Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
I laugh and half an hour later we sit at our window eating pizza, and Cat decides she only wants the olives. “I think we need to name this kid Olive.”
“That’s a bad joke. We will not name our child Olive. What’s the middle name going to be? Branch?”
We laugh through a selection of names until we close up the pizza box. “When and who do you want to tell?”
“Lori and Cole should know, I think,” Cat says. “Don’t you?”
“Agree but what about family?”
“Can we wait until at least twelve weeks? Just to be sure everything is okay?”
The tentativeness in her voice draws an instant reaction from me. I lay her down again and settle my knee between hers, my body on the couch next to her. “We will tell people when you want to tell people.” I stroke her cheek. “Cat, I know how disconnected you’ve always felt from your family, and how important ours is going to be to you but know this: That family starts with us. If something were to happen, which it won’t, we still have us. And that will always be the start of good things.”
Tears pool in her eyes. “Yes. Yes, you’re right. I won’t forget that. That’s why Debbie couldn’t get to me. I know how good we are.”
I stroke away the dampness on her cheeks. “We’re going to think only good things. Okay?”
“Yes. Okay.”
I slide down her body and lift her shirt, pressing my lips to her belly. “Our baby.”
She smiles and laughs. “Little Olive.”
“Little Olive,” I jokingly approve. “Now,” I reach for her zipper. “I’m going to need to kiss you from head to toe, just to make sure you know how happy I am about this news.”
Chapter eighty-five
Cat
The morning after Reese learns he’s going to be a father, we wake to the news that Martha has officially been arrested. Everything is going as expected which means Reese and I are in the back of Savage’s SUV on our way to court when my agent calls. “Your publisher read your column this morning along with the rest of the world. They want a book. Ten percent higher than the last deal.”
“Send me the contract to review,” I say.
“To review?” Liz demands. “Are you crazy?”
No, I think, just pregnant. I have a baby to think about, which means deadlines and due dates, have to be considered.
“Do you know how much money this is?” she adds.
Since I keep reading about how expensive babies are, I decide the offer is a good offer. “I’m always cautious. I need to review the contract but it’s probably a yes.”
“Probably?”
“I need to go,” I say, as we pull up to the courthouse. “I’ll call you later.”
Reese arches a brow. “Book deal?”
“College fund.”
He laughs, and a few minutes later, with Savage still by my side, through at least today, I enter the courtroom. Not much later, there’s a press conference with Reese and Milton, and Dana as the special guest. It’s hours before the crowd thins and Dana is so ready to be away from it all that we discover that she’s already packed and Savage is dropping her off at the airport. “Savage talked to Reginald for me,” she says as we walk her to the side exit with Savage moving on ahead to clear the exterior of the building. “He seems to understand why I can’t talk to him.”
We stop at the doors to wait on Savage and Dana hugs me and Reese. There are lots of happy words. Finally, Savage waves her onward to join him outside. We’ve just sealed her inside the SUV when she rolls down the window. “Maybe I’ll take Savage to Paris.”
We both laugh and the SUV pulls away. “You think Savage will go?” I ask.
“Not Savage. He’s not about money.”
“She’s a pretty woman.”
“She’s not a Savage woman. You are, but we took care of that with the lipstick.” He wraps his arm around me and another SUV pulls up in front of us. Reese grabs the back door and once we’re inside, we find Royce is our driver.
“They just cleared Reginald,” he announces as he set us into gear.
“Dana is on her way to the airport,” I say. “She might want to wait on Reginald.”
“Savage told her right as they pulled away,” Royce says. “And the evidence against Martha is damning. This is over for Dana. It’s over for you two.”
“And yet so much more has just begun,” Reese says. “I know. You can stop playing dumb.”
Royce glances at me in the mirror. “We’re not telling anyone but Lori and Cole right now and not until after my appointment on Monday.”
“Understood,” Royce says.
A few minutes later we exit at our apartment and Royce meets us at the door. “Congratulations you two. If you need survival tips. Well, I have survived. You will, too. That’s about the best I got other than calling my wife.”