Mom and I share yet another elated look. Yep. It truly seems our beloved Colby is back (or, at least, well on his way)—which means the rest of us Morgans can finally exhale the anxious breath we’ve been holding for four long weeks.
Everyone at the table peppers Josh and me with questions about our itinerary for the trip, as well as about Mariela, and Josh answers each and every question smoothly.
“Jonas and I decided to launch Climb & Conquer right after Jonas gets back from his honeymoon,” Josh says, “so I thought I might as well travel at the same time. I figure this trip with Kat will be a nice little vacation before I start putting in eighteen-hour days.”
“Well, it sounds like perfect timing,” Dad says. “Because Kat will be putting in long hours when she gets home, too, launching her new company.” He shoots me a proud smile that makes my stomach twist.
“You know, Kitty Kat, that reminds me,” Mom says. “I just got some new billing software that’s super easy to use on a Mac. When you come to walk Ralph tomorrow morning, I’ll sit you down andshow you how it works. I think it would work well for you, at least to start with. And don’t worry—it’s not complicated. IfIcan figure it out,youcertainly can.”
I can’t reply. My tongue feels thick in my mouth.
“And if you’d like to talk to the guy at my bank about setting up a commercial account—you know, so your business can take credit card payments—I can take you over there and introduce you.”
I nod. Sort of. Oh, God, I feel like I’m gonna barf.
“Kitty, what’s wrong?” Mom asks.
I look at Josh, swallowing hard. Oh my God. I gotta tell my family about the-kumquat-inside-the-Kumquat. I can’t lie like this anymore. It’s time to come clean.
Josh squeezes my thigh under the table and I look at him, pleading with him to let me spill the beans. Josh’s jaw muscles pulse for a moment, and then he nods.
I shift my gaze to my parents, my breathing shallow.
“What is it?” Mom asks, her face awash in anxiety. “Is everything okay, honey?”
I scan the faces at the table. Dax’s eyes are full of sympathy—he knows what’s coming and, clearly, he’s taking no pleasure in what I’m about to do. Ryan looks mildly concerned. But Colby’s blue eyes are killing me—he’s genuinely worried.
I look at Mom and Dad again. “Mom. Dad,” I begin. I take a huge breath and squeeze Josh’s hand under the table. “I’m pregnant with Josh’s baby.”
Twenty-Five
Josh
There’s a pause, like that moment just before a tidal wave crashes onto the shore. Kat’s parents inhale sharply—and then nothing. No exhale. No words. No sounds. Just silence for what feels like forever, though it’s probably only a nanosecond.
Kat squeezes my leg under the table.
“Oh, Kat,” her mom says. “Honey.”
I look around the table at Kat’s brothers and their facial expressions all convey the same exact sentiment:Holy fucking shit.
“It’s okay, Mom,” Kat says, coming off as much more composed than I’d be able to manage. “It was definitely an accident, that’s for sure—and I totally freaked out when I first found out—but Josh and I are both starting to adjust to the idea pretty well. In fact, I think we’re both starting to get kind of excited.” She looks at me and half-smiles and I nod in solidarity.
I steal a quick glance at Kat’s parents and my cheeks blaze. The way they’re looking at me, I’m positive they’re both imagining me boning their daughter right this very minute. I clear my throat. “Please be assured I’m fully committed to Kat and our baby. I’m gonna take care of them both.”
Kat’s mom breathes a visible sigh of relief. “How far along are you?” she asks.
“Twelve weeks.”
“Oh my gosh.”
“I know—end of the first trimester. The baby’s the size of a lime.”
“A lime? Ohmigosh.”
Kat’s father clears his throat but doesn’t speak.
“Yeah, but no matter how big the baby gets, Josh says it’s still the-kumquat-inside-the-Kumquat. Isn’t that cute?”
