Page 83 of Let Me Love You

“Take it from someone who’s really good at it. Never apologize for making a splash, Kate.” She plops a loud-smacking kiss on my cheek and lets me go. “I’m gonna buy this baby so many clothes.”

“Dude, the kid’s gonna be the cutest little Lions fan on the planet,” Theo adds. He slaps Macklin’s back, and I point at Papa Taylor.

“Ya know, Macklin and I were discussing using your first name for the little one’s middle name if he’s a boy, but after the little stunt you pulled, you can kiss that option goodbye.”

“Oh, I can, huh?” He laughs.

“Mm-hmm. Big mistake, throwing me under the bus.”

He shakes his head and slaps his hand against Mack’s shoulder. “You did good, Mack.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Mack looks at me, his head cocked. “I did. Oh. And we’re getting married. Probably should’ve mentioned that part.”

Blake gasps and claps her hands. “Yay! We can plan our weddings together!”

I consider waving my forefinger around as if it’s a white surrender flag but stop myself and say, “Can’t wait, Blake.”

And the crazy part?

I really can’t.

A few minutes later, the chairs scrape against the hardwood floor as everyone sits back down, a buzz of excitement filtering throughout the dining room when I feel Mama Taylor staring at me.

As I meet her gaze, I shy away in my chair, embarrassed, though I don’t know why. “What is it?” I ask.

“You’ve hardly eaten a crumb,” she notes, motioning to the lonely, barely-touched blueberry muffin on my plate. “I’m so sorry. Is it morning sickness?”

“Yeah. I’ll be fine,” I lie. Well, technically, it isn’t a lie. I’m sure I’ll be fine at some point. It might take a few weeks, but…

“Well, can I get you something else?” she offers. “When I was pregnant with the boys, I always felt better when I had something in my stomach.”

I consider her question and scan the plethora of food in front of me. Unfortunately, none of it looks appealing. At all. In fact, the idea of any of it touching my mouth makes me want to run to the bathroom all over again. But Mama Taylor’s probably right. My stomach feels like a shaken-up can of soda. I should eat something.

But what?

Then it dawns on me. What I’m craving. The realization causes a completely irrational burn to hit behind my eyes, and I squeeze them closed.

“Ah, honey. What’s wrong?” she asks. “What can I get you?”

Noticing my shift in emotion, Macklin stares down at me, his brows pulled low in concern as he squeezes my thigh beneath the table. “What is it?”

I nod. “It’s…” A pathetic laugh slips out of me. “I, um, could really use a cookie right now.”

Practically preening, Mama Taylor gets to her feet and heads to the kitchen, returning with a Tupperware container loaded with her famous chocolate chip cookies. She sets them in front of me, and I take the lid off, breathing in the familiar scent of chocolate, vanilla, and brown sugar.

Yup. These are exactly what the doctor ordered.

Apparently, this baby is a Taylor after all.

30

BLAKELY

“You look like you’re gonna puke,” Theo notes as we pull up to my mom’s house.

“Ifeellike I’m gonna puke.” I press my hands to my hot cheeks and blow out a deep breath.

“Why are you nervous?”