Page 61 of Hot Irish Halloween

Thankfully, the bleeding had stopped on its own, and she didn’t need stitches. And thank God, because there was no way she was going to let them shave a patch of hair off if that had been required.

“Head wounds are usually worse than they look. But you do have a mild concussion, so you need to relax for at least a week after you go home,” her doctor instructed. “Your husband has been in here many times in the past with head trauma. He knows the protocol. Take it easy. And if you see any troubling signs, Mr. Valentine, just bring her back in, and we’ll have a look. And as for you,” she said, turning to Penny, “if there’s any vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain, come back right away. But try not to worry.”

“So, that’s it? The baby is in the clear?” Jack asked.

The doctor paused, her brown eyes thoughtful. “For now, yes. There have been some cases where maternal head trauma has caused complications in fetal development but it’s rare.”

Jack’s face froze. The sudden alarm that blossomed in Penny’s chest must have been apparent on her own face, because the doctor made a soothing noise.

“Please don’t worry. Just see your obstetrician regularly as you would anyway and try to keep your stress low. Anxiety can do more damage than anything else at this stage. I’m sure you’ll both be just fine.” The doctor smiled at them and headed toward the door.

Jack said, “Thank you.” After she left the room, he turned to Penny.

“Don’t worry?” she said with an exhale then gave a short laugh. “Clearly she doesn’t know me.”

Once again, his smile looked like it took effort. “Let’s get you dressed and get you home, angel.”

When they walked through the door, a sense of relief flooded Penny. “One night away felt like a week. I’m so happy to be home.”

She let Jack pull her coat off, but he didn’t take off his own. He hung hers in the front closet and dragged her to the couch to sit her down.

“Take your coat off. Come snuggle with me,” she demanded, but he only tap-kissed her lips.

“Have to take Trixie out for her walk. Then I need to get the messages and stock up on your snaquitos. All your favorites,” he said. “Just relax, and when I get back from the market, I’ll make you some tea. Don’t get up unless you need to pee.” Jack paused. “On second thought, don’t get up to pee. Wait for me, and I’ll help you.”

She huffed a sigh. “I don’t need help walking to the bathroom. I’m okay, Jack. Please don’t tell me you’re going to go off the rails with the caretaking.”

Jack would usually grin at a tease like that. But the look in his eyes chilled her instead, to her core.

“People haven’t seen me off the rails yet,” he said softly. Then he bent to kiss her again. “Relax. Be right back.”

Her heart leaped up and lodged itself somewhere in her throat. “I’m not the only one that needs to relax and take it easy, Jack. I’m fine.Weare fine.”

Jack only gave her a small smile before he took Trixie and left.

Weeks passed. Physically, Penny felt as though nothing had happened. Her head felt good, and her body felt good, albeit tired. The dreaded morning sickness manifested, as well as some heartburn in the afternoon, but she was lucky that was the worst of it. The obstetrician gave her a thumbs up and said things were looking great. Yes, she felt pretty good physically.

Emotionally? That was another story.

It was Jack who hadn’t gone back to being Jack after the incident. Yes, Jack cooked for her, rubbed her back and her feet, and made love to her. All the things.

Whenever she asked, he insisted he was okay, but…he wouldn’t let her come to the gym anymore, coming home to take walks with her in the afternoon instead.

He was okay, but… he was on the phone a lot in his office with the door closed. Of course, she’d never eavesdrop. That would be weird and an invasion of his privacy. When shehappenedto drop her notebook on the floor outside his office door, she tried not to wonder what it meant when she heard words like “legal wife” and “insurance.”

He was okay, but…he was working out six days a week for three hours during the day and another session in the evening when otherwise he would have read or watched a show with her.

Yes, Jack was completely and very okay except for the look in his eyes…that hardened, distant look. It frightened her. There was no comfortable spot for her to burrow in, nothing to cleave to when he looked at her with eyes like that.

The worst part of it was he knew she understood what was happening but expected her to pretend that everything was normal. Pretend he wasn’t about to break her fucking heart after he was the one who’d demanded she give it to him.

All at once, it was the first week of February. A delicate fluttering in her stomach woke Penny from a deep sleep. Jack’s side of the bed was already empty, as usual. She stretched and yawned, and that’s when she felt it again. A strange movement in her lower tummy, like a butterfly rolling over and tickling her from inside out. She grinned, knowing what it must be.

“Jack,” she called. “I feel it moving!”

But the house echoed back emptiness save for an excited answering bark from Trixie. Jack’s parents swore they’d be back any day now to pick her up, but any day was taking a long time. Penny didn’t mind. Trixie had become her most reliable companion lately anyway.

She went to check on Trixie and let her out of her crate. Apparently, she’d had her breakfast. Jack had most likely already taken her for a morning walk, but Penny would take her for another, just to be sure.

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