First Crush, My Forever

Chapter 85

  I unbuckle KK from her car seat and walk her inside, trying to keep it together but I'm starving. The kind of hunger that makes me want to cry. I'm pregnant, tired, and counting down the minutes till Taytum walks through that door with BBQ. I've already set out plates and made sure there's tea in the fridge for her like I always do.

  But she's taking too long for my pregnant self. Cravings are definitely kicking in and earlier than they did with Kadence.

  The house is quiet except for KK's cartoons humming low from the living room. She's curled up on the couch, still in her school clothes, one sock halfway off and her Tiana doll tucked under her chin. I kiss the top of her head and head to the kitchen, pacing. My head hurts, my back aches, and my stomach is cramping from being so empty. Taytum said she was heading to grab the food, but it feels like she's been gone forever. I keep glancing out the window, like maybe that'll make her appear faster.

  When I hear tires in the driveway, I practically throw the door open.

  But the car outside isn't hers.

  My chest tightens.

  That's not her K5.

  It's a SUV, slick and wolf gray, with black trim and tinted windows. I don't recognize it. My heart skips. Who the hell is that?

  I step outside, squinting as the driver's door opens.

  Taytum steps out.

  I blink, not even sure I'm seeing right. She's grinning like she just won the damn lottery. I stand there, speechless, until she walks around to the passenger side and opens the door.

  "Hey baby," she says, smiling.

  "What... what is going on?" I ask, walking toward her, eyes locked on the Kia Sorento.

  She grabs the food bags like nothing's out of the ordinary. "I traded the K5."

  "What?"

  "I wanted something better. Something that fits our family. For you, KK, the baby. Something more grown-up. This one's safer, has more room, drives like a dream."

  I just stand there, jaw hanging open, totally stunned. This SUV is beautiful. It's definitely bigger than her car, spotless, luxurious. "Taytum, you loved your car. That was your baby."

  She shrugs and glances at me, her voice soft. "I really love this. But more importantly, I love you more. I love us more."

  The words hit hard. I don't even think. I surge forward, grab her face in both hands, and kiss the absolute hell out of her. It's messy, desperate, so full of everything I've been carrying. I don't even think about it. It's all instinct. All emotions. My body moves faster than my brain. I kiss her deep and hard and breathless, not caring that we're in the damn driveway, that the food's still in her hands, that I'm crying all over her.

  She makes a soft noise in her throat and kisses me back, steady and sure. Her mouth is warm, her one hand touches my waist. She doesn't flinch when my tears soak into her shirt.

  "Damn, baby," Taytum laughs when I finally pull back for air. I'm laughing and sniffing at the same time, a complete hormonal wreck.

  "I'm sorry," I whisper, wiping my eyes. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

  She laughs gently. "You're pregnant. You're allowed to be a little extra."

  We go inside, and she sets the food down on the counter. I follow her, still trying to wrap my head around what just happened. The smell of brisket, pulled pork and baked beans hits me like a truck, and I lean against the counter, overwhelmed.