BONUS: Unedited – Cam and Avery – POSITIVE

March 16, 2020

“Positive. As in positive.” 

Sitting on the rim of the tub, I twisted my hair into a coppery rope as I stared at the sink. Knots the size of my fists had formed in my stomach. At first, my head was completely empty. I wasn’t thinking anything. Nothing. And now there was so many thoughts racing through my mind, I couldn’t really grab a hold of one of them.  

Oh my God.  

A timer somewhere in my apartment dinged, and my gaze cut to the closed bathroom door. I drew in a deep breath and the fresh scent of chocolate chip cookies didn’t turn my stomach.  

It was practically the only thing that wasn’t making me run for the bathroom to hurl like a volcano of vomit. Bacon. God help me, but the scent of fried bacon had me on the knees, and I loved bacon. I would marry bacon if I could. 

Sorry Cam. 

But for the last week, I couldn’t stand the smell of it. Actually, any kind of meat cooking did not set well with my stomach. I’d thought it was a stomach virus or some kind of weird food poisoning.  Cam had been amazing through all of it, as usual, because he was freaking amazing like always. He stocked me up on gingerale and crackers, and hadn’t run running for the hills when I went running for the bathroom.  

It wasn’t until two days ago, when I was standing in this very bathroom, searching through the cabinet under the sink for a fresh tube of toothpaste when I saw the box of tampons and it hit me. 

Hit me with the force of a mac truck carrying nothing but tampons.  

I had stood there, clutching my toothpaste as I’d stared at the box, trying to remember the last day of my period. I was one of those girls who always had to hazard a guess when it came to the first or last day of my menstrual cycle, but this had been different. My mind had raced back over the last couple of weeks and the last month, and it struck me that I was more than just a month late.  

I had been at least a month and a half late. 

Things had been crazy busy recently with school and Cam traveling for soccer it had just slipped my mind. Probably because I got on birth control when Cam and I first started dated, but I’d missed pills on and off, and I was terrible at taking them at the same time each day.  

The nausea and fatigue I’d been dealing with for the last two weeks had suddenly became something all together different. I’d gone to bed that night, staring at the ceiling for hours and for the first time since Cam and I had gotten together, I was glad he wasn’t home then, because I would’ve blabbed about it the moment I’d walked out of the bathroom.  

Cam had come back home this morning, back from a game he’d played in Kansas City, and I’d already bought two pregnancy tests. I took one this morning. I took the other this evening. Both had the same results.  

A pink plus sign for one.  

And a digital one that spelled out the words PREGNANT with an estimated week. That was the test I was staring at now.  

7-8 weeks.  

Holy shitballs.  

7-8 weeks pregnant. 

Part of me could wrap my head around the fact that I might be—okay, apparently was knocked up—but the whole 7-8 weeks thing blew my mind. All right, being pregnant in general was blowing my mind right now, but I was like really far along.  

My gaze fell to my left hand and I bit down on my lip. The beautiful engagement ring glimmered in the bright light of the bathroom. We weren’t even married yet and we were reproducing.  

Cam’s mom was going to kill him. 

His name will probably give him a thumb’s up. 

Teresa was going to demand to be the godmother.  

And my parents? They’d be horrifyingly disappointed. I rolled my eyes as I stood, walking to the sink. My freckled cheeks were flushed as I turned to the side and pulled up my shirt.  

My stomach looked the same, maybe a little bloated. I pressed my palm against the stomach and my heart tripped up. Oh my gosh, I was pregnant. Two tests confirmed it. I had morning, noon, and night sickness. I was definitely a month and a half late on my period, which meant I was also a bit of idiot for not realizing this sooner. 

Letting my shit flutter back down, I faced the mirror and stared at my reflection. The flush had faded and it looked like most of the blood had drained from my cheeks, making the freckles stand out in stark relief. 

Would the baby have freckles like me? 

Or dimples like Cam? 

“Oh my God,” I whispered at myself. “Why am I even thinking about that?” 

Fear rose swiftly, nearly choking me. Was I ready to raise a kid? Hell no. Was Cam? Probably not. My hands shook as I reached up and pushed my hair back behind my ears. The walls of the bathroom shifted closer. I couldn’t hide in the bathroom forever and I refused to keep this from Cam. With two tests, I knew the truth, and I needed…. 

I needed to know how he was going to feel about this.  

Cam loved me. God, I knew that in my heart of hearts. We were planning to get married and we had… we had the forever kind of love, but babies were a whole different story. One that we only briefly talked about. Both of us wanted kids, like an eternity from now.  

The eternity came a lot sooner than any of expected.  

Drawing in a deep breath that got stuck, I pushed away from the sink and opened the bathroom door. I walked down the short hall and entered our living room. Michelangelo and Raphael were in their habitat, chilling at opposite corners, their necks stretched long.  

Oh man, we would were going to have to take care of two tortoises and a baby? 

My heart started pounding as I walked into the small kitchen, and like every time I saw him, my breath caught and my lady bits got all kinds of happy.  

Cam was standing in front of the oven, humming under his breath as he moved fresh cookies from the pan to a plate. A baseball cap was on, twisted backward, and he was shirtless, showing off the taut muscles and the two sexy divets along his lower back on either side of his spine. His nylon shorts hung low and he was barefoot. 

And he was absolutely beautiful.  

Cam twisted at the waist, grinning at me as bright blue eyes met mine. “Hey shortcake, you feeling okay?” 

I nodded as my gaze coasted over the bright sun tattoo on his pec and then down, over the tightly roiled muscles of his stomach.  

Those abs got me pregnant. 

The dimples helped.  

And the ocean blue eyes also had something to do with it.  

“You made cookies,” I said, pointing out the obvious. The cookies probably also aided in the whole knocking Avery up.  

“Nah, they’re tortoise treats.” Cam winked as he picked up the plate and walked over to me, draping his arm over my shoulder. Lowering his mouth to mine, he kissed me, and my toes curled. “They’re totally cookies.” 

I laughed. “I figured as much.” 

He steered me into the living room and to the couch. Placing the plate of cookies on the coffee table, he then sat down and tugged me into his lap. His arms folded around my waist loosely. “Are you sure you’re feeling better? You’re looking a little pale.” 

“I’m okay.” I guessed that was true, because there was nothing wrong I supposed with being pregnant. Right? 

His lips turned down at the corners as he eyed me closely. “I don’t know. I want you to see a doc before I head back out. Just to make sure.” 

My heart was beating so fast I thought I might keel right over. “I actually think that’s a good idea.” 

Cam’s gaze searched mine intently as he ran his hand over my hip. “We’ll call first thing in the morning.” 

I nodded again, exhaling softly as I placed my hand on his arm. “I think I know why I’ve been sick, Cam.” 

“I don’t think this is a normal stomach bug, shortcake. You’ve been sick too long for that.” Concern filled his gaze.  

“I know. I don’t think it’s that.” I paused. “Actually, I know it’s not that.” 

His hand stilled on my hip. 

My gaze dropped to the tat. “I … um, I’m late.” 

“Late?” he whispered.  

I swallowed against the sudden nausea. “I haven’t had my period in a month and a half. I didn’t even realize until two days ago. I’ve just been so busy and I—” 

“Are you pregnant?” The question came right out, and that was Cam, no beating around the bush. “Avery?” 

“I took two tests. One this morning before you got here and then one again a little while ago.” 

Cam was silent.  

“Both were positive,” I whispered, staring at the sun on his chest. “As in positive. Not that there is any other positive there is, but they were definitely—” 

“Avery.” His fingers curled under my chin, lifting my gaze to his. His eyes were wide, the blue a startling shade. “You’re pregnant?” 

“Yes.” Then I nodded, because I think I needed the extra confirmation. “The test I just took was a digital one. It said 7-8 weeks along. I don’t know if that’s the case.” 

“Holy…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “I… you’re pregnant? We’re pregnant,” he said, the last one more of a statement. 

“I think so,” I whispered, my hand clenching his arm. “I’m pretty sure. I don’t think two tests would be wrong and with the way I’ve been feeling? I think… yeah.” 

Cam slowly shook his head again and the fingers around my chin trembled. His mouth opened, but he didn’t speak and my chest twisted. “Are you…?” I couldn’t bring myself to say it, but I had to. “Are you upset? I know this is really not the right timing. Especially with school and your soccer and we’ve just started planning the wedding and—” 

“Wait,” he cut in, blinking. “Did you just ask me if I was upset?” When I nodded, he tilted his head to the side. “Why in the hell would I be upset?” 

I stared at him. “Well, for all the reasons I just listed and there are more. I’m pretty sure the reasons are vast.” 

“I don’t give a shit about the reasons why I’d be upset. Yes, it’s not the greatest timing and it’s going to be hard, but…” His hand slid around my neck to the nape, slipping under my hair as the corners of his lips lifted and his smile spread, showing off the dimples. “But, Avery, sweetheart, you’re having my child and how could I not be anything but fucking ecstatic over that?” 

At first I didn’t think I heard him right, because how could he be this amazing, but his words sunk in, and Cam really was that amazing. “You… you’re happy?” 

Using his hand along the back of my neck, he drew my forehead to his. “Sweetheart, how can I not be? I love you. I’m fucking in love with you and you… your body is doing something so amazing right now I can’t even find the right words. You’re carrying my child. How can I not be happy?” 

“Oh my gosh.” I squeezed my eyes shut as tears formed. The knots in my stomach lessened and then came untangled. “You’re perfect.” 

“No.” His lips brushed mine. “That’s you.” 

Wordless, I shook my head. 

His other hand move and then his palm pressed against my stomach. “I can’t…” He cleared his throat, and when I opened my eyes, his shone. “We’re having a baby.” 

“Yes,” I said.  

Cam’s eyes squeezed shut and then his arm curled around me, pulling me close to his chest, and I shifted down. His mouth found mine in a tender, sweet kiss that was as powerful as the one he’d given me this morning, when he first saw me. Our tongues touched, tangled, and the kiss went on for what felt like forever and yet still wasn’t long enough when we came up for air.  

“We’re going to be okay.” Cam kissed the corner of my mouth. “We’re going to be more than okay. We’re going to rock this.” 

I laughed, unable to help myself as I cupped his smooth cheek. “I love you.” 

His lips curved against mine. “I know you do.” He pulled back, his eyes widening even further. “Oh man, Mom is gonna flip.” 

A wide smile spread across my lips. “You can be the one who makes that call.” 

Cam shot me a look. “It’s a good thing I love you.” 

“Uh-huh.” 

“Listen to you…” 

Cam shifted and then suddenly I was my back and he was hovering over me, caging me in with his body, and then he got down to proving just how much he loved me and how much he really was thrilled about what our future held.  

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