Let me be clear, I didn’t think he was doing anything nefarious, like having an affair or causing any type of scandal. I literally just thought he was choosing some sort of work engagement over whatever I had planned.

“Mina, I love you.” That was all he said as he pulled me close and wrapped his arms around me. His warmth penetrated through the shirt I wore and heated me up. “I knew what you were planning this weekend,” he finally admitted to me.

“What? How?”

“Well, I found a discarded box for a pregnancy test, for starters.” The damn grin on his face pissed me off, but he kept right on talking. “Then, when your doctor’s office couldn’t get in touch with you, they left a message on our home line to confirm your test with them.”

“Are you kidding me?” I hissed the words out, and never had I been so angry with myself or my doctor for ruining the surprise.

“But all those things did was confirm my own suspicions. Your boobs are way more sensitive, and bigger, than normal. You haven’t used period supplies in quite some time, and I know that’s a fact since we fuck regularly. You know I don’t mind fucking away your period cramps either, but you haven’t had them for the past two months.”

Okay, so maybe my husband paid more attention to my body, and what we were doing together, than I thought he did. I really couldn’t be mad at him for that. “That doesn’t explain why you would ruin my weekend plans to tell you.” I am not ashamed to admit that I was pouting as Tucker moved us so that he could sit in the chair and pull me into his lap.

“I’m not ruining your plans; I’m adding to them,” he suggested. “I was trying to out-surprise your surprise.”

“What the hell does that even mean, Tucker?”

He laughed at me. “It means that I have a party planner working to make our pregnancy announcement the best party of the season.”

“A party planner?” I wanted to roll my eyes, but the motion made me sick, so I forced myself to stop doing that.

“You’ve also been worn out lately. I wanted you to be able to enjoy telling friends and family that we’re having a baby. I didn’t want you to be so tired that you just wished everyone would go away.”

“I’ll probably wish that anyway,” I admitted. My husband hugged me tighter in response because he knew I was telling the truth.

“I know, but at least this way, they’ll get you happy, on the news of our announcement, for a little while before you’re ready to shove everyone back out the door.” The amusement in his voice couldn’t be missed.

“Have I told you lately how thankful I am for Carlos?”

“What the hell, Mina? Wasn’t that your old fuck buddy?”

“Yeah,” I teased him, making my voice sound almost wistful. “Without him doing what he did, I never would have ended up marrying you, and that would have been such a loss for both of us. Especially you though,” I joked.