LITMIR.BIZ

      Copyright © 2017 by Sophie Love. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the author. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Jacket image Copyright Phase4Studios, used under license from Shutterstock.com.

      CHAPTER ONE

      The noises of the bustling yacht club seemed to fade into silence as Emily heard her own voice repeating the words she’d just spoken.

      “I’m pregnant.”

      Opposite her, Daniel and Chantelle wore twin expressions of surprise. Neither uttered a word. Emily herself felt too stunned to say anything else. It had only been a minute or so since the pregnancy test she’d taken in the yacht club restroom had revealed her new reality. It hadn’t properly sunk in yet.

      It was Chantelle who finally broke the silence. Not with words, but with a squeal of delight. Her joyful exclamation seemed to shake Daniel from his trance. He reached across the table and grabbed Emily’s hand tightly. Tears sparkled in his eyes.

      “Really?”

      Eyes locked on Daniel, Emily nodded. A wave of emotions rushed at her. It wasn’t just shock now, but excitement, delight, joy. There was a baby growing inside of her! She was having her own child! She and Daniel had created a new life together. Their love and commitment had brought them this moment of blissful wonder.

      Chantelle started bouncing up and down in her seat. “I’m going to be a big sister!” she cried.

      Emily and Daniel’s intense moment dissipated as they were brought back to the here and now by Chantelle’s exuberance. They both laughed and Emily nodded in affirmation of her statement.

      “When will the baby be born?” Chantelle asked eagerly.

      Emily shrugged, still struggling to accept her new reality. “I don’t know yet.”

      She counted back in her head, trying to work out when she could have conceived. The baby, though wanted, was not planned. A happy accident had happened somewhere along the line.

      Emily thought about the funny turns she’d been having recently, the ones she’d put down to stress, and the numerous moments of nausea that she’d assumed were anxiety. Could they have actually been the first signs of pregnancy? She’d been so rushed off her feet recently – what with the wedding, the adoption, her father, and Roman Westbrook – that she hadn’t even realized her period was late. As she thought about it now she realized that she’d last had one the week before they married. Weeks ago. If she’d conceived on their honeymoon, she may already be halfway through her first trimester!

      “We’ll have to speak to the doctor,” Emily explained to Chantelle. “They’ll be able to work out how long I’ve been pregnant and tell me the due date.”

      “It will still be lots of months,” Daniel added. “So you’ll have to be patient.”

      Patient looked like the last thing Chantelle would be able to be.

      “Can we make a calendar?” she asked, her eyes wide and sparkling. “So we can count down the days?”

      Emily beamed, touched by Chantelle’s enthusiasm. “That sounds lovely,” she said.

      “Can we make it really big?” Chantelle continued. “As big as a whole wall?” She stretched her arms out as far as they could go.

      Emily nodded. “Okay!”

      “With rainbow colors?”

      “If you want!”

      “And glitter?”

      Emily laughed. “That sounds wonderful.”

      It was such a relief for her to know that Chantelle was happy for her. Sheila’s pregnancy had caused a whole host of emotions to erupt in Chantelle, compounded by the fact that her friend from school, Toby, was also soon to become a big brother. Emily had been slightly concerned that Chantelle may act out as a result of the news. But so far she seemed nothing but excited. Emily reminded herself to let her teacher, Miss Glass, and Gail, the school counselor, know about the situation in case Chantelle had a delayed negative reaction to the news.

      Daniel’s expression turned serious for a moment. “Chantelle, will you be able not to tell anyone about this yet?” he asked.

      She looked at him and frowned, visibly deflating like a popped balloon. “Why not?”

      Emily knew why Daniel wanted to keep it hush for now. She wasn’t yet past the critical first trimester. This was her first pregnancy and she was an older mother. At thirty-six it fell into the horribly titled bracket of a “geriatric pregnancy.” The chances of her miscarrying were higher than average. The thought caused a jolt of alarm to shock her.

      “So we can keep it our special Morey family secret,” Emily said, tapping her nose. “It will make it more fun.”

      Daniel looked up, his expression relaxing somewhat, presumably at the way Emily was handling the slightly delicate situation.

      Chantelle’s frown turned to suspicion. Then it disappeared as quickly as it had come.

      “Okay!” she said, raising her eyebrows, suddenly on board. “But then, what about Papa Roy? He’s family but he’s a Mitchell, not a Morey.”

      Emily considered her question for a moment. What about her father? Should she tell him before the first trimester was over? Should she tell anyone? She’d need emotional support, that was for sure. She just didn’t know who would be best placed to give it to her. Her father had only just come back into her life, after all. She didn’t know how well he’d handle adjusting to being a father, father-in-law, and grandfather in one fell swoop!

      “Maybe a bit later,” she told Chantelle. “For now, let’s just have it be between us three. Okay?”

      Chantelle mimed zipping her lips. Everyone laughed.

      Across the table, Daniel reached for Emily’s hand again. He squeezed it tight, his eyes gazing at her adoringly, and mouthed the words, “I love you.”

      Emily smiled to herself and mouthed them back. This moment was so perfect, so beautiful. She felt blessed that her life had finally aligned so perfectly.

      That night, Emily and Daniel lay together in bed.

      “I can’t sleep,” Emily confessed, rolling onto her side to gaze at him.

      Beneath

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