“Of course I am!” she huffed, stalking across the room for her suitcase.
Aidan rose off the couch and adjusted his pants. “Em, wait, would you listen to me?”
She whirled around. “Is this when you tell me you’re sorry and that you just didn’t think about mentioning it? That somehow the fact you were going to be a father in less than five months just slipped your mind?”
He held up his hands defensively. “Look, I really am sorry. It’s been crazy at work the past two months that we’ve been working on being more of a couple. I’ve barely been in the home office a week straight. I promise you that I’m not being intentionally deceptive about you or the baby. I swear.”
When she realized the sincerity in Aidan’s voice, Emma sighed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have freaked out like that. These stupid hormones make me totally irrational sometimes.”
“No, you were right to get pissed. It’s not like I’ve gone out of my way to introduce you to my friends or tell them we’re official.”
Emma felt the electricity in the room shift. Was Aidan really talking about making things more official between them? Did that mean maybe living together? It seemed like a quantum leap considering they hadn’t even spoken the “l” word yet. It wasn’t for the fact that Emma wasn’t deeply in love with Aidan. She was just too afraid of scaring him away. Their entire relationship was such a fragile balloon that she was afraid would pop at any moment.
Aidan raised his eyebrows questioningly at her. “So are we okay?”
She smiled. “We’re fine.”
“Good then. Let’s get the hell out of town then!” Aidan said, grabbing Emma’s suitcase.
She drew in a deep breath and tried to mentally and emotionally prepare herself for what was to come.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
When Beau saw her coming down the driveway, he started barking and wagging his tail. His head was out the backseat window as she came around the car.
“Did you miss me sweet boy?” He pressed against the door and gave an appreciative whine. “Aw, I missed you, too!” She shot Aidan a disgusted look over her shoulder. “You shouldn’t have left him in the car this long!”
“All the windows are down.” He gestured to Beau’s wiggling body. “Look at him. He’s perfectly fine.”
“I guess so,” Emma murmured, scratching behind Beau’s ears.
“You spoil him too much,” Aidan mused, tossing her suitcase in the backseat.
“I do not.”
“Oh really? Every time I come in the door, he starts looking for you. He could give a shit less about me now. Not to mention, he expects to lie around on the couch and eat my table scraps.”
She blushed. “Oops.” As soon as she slid across the seat, Beau leaned over the headrest to lick her cheek. “Are you ready to get the city grit out of your fur?” Emma asked, patting the Lab’s head. He wagged his tail and licked her again. “Yep, I think he’s ready.”
Aidan snorted as he pulled out of the driveway. “Once he sees all those wide open spaces, he may never want to come back.”
After he took the 75 North exit, they started their pilgrimage out of the city. The urban backdrop melted away into an emerald blur of trees and pastureland. The closer they got to the mountains the cooler the swirling air around them became.
A pang of homesickness reverberated through Emma as they drove along the familiar roads. She had spent her whole childhood in the mountains until she had gone to college in Atlanta. There was a very large part of her that longed to move back, especially when it came to raising the baby.
When they neared her grandparents’ property, she leaned forward in her seat. “Okay, you’re going to turn right at the black mailbox.”
Aidan turned to her in surprise. “Onto that gravel road?”
“Yep.”
After they wound around a couple of curves, they came to an open field. Up the hillside was her grandparent’s house and barn. Aidan turned to her with widened eyes at the sight of the multitude of cars and people milling around. “This is all your family?”
She nodded. “There are usually about fifty people or more. By the time the barn dance starts tonight, it’ll be around a hundred.” She eyed the skeptical expression on his face. “You sure you’re up to this?”
“Sure, it’ll be fine as long as no one wants to kick my ass for knocking you up.”
Emma laughed. “Most of my family is okay with my pregnancy. My grandfather and some of my uncles might give you a hard time though.” She hesitated before dropping a bomb on him. “Um, since we aren’t married, don’t plan on us sharing a bedroom tonight.”
“Excuse me?”
Emma grimaced. “My grandparents are very old-fashioned. They won’t condone us sleeping in the same bed if we aren’t married.”
“Even though you’re pregnant with my child?”
“Yes.”
He exhaled noisily. “Good thing I got some before we left. It would have been a long, long weekend.” He laughed when she smacked his arm playfully in outrage.
“Come on. Let’s go face the firing squad,” Emma said, with a grin.
“Fabulous,” Aidan groaned as he climbed out of the car. He clipped the leash to Beau’s collar and let the squirming lab out of the backseat.
Delicious aromas filled Emma’s nostrils, and her stomach growled. She was so thankful her nausea had passed because she wanted nothing more than some of her grandmother’s Brunswick stew.
“Is that homemade BBQ I smell?” Aidan asked.
“Yes, it is. Everything will be homemade from the apple pie to the moonshine.”
“Damn, I think I’ve died and gone to heaven. Well, not exactly at the part about the moonshine.”
Emma giggled. “Good luck not having my uncles force some homebrew on you. They’ll want you to prove your manhood.”
Aidan opened his mouth to protest, but a woman’s voice cut him off. “Emma!” she shrieked, clapping her hands. Emma didn’t even have to turn to recognize the voice. Just the sound of it echoing around her coated her body with a thick blanket of love. Spinning around, she saw her grandmother striding towards her.
From her teased silver bouffant hairdo to the worn red and white gingham apron she wore tied firmly over her dress, Grammy never seemed to age or change. She was the one constant beacon in the storm Emma had been able to count on her entire life for love, support, and strength.