First Crush, My Forever

Chapter 111

  The house feels slow this morning. No alarms. No work. No school. Just the sun coming through the curtains and the weight of Taytum's arm around my waist. She is warm behind me and breathing steady. The baby is low and heavy, but not kicking yet. My back feels stiff, but not bad. I shift a little and Taytum wakes right away because she always does the second I move.

  "You okay?" she mumbles.

  "Yeah," I whisper. "Just trying to get comfortable."

  She slides her hand along my belly and kisses the back of my shoulder. "Let's get up. I'll make breakfast." We get out of bed slow. I pull on shorts and one of her shirts. Taytum throws her hair up and heads downstairs. KK is already awake and sitting on the couch with her blanket and her Tiana plush. She kicks her feet when she sees us.

  "Morning," she says like she's been waiting all week.

  "Morning baby," I say as I sit beside her. "Sleep good?"

  She nods. "I dreamed about waffles."

  "Well," Taytum calls from the kitchen. "That's convenient."

  She cooks. KK talks. I rub my belly and take the morning in. It feels normal and easy. Exactly what Saturday should be. We are halfway through breakfast when the doorbell rings. Taytum answers the door and I hear my mom's voice right away.

  "Where's my grandbaby?" KK jumps off her chair and runs to her. My mom scoops her up and my dad ruffles her hair like he always does.

  My mom kisses my cheek and eyes my belly. "You look good today."

  "I feel alright," I say.

  My dad smiles. "We were headed into town. Thought we'd stop by and steal KK for the day."

  KK gasps like they just offered her a trip to Disney. "Please mommy please please please can I go?"

  I laugh because she is already down and putting her shoes on. "Yeah, go ahead. Be good."

  "I'm always good," she says even though that is not always true.

  Taytum hands her a little backpack with her things. We walk out with my parents and Taytum picks KK up. I give her a hug and kiss, Taytum does the same, then helps her into her seat in my parents' car. Mom stands beside me watching. "She is so good with Kadence. She is going to be a great mama."

  I nod as I watch them. Mom gets my attention when she asks, "Is that something Taytum wants?"

  "Yes," I say. "She is excited to be this little one's mama too. She gladly accepted KK calling her Mama T and absolutely loves it."

  Mom seems pleased and gets into the vehicle with KK and my dad. They promise to bring her back before dinner and then they drive off with KK yelling "Bye!" through the window.

  The second the car is out of the driveway, we walk back inside and the house goes quiet. It's a good quiet. I lean against the doorway and stretch my back. Taytum watches me with that look she gets when she is reading me better than I read myself.

  "You want to go out today?" she asks. "Or stay home and rest?"

  I breathe out slow. "I want to get some maternity clothes. My shirts are starting to fight for their lives."

  She grins. "Then we can go shopping." Taytum cleans the kitchen and tells me to sit while she does it. Then we go upstairs and get dressed to head out.

  It feels nice walking through stores without rushing. I try on a pair of maternity jeans first and laugh because they actually feel amazing. Taytum sits in the little chair outside the dressing room like she has all the time in the world. I step out wearing the jeans and a soft gray top. She looks up and her whole expression changes. "You look good."

  "Good or pregnant auntie at a bake sale?" I ask.

  "Good good," she says. "Like... really good." I roll my eyes to hide the heat under my skin and go back in to try the next thing. The next outfit is a fitted black maternity dress. Soft. Stretchy. Honest.

  I almost don't step out in it. I don't want to see disappointment. I open the door anyway. She stands up the second she sees me. "Dani."

  "What?" I say, already assuming the answer.

  "Turn around." I do. Slow. Her eyes track every inch of me.

  "That one," she says as her voice drops. "You're definitely getting that one."

  I bite back a smile when I see where her eyes are stuck. "You just want to stare at my ass in it."

  "Yes," she says without hesitation. I shake my head and go change again, chest light from relief.

  When I come out in maternity dress pants and a dark red blouse, she is sitting with her elbows on her knees. Thinking. She looks up at me and smiles. "Definitely that too. You look amazing in everything."

  Then she exhales slowly. "So... I've been considering something."

  My eyebrows lift. "Yeah?"

  "Photography," she says. "Freelance. Just small jobs. Portraits. Sports. Families. Events. I want to work. Even while I'm in school." I study her face. She looks nervous, but steady. Like she has carried this a while.

  "What will your moms think?" I ask.

  She shrugs. "They probably won't love it. They've always wanted me to just focus on school. But I don't want everything to fall on you. I want to help." It hits my chest hard because she means it.

  "I think photography fits you," I say. "You're good at it. Like, really good. You could honestly make a career out of it."

  Her shoulders relax. "Yeah?"

  "Yeah." She smiles at me like she just got permission to breathe.

  After I change, we check out with a few tops, the black dress, a few pairs of jeans, dress pants, a couple loose dresses, and a soft sweater she picked up because she said, "I like that one," in a voice that wasn't gentle at all.

  We walk outside with the bags. Sun warm. Air easy. And then I see it. Across the parking lot. Bright sign. Big windows. The adult novelty store.

  Taytum follows my eyes. "Oh." I raise one eyebrow. She smirks. "You want to go in?"

  "Maybe," I say. "Do you?"

  "Definitely." Her voice drops low and it hits right down my spine.

  We cross the parking lot and step inside. Cool air. Quiet. Soft music overhead. A place built for bad decisions. Taytum stays close behind me. Her hand grazes the small of my back. Just once, but my skin remembers it.

  I stop in the vibrator aisle. A whole wall of choices. I look over my shoulder at her. "See anything you like?" she asks.

  "I'm browsing."

  "You're doing more than browsing." I pick one up. Black. Sleek. Simple. Strong.

  Taytum steps closer, breath warm at my ear. "That one's nice."

  "You say that like you've tested them."

  "No," she whispers. "But I've got ideas."

  Heat hits my throat. I swallow hard and hold it like I'm deciding something serious. "I think this is the one."

  She nods slowly. "Good choice." Her eyes drag over me in a way that makes my thighs tense.

  I don't touch anything else. I don't want anything else. We check out. The cashier gives a small, awkward smile. The kind that makes the moment feel even more real.

  Outside in the sunlight, Taytum takes the bag and laces our fingers together. "What now?" she asks.

  My stomach tightens suddenly. Warm. Empty. Sharp. "I could eat," I say. She smiles and her eyes darken just a little.

  "Yeah," she says. "I know something I could eat." Her thumb brushes over my knuckles as we walk to the car.