevator. “What are you doing? My car is in the parking lot, not on the second floor.”
The elevator opens and he steps inside. “You’re not driving. You’re tired. You need rest.”
I squirm for him to let me down but he tightens his hold. “I’m perfectly capable of driving. I’m an adult woman.”
“Trust me. I know.”
His low, rumbly voice has all the nerve endings in my body waking up and standing at attention. Can you blame me? This big strong man is carrying me, claiming my legs are sexy, and making it clear he wants me. It’s a potent combination.
We arrive at his suite and he carries me inside. My stomach rumbles and he frowns.
“Did you eat dinner?”
My face flames but I ignore it. “I’ll eat dinner when I get home.”
“Do you want dinner in bed or in the dining area?”
“Did you not hear me? I’ll eat when I’m home.”
“That’s two,” he growls.
“Two what?”
“Two times I’m going to pinken your ass after you give birth to our little mermaid.”
My panties dampen, and my nipples harden. I’ve never been spanked before, but the idea of Nolan’s big hand on my ass excites me. I want to try it. I trust him. He won’t push things past my comfort zone.
“Dining area or bed?” he asks again.
“I…” I trail off with a yawn.
“Bed it is.”
He lays me down in bed and kisses my forehead. “You can wear my t-shirt to sleep in.”
I open my mouth to protest but he places a finger over it. “Enough. You and I both know you want to be here. You’re fighting me to fight at this point. I love arguing with you. I’ll argue with you until we’re old and gray. But right now, you need to eat, and you need sleep.”
My mouth drops open. He’ll argue with me until we’re old and gray? Is he serious? We’re not a couple. We’re not even dating. We’re having a baby. Nothing more.
Yeah. Keep telling yourself that.
I ignore my inner voice. She doesn’t come out much, but when she does – she’s trouble. I blame her for my bedroom window getting nailed shut.
Nolan tweaks my nose before grabbing a t-shirt from one of his drawers. He drops it on my lap. “Go ahead and change. I’ll order the food. Any requests?”
“Pasta and French fries.”
I wait for him to laugh at the combination. Pregnancy cravings are weird. But he merely nods before shutting the door behind him.
I stare at the door for a while. I shouldn’t be here. I should go. But Nolan’s right. I don’t want to. I want to be here. But I’m scared.
There. I said it. Or, at least, admitted it.
Love and family destroy people. I witnessed it for myself with my mom. And I’m her child. A younger representation of her. What happens if I start to rely on Nolan and he leaves? I place a hand over my stomach. What will happen to my little mermaid if she doesn’t have a dad?
Growing up without a dad is tough. Except I did end up with a dad. Charlie is the best. He never found a woman to love, but he had a lot of love to give, so he started fostering kids. He built a ragtag family on his own.
I inhale a deep breath and straighten my back. I can do this. I can build a ragtag family, too. I have Dad.
I bite my bottom lip as I stare at the door Nolan left through. I want Nolan. Will he stick around? He’s a famous quarterback. His life is stadiums and games and travel to big cities. It’s not on this island.
He knocks before peeking into the room. “Food should be here in fifteen minutes.” He frowns. “You’re not changed. Something wrong?”
I’m a scaredy pants who’s afraid to reach for what she wants. No way am I saying those words to this big man who handles everything that comes his way without a blink of his eye.
I clear my throat. “No. Just being lazy.”
His face softens. “You deserve to be lazy. You worked all day, and you’re growing our baby.”
I long to reach for him. But I can’t. I can’t let myself rely on him.
I refuse to be my mom. She was devastated when her boyfriend left her alone and pregnant. She put all her love and hope in the baby. And then the baby wasn’t there anymore. Soon enough she wasn’t either.
I’m not repeating her story.