Lasting Attraction (Cassie Series) (19 page)

             
"Thanks," he says excitedly.

             
I really am happy for him. It warms my heart to know that things are looking in the right direction for him.

             
Avery comes out and sits down next to me, immediately grabbing my hand and kissing it. I know its a possessive thing, and I completely understand it, but it doesn't change the fact it annoys me. I don't like feeling owned like that. Its too controlling. The only time I want to feel owned, is in the bedroom.

             
Pierce's name is called. He stands up and looks over at us. "So I'll see you at one thirty then."

             
"See you then," I tell him.

             
When he is out of sight with the lady, I stand up and grab at my purse before walking towards the entrance. Avery keeps up pace with me but doesn't say anything until we're out of the lab. "Are you angry with me?"

             
I don't look at him as I make my way towards the car. "Nope."

             
"I feel as though you are."

             
"No, Avery, I'm not. I'm just... I don't know. Frustrated, I guess."

             
"Well, I think we all are!"

             
I turn just as I reach the car and give him a pointed look. "Excuse me? I'm sorry, but I'm not frustrated with his whole triangle pregnancy bullshit, I'm frustrated with your need to claim me in front of Pierce."

             
"Whys that, Cassie?" Avery gets closer to me and cocks his head to the side.

             
"Because its just plain rude."

             
He shakes his head and walks towards the driver’s seat, getting in then slamming the door shut. I climb into the passenger seat, mirroring his actions. We both are completely quiet as he makes his way to a bakery for me to get a coffee and food. I don't want to be angry with him, but I'm just annoyed in general.

             
When we pull into the bakery, he keeps the car idling and pulls out his cell phone. I look over at him, confused. "You're not coming in?"

             
"Nope."

             
"Avery, I'm sorry-"

             
"Don't," he cuts me off, still not looking at me. "Just go get your damn coffee and muffin or whatever you're fucking eating."

             
"Fuck off." I get out of the car and slam the door, once again. Of course, of all days, this has to be the one that we blow up at each other. I knew these past few weeks of pure bliss would be ruined in a matter of time. Damn hormones, and sleeping around, and love, and all this other bullshit. I'm done with it. I'm so damn sick and tired of it.

             
I take a few deep breaths before ordering my coffee, and with my stomach all in a mess, I keep it just at that. I sit down near a window and look out towards the car. Avery is talking on the phone and I can see him expressing his frustration with me. He looks downright pissed, and I really don't blame him, but I did try to apologize.

             
Knowing we both need a few moments, I just sit her and sip on my coffee. When I'm down to the last drops, I glance out towards the car again and see Avery just leaning back in the seat, relaxing and waiting. I feel guilty- yet again!

             
The second I slide into the passenger seat, he leans over and lays his lips on mine. "I'm sorry too," he says quickly. His green eyes bore into my own and I can't help the smile that comes to my face. God he is just so ridiculously handsome.

             
"It's a stressful day. I didn't mean to react the way I did."

             
"I know, I know. Let's go home and watch a movie and eat some food. I'm not sure what else I can handle before this damn ultrasound."

             
I have to agree with Avery completely.

             
The first part of the doctor’s appointment went about the same as normal. It was quick and to the point, just how I was hoping it would be. Now I lay here on a lounger and await the ultrasound technician to finish prepping everything. Pierce stands near my feet and Avery at my side. When the three of us walked in at the same time, the poor lady almost had a heart attack. I'm sure she sees similar things, but I'm sure half the guys that come in here don't look like Pierce and Avery do.

             
She doesn't ask much, just how I'm feeling and I've felt the baby kick yet, which sadly I haven't. According to my OB, it's pretty normal with the first pregnancy, but it scares me since a lot of people have been asking me the last three weeks now. Its another reason I've been incredibly nervous about this ultrasound. I want to make sure everything is alright with the baby, but if its not, I'm not sure I could handle it at this point.

             
I've had two other ultrasounds, but those were early on. Online research has made me terrified of any and everything.

             
I pull up my tank top when asked, and she squirts on the warm gunk, massaging it in with the wand. Just then a tiny blurb pops up on the screen and I can see what looks like the profile of an actual baby. It looked nothing like this before.

             
"Oh my God," I say immediately, reacting differently than I thought I would. I look over to Avery and then at Pierce. They're both just staring at the screen in amazement and the only thing I feel like doing is crying all of a sudden. I turn my attention back to the screen and watch as the technician presses buttons and zooms in in different places.

             
She explains the hands and arms, feet and legs, all the measurements, the head circumference, all that stuff I had no idea that even went on during an ultrasound. When she is finally done with everything, she looks over at me with a very content smile on her face. "Well, you certainly have yourself one very healthy baby. With the measurements, I'd say you're right on track, and the baby is fifteen ounces, which is a great weight. Do you have any questions?"

             
"Um, I don't think so?" I don't have much too even think about, I'm still absorbing all the information she just told me. I'm pretty sure in this moment, right here, its the first time I've felt like a mom. Wow, a mother. I'm going to be a mother. It just hit me out of the blue. Obviously I knew that before, but the realization of it never felt surreal until this moment right here.

             
"I do," Avery says from beside me. The lady looks up at him and asks what his question is the same time I turn my head to face him. "Can we find out if it's a boy or girl yet?"

             
"Please," Pierce adds in.

             
She laughs and looks at me. "Well, that is all up to mommy here."

             
"Yeah," I blurt out really fast. I was so mad at Aubrey for making me wait. I'm actually surprised I didn't ask the lady already, I've been anxiously waiting since I found out I was pregnant what I was going to be having.

             
"Well, it looks as though you are going to have yourself one very healthy, happy baby boy."

             
"A boy?" The tears break through and I close my eyes, basking in the moment. I kind of wish my mom were here with me to celebrate this moment. I want to hug someone, I want to hold them, but I'm almost too scared to do that with Avery, because I don't want Pierce to feel left out. Then if I hug Pierce too, I don't want to anger Avery. So instead I just lay here, allowing myself to soak in the news. I'm going to have myself a baby boy in a handful of months.

             
"Why don't you get yourself cleaned up while I do the same? I have some ultrasound pictures here for you, that you can keep, and then you'll be all set to go."

             
Once we leave the room, I give Pierce a hug anyways, although its a hug you'd give a teacher or something. It's awkward and quick, but I felt I owed it to him. I tell him I'll call him when I find out the results from the DNA testing, and he says his goodbyes. Avery and I let him leave before us, and the second he is out the door, Avery pulls me into him, giving me the biggest hug in the world.

             
"I cannot believe we're going to be having a baby boy. I'm so happy, Cassie, you have no idea." He kisses the top of my head.

             
Once we're back in the car and heading back to the apartment, I call Aubrey first, then my parent’s one at a time, to tell them the news, the same time Avery calls his family and friends. Everyone is thrilled about the news, as I knew they would be. Honestly, I wouldn't have cared if it were a boy or girl one bit, I was just happy to be having a healthy baby, but I feel as though having a boy just seemed right. Then again, the past few years have proven that I'm not exactly good with boys.

             
The night is celebrated with lots and lots of sex, some ice cream, some pizza, and even more sex. I'm disappointed when we go to bed and there is no phone call from the lab, but they did say it could be a couple days, depending on how busy they were.

             
The next day Aubrey picks me up and we head out to go do some shopping. My mom mentioned something about making a registry, and although I don't know much about it, we head to a few stores to do just that. Once I'm at the first store, the lady at the counter explains everything and gives me a wand. Probably the best invention ever. Aubrey and I walk around the store and I get to scan everything I want for my son, and people can purchase it for me for the baby shower.

             
It's actually harder than I thought it would be. Find a crib I like, with a cute baby boy set that goes well with the crib, then all the matching decorations for the room. Then the other furniture like the glider chair, changing table, different brand of diapers. It's very overwhelming and I'm sure I'd have been in tears within five minutes if Aubrey wasn't walking me through the process.

             
In fact, a few times Dakota would coo at a certain item in such a way that I had to add it to the registry. It was like baby intuition. She just happened to know my baby would like that too.

             
"Have you thought of names yet?" Aubrey asks when we leave the store three hours later.

             
I look over at her, disgusting by the fact I have to think once again. Right now, my brain is fried learning all the new information I just did about babies and all the requirements.

             
"No. I haven't thought about a name at all actually. I've been waiting to find out who the father is, so we could agree on a name together. If she were a girl, she would have had the middle name Aubrey, but that is all I knew."

             
"Aw, you're so sweet. Now I feel guilty I didn't have your name incorporated into Dakota's."

             
"Stop it, I love her name."

             
Aubrey smiles over at me as she continues pushing the stroller. We decided to grab some lunch since its getting around that time, and in a place where Dakota can be fed too. "Have you thought about his last name at all?"

             
I look over at her and give her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

             
"Well, are you giving him the father's last name, no matter who it is?"

             
"I guess I didn't think about that. But... yeah. I mean, why wouldn't I?"

             
She shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know. Just didn't know if it'd be your last name or one of the guy's."

             
"One of the guy's," I say with an eye roll. "Man, I really am a slut."

             
"A pregnant slut that will most certainly be a milf," she says with a wink.

             
We get seated at an outdoor luncheon and each order a drink. While she situates Dakota, I feel my phone vibrate and pull it out of my pocket. Its a private number so I immediately shriek and hit the green button on my phone. "Hello?"