Page 154 of Are You Going to Love Me

Staysha pulled away and swiped away Eden’s face free of the tears. “Now, are you going to tell him?”

“I have to, that’s given. I slipped out of the house earlier to go to the doctor, and he was trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with me. I do not like lying to that man.”

“What you lying to me about?” Maximus’ voice rumbled with sharp irritation.

Eden winced. “Damn it.”

“Stay, let’s uh give them a minute,” Keon muttered from behind Maximus.

They caught the tail end of the conversation between sisters. Happy they made up, but at a pause that Eden could keep anything from Max.

“I’ll call you,” Staysha hummed before skirting past Maximus.

Eden stood and grabbed her purse. “Can you sit down?”

“Nah, whatever you need to tell me, I can stand for. What you been keepin’ from me?”

She pulled in a deep breath and dug through her purse for the positive test, the results from the doctor’s office, and the sonogram. Handing it all over, she stood in silence, waiting for him to put it all together.

“Wait,” he grumbled, shuffling through the items.

“The nurse asked if I was a match to give you blood. And I got some drawn. They did a rapid panel and discovered I was pregnant. So Staysha gave the blood that was needed and I-”

“You’re pregnant. You carrying my baby,” he said, as if he were waiting for it to sink in.

“Six weeks when I found out. That period I thought I had was the result of you knocking me up on the balcony, maybe. I don’t know, we’ve had a lot of sex. I wasn’t trying to keep it from you, I just wanted to find a grand way of saying hey-”

“You’re having my baby,” he finalized, reaching out and pulling her into him.

“Max, your shoulder.”

“I’ll be fine. You’re having my baby,” he grumbled, pressing his lips against hers.

She could feel the wetness of his tears against her face. “I’m having your baby.”

“Ah shit,” he huffed, as she wiped his face. “I’ve never cried this much in my damn life, I swear.”

“It’s okay to cry. You happy?”

He nodded, holding her. “Hell yeah, I’m happy. I knew something was up with you. Up and down all night, not eating. That fake drinking you did today.”

“Yep, pregnant. I’m going to be moody and hungry and big,” she hummed, as he picked her up and moved her back to the couch. “Your shoulder, Max.”

“My shoulder will be fine. Are you going to cuss me out like you did at Rod’s?” Maximus laid down, placing his head in her lap. “I swear if I didn’t get shot, your ass would’ve been walking sideways for two weeks.”

Eden chuckled, placing her hands on his shoulders. “I didn’t even know I could cuss someone out like that. I didn’t even know I could get that mad.”

“I knew that shit was in you. I know who your grandmother was. You got that shit in you and I promise to never bring it out again.”

“Max, we’re going to be someone’s parents,” Eden said with a sigh. “I’m going to be someone’s momma.”

“A damn good momma.”

“You’re going to be an amazing father. Don’t doubt that.”

He kissed her bloated stomach. “We’re going to be good. We got this.”

“I think so.”

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