Page 125 of A Good Book

There was no room in my mind or my heart for regret. Gabriella Grace Jacobson owned every inch. I lifted her shirt and drew a heart around her belly button. When I glanced up, Gabby rolled her eyes.

“Your mom said yes.” I kissed her belly.

CHAPTERFORTY-FIVE

PETE TOWNSHEND, “LETMYLOVEOPENTHEDOOR”

Gabby

“Where are we going?”I signed when Ben gave me a sidelong glance as he drove us in the wrong direction.

He took the morning off to take me to my OB appointment the week before our wedding, but he was supposed to take me home before going back to work.

Ben shrugged as he always did when he knew I said something but didn’t want to answer. We pulled onto the long drive where his boss lived, but instead of heading to the gray two-story farmhouse, he veered right where cars were parked around a trailer I hadn’t seen before. I recognized my mom’s car right away.

“What is this?” I signed.

Ben jumped out and ran around his car, opening my door. “Welcome home, my soon-to-be wife.” He held out his hand.

I stepped out of the car and straightened my green sundress. “Home?” I signed.

“Yes. For now. Mr. O’Neill said as long as I’m working for him, we can stay here. If there’s a tornado warning, he said we could take cover in his basement.”

It was a beige mobile home with white trim and a makeshift set of wood stairs to the front door.

Nothing big.

Not a dream home.

It screamed accidental pregnancy and shotgun wedding.

I threw my arms around Ben because I loved it. One day, we would remember it as our first home. Ben’s parents offered to let us live with them, but we wanted our own place, and Ben delivered.

“It’s small,” he said.

I released him and shook my head while signing, “It’s perfect.”

The hesitation on his face vanished, leaving nothing but pride. “Get going. I have to get back to work.” He nodded toward the trailer.

I narrowed my eyes.

He kissed me before sauntering toward the barns on the opposite side of the drive. Benjamin Ashford looked sinful in Wranglers and boots.

When I climbed the stairs and opened the door, the living room of women yelled, “Surprise!”

I stood still, wide-eyed and grinning.

“Welcome to your shower,” Mom said, hugging me. “It’s a wedding shower, baby shower, and housewarming party all in one.”

When she released me, I didn’t know what to take in first. It was my house, so I wanted to see it, but there were family and friends, party decorations, food covering every surface of the kitchen counter and dinette table, and a mountain of gifts piled between the sofa and television.

As everyone bombarded me with warm hugs and sweet greetings, I wormed my way through the trailer to peek into the back two bedrooms separated by a bathroom. The nursery already had a cradle and white baby dresser. A queen bed with a light blue striped comforter occupied most of the other bedroom.

I bit my lip to hide my grin. That’s where Ben and I would sleep and do other things that didn’t involve sleep.

For the next two hours, the women who loved me the most showered me with gifts and advice on marriage and parenting.

“Do you want us to stay and help get everything put away, or do you want to do that with Ben?” Sarah asked.

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