27 Truths: Ava's story (The Truth About Love Book 1) (23 page)

“We have a problem, you know.” I point at him with the bar and laugh.

“We do. Those damn things are addictive.”

Thomas Hardy is my male Harper. He is my best friend. He is my lover. He is the father of the child growing inside of me. And he is everything I ever dreamed of to the tenth power.

I sit down and take a bite, groaning as I chew.

“You know,” he says, “I don’t think we have a problem at all. In fact, I love the near orgasmic sound you make after taking the first bite.”

“So good,” I moan, rolling my eyes.

He laughs. “So Memorial Day weekend?”

I nod. “Soonest we can get the venue.”

“On a Friday,” he says, scrunching up his face.

I laugh and nod because, when we checked into Lake Watch, the same place my prom was held and the same place he and I first kissed at Harper and Maddox’s wedding, I was not okay with a Friday night, and he was not okay with waiting two more months.

I lie in bed, and he lies beside me, reading one of the hundreds of children’s books he has ordered since we were in Chicago. None are Grimm’s fairytales; they are all about love and life and happiness. The one he is reading now is his favorite.

He holds the book in one hand, the other on my belly that is really not all that distended, but I push it out for him because the pride in his eyes and in his heart is as sweet and heavenly as anything on this earth ever has been.

He is going to have a family with a woman who loves him and chose him, a child who will no doubt adore him, and regardless of how my father is acting, he will come around. I know he will because he loves me and he will see that T makes me so happy, so very happy.

We had dinner with mother and Robert last night. She was … cold, and he was as relaxed as could be. He was charming and kind and treated her like a queen. Yet, she was still bitchy. I could have slapped her, but she’s my mom.

He closes the book and sighs. “The wonderful thing you will be.” Then he leans over and lets his long lashes flutter over my lower abdomen where I felt our child move a week ago and showed him what it felt like by moving my eyelashes across his face.

“Butterfly wings.” He smiles. “Wonderful feeling.”

Tomorrow, we have an ultrasound scheduled. We chose to do it at a clinic because the office didn’t have a time that worked with our flight time. T doesn’t care about insurance paying; he is paying out of pocket.

Of course he is. Someday soon, I am going to have to teach him about what the term “waste not, want not” means. Money or no money, throwing away food is a sin. But that little sin makes him feel proud of who he has become. Who am I to take that away from him?

***

We decided to fly home to share in Harper and Maddox’s joy of telling their families about their little blessing and to hopefully share ours with everyone, as well. The flight is quiet. T appears to be in shock, and I think it is hysterical how the thought of marriage and a child doesn’t faze him, yet two babies almost puts him in such a mood. But it doesn’t matter, not one bit. I will deal with his change in moods.

“Page seventeen,
love isn’t affected by ups and downs
.”

He gives me a questioning look.

“You dealt with all my mood swings, so I can deal with anything you throw at me.” I smile, and he gives a silent chuckle, holding me more tightly.

“I love you, Ava.”

“I love you, Thomas.”

***

Truth be told, I am unbelievably excited. Tonight, Thomas and I are making dinner at my family home for everyone.

Harper plans to come early. I had to trick her, telling her that I needed her to get a few things at the store. I really want her here to tell her about my pregnancy before we tell anyone else.

When she walks in with Maddox, she looks tired, and I laugh.

“Come sit down. We want to tell you and Maddox a secret.”

After removing their coats and hats, they sit down.

I nod to T, and he runs his hands through his hair, taking a deep breath before holding up the little frame we picked up at Tiffany.

“Ava thought it would be cute to put your sonogram picture in here and set it on the table just to see if anyone notices.” He hands them the frame and sits down next to me.

I squeeze his hand and smile. He kisses my cheek, smiling back.

“Wait, there’s already a picture in—” Harper gasps. “Oh, my God!”

Maddox looks at her and then at the picture, his eyes widening.

“Did you give them the wrong one?” I ask as planned.

“Oh, gee, I must have,” he says in a cheesy, 1960’s actor voice that makes me laugh.

“You two are having—”

“Twins.” I laugh and clap my hands, interrupting Harper.

She looks again. “And you’re due a month after I am?”

“Yep. Our babies are going to spend Christmases and holidays together, Harper. Can you believe it?”

“Oh, I am so happy for you.” She laughs and tears start to trickle down her face. “I am so happy for both of you.”

I notice Maddox and T staring at each other. Then I look at Harper, whose tears now seem more sorrowful than joyful.

It bothers me. I never even thought of how anyone may react. It is hurtful and makes me feel like, if my best friend doubts me, then others certainly will, too.

I smile big and stand up. “Excuse me for just a minute.”

I walk quickly to the bathroom before the tears fall. I look in the mirror with self-loathing and self-deprecating thoughts in my head.

The door opens, and T walks in. He shuts the door behind him and immediately hugs me. “Shh … You’ll be fine.”

“How come I can’t just be happy here, T?” I ask him as I wipe my tears away.

“Did she know about him?” T asks.

I nod. “She did, but not the last time I was with him.”

“It’s possible that was my fault,” he says in a self-deprecating tone. “I may have made a scene … or two. And if she knows, Maddox surely knows. They may wonder if—”

I sigh. “It’s ours—mine and yours.”

“Ava, does it matter at all what anyone else thinks besides us?”

I pout. “Well, yes … kind of.”

He doesn’t say anything for a long minute. Then he kisses my cheek. “You miss home?”

I know he’s asking about our place in Brooklyn. I do miss it … very much.

“Yes.”

“I’m not saying this to hurt you in any way, but how you feel right now is how I feel every damn time I’m around your father.”

“I’m sorry. I really am.”

He hugs me more tightly and sighs. “We’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, once we get back to New York.”

He gives me a sad smile as he wipes away my tears. “Let’s go tell them about the test.”

“Okay.”

It infuriates me, but it isn’t just me who is going through this. He is, too.

As we begin to walk out the door, I squeeze his hand. “Can we leave in the morning? I want to be home.”

He nods. “Yes, anything for you, Ava.”

“Thank you.”

Harper stays close to me after T tells them about the test, and that yes, he is the father. Both visibly relax, and I know it’s not judgment from Harper or Maddox; it’s pity, and pity sucks just as much. Sometimes more.

My happy, joyful mood is now put on for show, but as T reminds me, he is here. It may not have changed my mood, but I will bask in that. My smile is for him and for us and our home and our love.

Logan is the first to show up. He’s a little annoyed I didn’t tell him I’m engaged. He scolds me since it is unlike me not to tell him something before Dad knows. I make sure not to tell him our mother saw the ring before all of them. It would crush him, and he’s my little Loggie.

I ask him to fill the glasses with water as I set the table, and he looks at me like I’m crazy.

“People can fill their own glasses, Ava. Damn.”

T and I stand back and watch him. He notices and rolls his eyes then goes back to pouring.

He notices the frame and leans in. Then his jaw drops, and I can’t help giggling. When he picks it up and sees the name, he looks at me then back at the frame and back and forth again.

“No way,” he gasps.

I nod and pat my belly. “And there are two.”

He looks bewildered but then smiles, walks over, and hugs me.

“I know you are going to be an amazing mom, Ava. And I hope you know, as much as I love you, I am never changing a diaper.”

T and I laugh.

“Don’t worry, Logan,” T tells him. “I’ve already volunteered for that privilege.”

Logan gives him a quick hug then says, “I need a fucking drink.”

I have T at my side, Harper close by, and Logan on my other side. I feel a little better about things now. A little.

Dad, Tessa, Brody, Emma, and London all come in together.

“That’s a lot of people,” T whispers, causing Logan and me to laugh.

“They occupy the other side of the valley, man. We’re safe over here,” Logan whispers to him, putting T at ease.

“Safer in the city,” T whispers back.

“Love to come visit.” Logan chuckles. “Holidays in the city now?”

T holds up his beer, and they clink glasses.

“You’re welcome any day.”

London walks past Logan. “Hmm … city girls. Now that’s a lot of plastic. You’ll be in heaven.”

“London,” Emma gasps while I laugh.

“London, you wanna drink?” Logan smirks.

In the most London-like way, she flips him off. No one notices except him, T, and me.

T smirks. “You can come visit anytime, too, London.”

“Let me know when he’s not there.”

Logan’s face turns beet red, and she sticks her tongue out at him.

His jaw tightens. “Yes, please do. I wouldn’t want to have to babysit.”

I smack Logan as London glares at him.

She walks to the table and sits next to Brody with her arms crossed over her chest. She immediately notices the frame and gasps. She leans in a little and then looks back at me.

I put my finger over my lips to tell her to hush. She seems excited to know something no one else does.

Logan whispers, “I knew first.”

She rolls her eyes and mouths, “
Grow up
.”

Within ten minutes, everyone at the table is whispering to each other, and I see Tessa wipe her eyes as she hands Dad the frame. His jaw drops, and he looks at Harper. Before he has a chance to say anything, Tessa hands him the other frame. She is watching him closely, taking in every emotion his face is showing.

He sits back and takes in a deep breath while she smiles at him. God, I wish I could see his face, but the frame is in the way.

He pushes back his chair, stands up, and turns around. He is tearing up, and it makes me do the same.

“This for real, Ava?”

I nod, unable to say anything because I am holding back my emotions.

“Two?” he asks, and I nod.

He closes his eyes and smiles. It’s big. It’s real, I think.

He walks over, stretches out his hand to T, and T shakes it.

“You have one hell of a young lady here. I hope you know that.”

T nods. “I do. Thank you for bringing her into this world.”

My dad’s eyes get bigger, and then a handshake turns into a hug.

I have to cover my mouth to stop from sounding like an idiot because I am sobbing.

Dad then turns to me, tears falling down his cheeks. “Ava girl.”

“Daddy,” I whisper.

“I’m so happy for you.” He hugs me tightly.

“For us, Daddy, for all of us.”

I look at the other side of the table, Tessa, Brody, and Emma are hugging Maddox and Harper.

London walks over and gives T a hug.

“You’re going to be a great dad, T Hardy.”

He laughs. “Thanks, L Fields.”

She steps back and whispers, “Gotta go give the brother from an evil mother a hug.”

“Oh, my God, London, really?” Logan snaps at her.

“Seriously, man, lighten up,” she says as she walks away, and we all start to laugh.

Logan looks at us like we are traitors.

“Need another drink, Logan?” T asks.

“Yes, yes, I do.”

“I am big, fat, and pimply,” I snarl as I look in the mirror at the zit between my shoulders.

“Ava, you are not,” T says, handing me my daily Snickers bar. “Here, eat this. It’ll make you feel better.”

I unwrap the candy bar and take a big bite then shake it at him. “This is why, you know. You are feeding the fat pregnant chick too much.”

“The beautiful pregnant goddess is eating for three, and those two,” he says, pointing at my tits, “so that makes five.”

I laugh as I chew. “You want me fat, don’t you?”

“Ava, you are five months pregnant with twins. The doctor says you have not gained enough weight.”

“That’s because we changed doctors since you wanted the best for your babies.”

“Hell yes, I want the best for you all.” He laughs as he walks behind me and cups my very full C cups. “These are so fucking beautiful.”

I take another bite. “The new doctor has no idea that I have already gained twenty pounds. The records haven’t been received yet.”

“I’m convinced it’s all right here in my hands.” He jiggles my boobs. “Fascinating.”

“They won’t fit in my dress,” I complain.

“They will, and if by chance they spill out a bit, I won’t complain at all.”

“That’s so kind of you.” I laugh as he continues watching my boobs jiggle in the mirror. “Okay, T, I need to get to work.” I pull away from him, and he groans. “What are your plans today?”

I really didn’t have to ask. He has been very busy turning the spare bedroom into a nursery and painting the two walls that are not exposed brick. He is so talented, and not just musically.

“The cribs come today.” He smiles and shakes his head as if he still can’t believe it. “Ava, we’re less than a month away from getting married and four months away from having a baby.”

“Two babies.” I giggle, and he smiles more brightly than the sun he has painted on the east-facing wall in their room.