Page 8 of Buns in the Oven

When I make it to Wes’s place, I’m a bundle of nerves again, practicing over and over in my head how I’m going to break the news to him. He opens his apartment door with a relaxed grin that makes me even more nervous.

“Welcome, m’lady,” he says. “Your dinner awaits.”

I can’t help but laugh, and the moment of entertainment is much needed. Wes leads me over to his dining table and pulls back a chair for me. After I’m seated, he steps away for a few seconds and then comes back with two plates of shrimp pasta and a bottle of wine tucked under his arm.

The meal is delicious, and I try to eat as much as I can, even though my appetite is pretty much nonexistent. But I don’t touch the glass of wine that Wes has poured for me, and I cringe every time I glance at it. Wes doesn’t seem to notice that I’m not drinking the wine until halfway through our meal, though.

“Don’t like the wine?” he asks, giving me a smile.

“Sorry. I just don’t feel like having any tonight.”

He shakes his head. “I should’ve asked.” He studies me a moment longer and frowns. “Everything okay? You’re a little quiet tonight.”

I press my lips together. Ihaveto tell him now. I can’t put it off any longer.

“Wes…I have something difficult to tell you.”

His frown deepens. “What’s wrong, Stella?”

All the ways I’ve been mentally practicing this moment suddenly vanish. Instead, the words burst out of my mouth.

“I’m pregnant.”

Wes stares at me for a second. Then he says, slowly, “You are?”

“I’m as shocked as you are, Wes. I guess my birth control wasn’t as reliable as I thought it was. And I’m freaking out. I don’t know what to do.”

“Oh, babe,” he says, and suddenly he’s pushing back his chair and moving over to me and taking me into his arms. As soon as his arms wrap around me, I break down and start crying into the nook of his neck. He holds me tight, rocking me, not saying anything, just holding me.

When I stop crying, he pulls back, wipes the tears from my face, and looks me straight in the eye.

“Stella…” he says. “I’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to tell you this, but I can’t wait any longer. I love you, Stella. I’ve been falling in love with you ever since I walked into the café and saw you.”

My breath hitches. But he has more to say, too. “I know we didn’t plan on this, but…you know what? I’m fuckingexcitedto have a baby with you.”

His words overwhelm me in the best of ways. My heart is beating like mad in my chest. Weslovesme. And he’sexcitedto have a baby.

Suddenly I feel like everything’s going to be okay.

And in that moment, I also realize that my feelings are just as strong for him. In fact, I think I’ve been in love with him since that day he walked into the café, too. It might have been mostly lust at first, but now it’s a thousand times more meaningful than that.

As I pull him toward me for a kiss, I tell him, “I love you, too, Wes.”

Chapter Six

Wes

I’m damn tempted to get down on one knee right then and there. But I fight my desire to, because I don’t want her thinking that I’m only proposing because she’s pregnant. I don’t want her thinking that I’m doing it on impulse, even though the truth is that I’ve been thinking about her becoming my wife since our second date.

Stella and I talk for a long time that night. And among all of our talk about the baby, she also mentions that her parents are going to be in town for a few days, and she tells me she wants me to be there with her.

“I’ll give them a heads up that we’re together, sothatwon’t be a surprise,” she says. “But I think we should tell them and my brother about the baby while we’re all together. My parents will be leaving for who knows how long after that, and I really want to tell them in person.”

I nod. I haven’t seen her parents since I was in high school, but I have fond memories of them both. When I’d go over to Joey’s house, his mom would always set out the best snacks, and his dad would always joke around.

Here’s hoping they’re still as chill as I remember them being.

The day after Stella tells me she’s pregnant, I go to a jewelry store to pick out an engagement ring. I consider myself to be a pretty decisive guy, but looking over all the engagement ring options in the store? It’s fuckingoverwhelming.