Stay (10 page)

Epilogue

Evan had to remain in the hospital overnight. The doctor released him early the next day when he realized his patient wouldn’t sit still and definitely wouldn’t follow doctor’s orders if it meant staying in the hospital one minute longer.

I went home with him to Tampa while he took a couple weeks off work. After my boss found out who my boyfriend was, he had no issue giving me the extra time away to help him convalesce. Evan thanked him by sending signed merchandise and arranging for front row tickets to the next three shows in Houston.

I cuddled against him in his giant king-sized bed, which I was convinced had been made especially for him, since this particular “king” bed was at least double the one my parents had at their house. Evan flipped through the channels on television, growing more irritated by the minute.

“There’s nothing on TV during the day! How do people not go crazy with this shit?” He changed yet another talk show, what looked like
Divorce Court
or the
People’s Court
, a soap opera, infomercial, infomercial, soap opera…maybe he had a point.

Gently pulling the remote from his hands, I turned the television off and rolled onto my side facing him. “Some people like these shows. I won’t admit to how many my mother records on her DVR to binge watch later. Or that I was addicted to
General Hospital
in my teens.”

The sheets rustled as he dragged me closer. “I think you just did. But it’s okay, I love you anyway.”

My heart skipped a beat, but not because of fear. No, it did flip-flops in my chest because I still couldn’t believe this man loved me, despite my trying so hard to push him away. “I love you too.”

Even though the doctor cleared us for sex—he had to rest cognitively, but that was most definitely on the list of things he could do—I still hadn’t made a move to take things in that direction. When I felt Evan’s cock hardening against my leg, I knew I had to put the brakes on.

“Evan, there’s something I think we should talk about,” I said, sliding out of his arms.

He frowned, pulling himself up to a sitting position. “I don’t think I like the way this conversation is beginning.”

I sat up next to him and crossed my legs. My toenails desperately needed new polish, and it was past time to shave my legs. I knew I was mentally stalling, but this wouldn’t be so easy to say, given how new our relationship status was. “Do you remember what happened after Main Event?”

He nodded slowly. “Yes, I do. We were in such a hurry to get horizontal, we didn’t actually make it that far.”

My blood heated at the memory. “You fucked me against the door.” I swallowed heavily as everything in me chilled. “And we forgot the condom.”

Evan sat there a moment while the wheels turned in his head. As a result of the massive concussion, it was harder for him to concentrate, but I saw the moment it clicked. “Are you—”

“I don’t know.” I blurted, cutting him off. “I haven’t taken a test, but I’m late, and the last period was so light, I barely noticed it.” I held my breath, waiting for him to freak out.

He’d flat out told me he wasn’t ready for children, and yet here we were. I knew it was as much his fault as it was mine. We’d both forgotten. We were both too caught up in the moment. But if I
were
pregnant, I’d be the only one who
couldn’t
walk away.

Saying nothing, Evan climbed out of bed and yanked on a T-shirt before stepping into a pair of old beat up slippers. He looked silly wearing his Tweety Bird pajama pants, but with how terrified I was of his reaction to the news, I didn’t dare even crack a smile.

After he pulled a baseball hat from his collection in the closet, he turned and looked down at me. “Are you coming, or not? I’m not supposed to drive for another few days, so….”

Immediately, I jumped up and threw on a pair of jeans, one of his T-shirts, and a pair of ballet flats. Pulling my hair into a sloppy bun, I grabbed my purse and moved toward the door. “Let’s go.”

He directed me toward the nearest drug store and bought three pregnancy tests, each a different brand. “Can’t be too sure.”

Seeing him crouched in the aisle, looking through the different tests with such a look of concentration on his face made me realize two things. One, just how adorable he was. And two, how much I’d die if I lost him. Strangely enough, I wasn’t concerned about the results of the test. Either I was pregnant or I wasn’t. No matter the result, I’d have to put on my big girl panties and accept the consequences of my actions.

Back at the house, I took the tests while he paced outside the bathroom door. No matter how much we loved each other, seeing the other person use the facilities wasn’t high on our list of things to do. Ever.

After I dipped each test into the sterile cup one of the boxes provided, we sat on the bed with the timer on Evan’s phone ticking down the seconds until we found out our fate.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

We stared into each other’s eyes, frozen to the spot. “Are you ready?” He asked, placing his phone behind us on the bed and standing.

No. I’m scared this is going to change everything.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” I took his offered hand, stood, and walked with him to the bathroom.

There on the counter were three negative tests.

I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding and turned to Evan. “I guess that’s that.”

An odd expression crossed his face, somewhere between joy and regret. I wondered if he wanted me to be pregnant. But he’d said he wasn’t ready for kids. Had that changed?

I threw the tests into the trash and we walked back into the bedroom. Sitting on the bed, I expected him to do the same. Instead, he moved to his dresser drawer—the one with all his giant socks, entirely too large for my feet but still very warm and comfortable—and pulled something out.

“I told you I wasn’t ready for kids, and I meant it. But I do want them someday. So, the test being negative was a good thing, because it means I get more time with you by myself. It also means,” he said as he knelt down in front of me, “that you won’t get the wrong idea when I give you this.”

The thing he’d pulled from his drawer was a ring box. I suddenly forgot how to breathe.

“Charlotte Phillips, I’m in love with you. You’ve made me happier in the last seven months than I’ve ever been. Will you consider staying with me for the rest of our lives?” He popped open the lid, and the most stunning ring I’d ever seen in my life reflected the overhead lights back at me, it sparkled so brightly.

“I—I…” I couldn’t remember English! Or any words at all, for that matter.

Evan started to look nervous. “You…what?”

I wanted to hyperventilate, that’s what. Instead, I closed my eyes, counted to five, and expelled a long breath. “Are you sure? I mean, when did you buy that ring? ’Cause if you’re asking because of the concussion, it’s okay. I can wait until you’re really ready—”

“I am.” He stood and sat next to me, reaching out his free hand to gently cup my face. “Charlie, beautiful, I’ve never been more sure or more ready. I bought this ring before I asked you to come home with me the first time. It’s been sitting in my drawer, waiting for
you
to be ready. Waiting to accept that you have a man who loves you, who’d do anything for you, who’d move mountains for you if you asked. You needed time, so I waited. I think you’re ready now. So, I’ll ask again—Charlie, will you marry me?”

I said the only word bouncing around in my head. “Yes.”

ABOUT PAIGE PRINCE

Author Paige Prince has been writing since she was 7 years old when she first picked up a pen to write out her fantasy of being Joe McIntyre’s girlfriend (she was 7, cut her some slack). Since then, she’s discovered that there are more fun things to write about than just holding hands and going to the movies. Paige hails from a small suburb of Houston, Texas. She’s married to the man of her dreams and they have one beautiful little girl who is the light of their lives, one very lazy dachshund, and one adventurous (if crazy) cat.

You can find Paige avoiding work on Facebook, or chatting up her friends on Twitter. Paige also writes taboo erotic romance under the name Rhyann Harris.

Find Paige online:

Website: http://authorpaigeprince.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paigeprinceauthor

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorPaigePrince/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/paige_prince

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Author Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/paigeprince

Also Available from Paige Prince/Rhyann Harris and Torquere Press:

SHORT STORIES

Thirty-Six Hours / First Weekend / Can I Make You Feel

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Stay
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