Page 125 of Putting Out
She nodded.
“I thought you were on the pill.”
“I had just stopped taking it. It all happened so fast. I didn’t think it would be an issue. I’m thirty-six…”
“But it is. I mean you are,” Kenny said.
“Yep.”
Kenny nodded. He did the math and realized she was almost two and a half months along, which means she had to have known for weeks.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Say what? Hey, it was nice seeing you. Good times. Oh, by the way, I’m pregnant. Good luck with your girlfriend.”
“We talked. I told you how I felt.”
Tessa winced.
“You didn’t believe me,” Kenny realized. “I thought you were just lonely.”
“I was,” he admitted. “For you. Can you come closer?”
She looked at him suspiciously.
“Why?”
“Because I want do this as best I can in a hospital bed.”
“Kenny,” she admonished. “I don’t think we should get crazy with your arm all bandaged up.”
He smiled mischievously.
“Look whose mind went in the gutter. I wasn’t talking about heating up the sheets. Just give me your hand.”
She reached out her hand. He took it in his. The contact felt good to him. Solid and right and warm and permanent.
“Tessa Elizabeth McDonald….”
“I still can’t believe you remember my middle name,” she puffed.
“Soon to be mother of my child,” Kenny continued undaunted despite the fact his heart rate kicked into another gear as the word child left his mouth. “Will you marry me?”
“You mean it?” she asked tightening her grip on his hand. “You really mean it?”
Kenny paused for a second to consider how important all this was. Forever. With Tessa and a baby. Forever. Tessa. Baby. Yeah, it was pretty much a no-brainer.
“I really mean it,” he told her and despite his best efforts, he couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice.
