Hourglass Squared (2 page)

Carl chuckled as Jake grasped the elevator door just before it almost closed on his face.

As my feet banged across the floor like a child, I darted straight to our bedroom, pulled my dress over my head, and tossed it onto the plush white carpet, then flung my heels off my feet. I listened to them crash into the wall with two loud thuds as I made my way into the bathroom. I snatched the toothpaste out of the drawer and filled it with mint-flavored paste before I vigorously began scrubbing my teeth.

Jake quietly walked into the bathroom and leaned against the doorframe, admiring me in nothing but my matching lace bra and panty set, mid-temper tantrum. "You finished giving me the silent treatment yet?"

I glared at him through the mirror, shaking my head no.

He chuckled, amused with my attitude and began taking his clothes off until he was down to nothing but his boxers.

Still brushing my teeth, I admired his perfect body. His golden skin was sun-kissed and his defined muscles perfectly sculpted as if he was a god who should have had a throne atop Mount Olympus. I may have been livid with him, but he was my husband and by far the sexiest man I'd ever seen.

Giving my poor toothbrush a break, I rinsed my mouth and left the bathroom. Before I climbed into bed, I set the alarm on my phone and placed it down on my nightstand. Finally allowing myself to lie down onto my goose-feather pillow, I tugged the covers up to my chin and turned on my side, facing away from Jake's side of the bed. A few moments later, I felt his side sink as a warm body joined me under the covers. Wrapping an arm around me, he pulled my body tight up against his and kissed my cheek.

"I like you better when you're talking to me."

Rolling my eyes, I grumbled, "I like you better when you aren't trying to knock me up."

His body shook the bed with laughter, and he kissed me again. "I don't think you can get knocked up this way, but if you'd like, there are several other ways, and I'd be more than willing to show you each and every single one of them."

Not able to contain the smirk that took over my face, I rolled over and gazed into my husband's eyes, "Not tonight, Jake, please. I'm not ready. Can we just enjoy the fact that we're going to have a niece or nephew in nine months?"

He kissed the tip of my nose. "Fine, but this conversation is far from over. You know I've always wanted my kids to grow up with Josh's kids. This isn't news to you, Sav. I'll leave it alone for now, but I promise you, it won't be for long."

Rolling back over, I closed my eyes, forcing myself to fall asleep.

The next morning the buzzer of my alarm went off at exactly eight in the morning, and I reached for my phone to silence the annoying racket. I pressed the snooze button three more times before rolling out of bed and into the shower to wake myself up. Saturdays were usually my day of rest. Jake always let me sleep in until at least ten, but today I was hell bent on getting up and out of the house so I could buy Brooke and Josh their first official baby gift.

When I knocked on Brooke's door, I was practically jumping up and down with excitement as I swung the light blue gift bag around in circles. Josh opened the door. "Hey, Sav, back so soon?"

Pushing past him, I replied, "Yes, I was baby shopping this morning. Where's Brooke?"

I peeked my head into every room of the house when Brooke appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Her words reflected mine from the night before.

I stopped and looked at my best friend, my sister-in-law, and a smile took over my face. "Brooke, you are glowing, literally. I know they say that pregnant people glow, but seriously, you're really doing it. I always thought it was a bunch of crap that moms spewed to make pregnancy seem more exciting."

A light laugh escaped her lips as her hands instinctively went to her belly, cradling the peanut-sized baby growing inside of her. I turned to Josh and admired him as he smiled up at his pregnant wife. "You two are so damn cute. I'm so excited for the both of you."

Brooke floated down the stairs. "I see you've been shopping?" she asked.

Grinning from ear to ear, I handed over the
Tiffany's
gift bag, and Brooke shoved past the tissue paper, revealing a rectangular blue box that was adorned with a bright white bow out of the bag.

Loosening the bow and removing the lid from the box, Brooke let out a loud belly laugh. "Sav, I'm going to kill you." Holding the gift up to show Josh, she revealed a silver spoon.

"I just couldn't help myself. Whether you like it or not, your children are going to be born with silver spoons in their mouths. After all, they will be heirs to the Worthington Squared fortune."

Josh chuckled under his breath as he looked at the call coming through to his phone. He thanked me for the gift on his way out of the living room.

"So, how are you and Jake?" Brooke inquired as we walked into the kitchen and took the seat across from me at their breakfast nook.

"We're fine, I suppose. I gave him the silent treatment the entire way home and hardly spoke to him before bed. He was on his usual Saturday run when I left, so we haven't spoken yet today. He's not going to let this one go easily, I can already tell."

Brooke's eyes grew sad, and a sigh passed over her lips. "Sav, you've got to compromise. It can't be all about you. Jake is your husband. It's totally understandable that he wants his children to grow up with ours. Don't you want that too?"

I stood and began to pace back and forth. "I do, but I had no idea you and Josh were going to start so early. We haven't even been married a year. You know I've always imagined children after I've turned thirty, never before."

Brooke reached for my hand, pulling me into the seat next to her. "You can't plan every aspect of your life. Think about it. Two years ago you never imagined you'd be married, but now you are and Jake is the man of your dreams. Just imagine what it'll be like to have his children."

I stood, frustrated with Jake and now my best friend. "I'm just not ready. I'm not you, Brooke. I've got to run. See you at work Monday." I placed a quick kiss on my best friend's cheek and left.

Carl greeted me as I entered the lobby. "Mrs. Worthington, how are you this beautiful Saturday afternoon?"

I stopped at his desk and leaned against it. "Hey, Carl, I'm okay. Sorry about last night. I was kind of in a mood."

Carl laughed quietly and handed me the mail. "No apologies needed. We all have bad days."

Once I made my way upstairs, I opened the door and met Jake in the living room, where he was reviewing new designs on his computer.

Leaning over the back of the couch, I kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry for how I acted last night. Do you forgive me?"

Jake reached for my arm and pulled me over the couch and onto his lap. "Do you want to have my babies?" he asked seriously.

Groaning, I tucked my face into his chest. "When I'm thirty, maybe. Right now, absolutely not."

Jake shifted his body, setting me down on the couch and stood. "Fine. Then I don't forgive you, not yet."

Standing, I glared into his eyes. "I don't want to fight with you. I love you, but I'm not ready. I need you to understand that. I love kids, but I don't want to give up my life to play house. These are supposed to be the best years of my life, and the best years don't involve kids. Hell, who knew they even involved marriage?" The look that took hold of Jake's face had me eating the words that'd just fled my mouth, and I was instantly sorry, but it was too late.

Jake's fist clenched, and he took in a deep breath. "You know what the problem is with everything you're saying? It's all about
you.
Not once have you tried to see things from my point of view. No, it's Savannah's way or the highway." He snatched his keys off the table and stormed out the door.

I sunk back onto the couch.
He's right. I've yet to address his feelings.
Sighing, I grabbed my phone and shot him a quick text.

I'm sorry
.

CHAPTER THREE

Brooke

A
S
I
WALKED
through the aisles of the local grocer, I couldn't help but admire and awe at each baby that cooed in a stroller. They all looked like such sweet angels, and I walked up and down, tossing things into my metal shopper, daydreaming about how Josh and my baby would look. Standing by the meat counter, I waited for the butcher to wrap up our steaks, as a woman walked up beside me and took a number.

Peeking over at her, I could see she was well into her own pregnancy as her arms wrapped around, cradling her swollen belly. I smiled, and she turned toward me before I could avert my eyes.

"Hello. Do I know you?"

A crimson blush spread across my face at being caught red-handed. I mentally scolded myself for checking out pregnant women and babies, and wouldn't be surprised if the police showed up soon to arrest and interrogate me, thinking I was a baby snatcher. With a sigh, I finally responded, "I'm so sorry. I was just, er…" I swallowed the nerves down as they attempted to bubble out of me, wringing my fingers together as I prayed the ground would just swallow me up. "I just found out I am expecting, and so I was just in baby world."

"Oh my goodness, congratulations," she enthusiastically said as she hugged her round belly a bit tighter. "I am only about seven months along and not quite done cooking."

Her smile was infectious and so warm that I couldn't help but mirror her expression. "That is so exciting. Congratulations. Do you know whether it is a boy or a girl?"

Disappointment flashed across her face before she quickly tucked it away. "A boy. My husband is thrilled. I was hoping for skirts and bows, but maybe next time." She chuckled. "Oh, he is kicking. Apparently he wants me to acknowledge him." She rubbed her hand in a spot on her right side as I could see the traces of movement inside her belly.

The butcher captured my attention again, passing over my steaks wrapped in the crisp white paper.

"Well, congratulations. I best be getting home before my husband worries." I waved goodbye as I pushed my cart toward a checkout line.

Walking in, I had bags on each arm stacked up like a pack mule. "Josh, I'm home!" I called through the house, hoping he'd retrieve the rest of the groceries from the trunk.

Rushing around the corner in a pair of basketball shorts, he snatched the bags off my arms in a flurry. "Brooke, sweetheart. You don't need to be carrying the bags. I will get them all." He followed me into the kitchen where I began to unload the groceries and put them away.

"Am I
allowed
to do this?" I sarcastically asked, rolling my eyes up to the heavens. "I'm not an invalid now that I'm pregnant, Josh." I grumbled as he walked back out to the car.

"Nope, he knows that. He just worries." Jake's deep voice spoke from behind me.

Spinning around, I smiled at him. "Jake, is Sav here too?" I asked, hoping for my best friend's smiling face after this morning.

He rolled his shoulders as his muscles bunched and corded then snatched the package of cookies and opened them. "Nope, I left her self-centered ass at home."

Narrowing my eyes at Jake, disappointed by his foul attitude, I moved to scold him. "Now Jake. This is Savannah. Don't act like you didn't know this before you married her. Before she met you she wasn't even into the relationship thing. Sav has a plan and is stubborn as hell. You can't force a baby on her."

Looking taken aback, Jake opened his mouth to defend himself. "I am not forcing her!"

"Hey, whoa! You're yelling at a pregnant woman there, bro. Back up." Josh shoved through and set down the rest of the bags.

As Jake shook his head, his eyes softened. "Sorry, Brooke. It's just, you guys are so happy and so excited, and I just want that for us. She'd be an amazing mother, and I figured she'd want to be pregnant with her best friend. You two are inseparable, planned your weddings together, got married a month apart, work together. I just figured it was perfect so that our kids would be close in age and grow up together."

Placing my hand on Jake's cotton shirt sleeve, I rubbed his arm to soothe him. We both had probably gotten a bit out of hand moments before. I could see the pain in his eyes that things were off track for how he'd planned his life, just as much as Savannah was rejecting it, glued to her own. "Jake, Sav wants to enjoy you. Enjoy marriage. Boost her career. She isn't saying never. She is just saying not yet. Don't push her away so stuck on your own plan."

Jake slowly nodded his head as Josh came up behind us both. "Aw, what a family bonding moment. Group hug!" Josh's and Jake's faces lit up as they both wrapped their huge arms around me and smothered me between them.

"Brooke sandwich," Jake teased as his arms constricted around me but careful to not squish my bumpless belly.

"You two are impossible. Impossible!" I tossed my hands up in the air for dramatics as I walked toward the staircase. "Jake are you staying for dinner?" I asked, taking the first step.