Us, Renewed

By Victoria Harper

Eliza found the love of her life…or so she thought.
When Eliza tells her boyfriend, Luke, she's pregnant, he doesn't take the news as well as she had hoped. But, as her due date approaches, her hopes begin to fade.
Eliza, with the support of her best friend Ryn, is prepared to raise her baby alone.
But, as luck would have it, she may not have to.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Victoria Harper
• Release date: Aug 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393965091

Book preview

Published by:

Tipsy Mockingbird Books LLC.

2019

Chapter One

Two little pink lines. Who knew something so simple could transform a person’s life instantaneously? I sure as hell didn’t.

But there it was. I felt both excited and petrified as I looked down at that innocent white stick with the small window...with those two distinct pink lines.

I’m pregnant, I whispered. I couldn’t believe it. It hadn’t been planned by any means, but suddenly I was incubating a little human. My body was now dedicating energy to growing another being.

Boy is this going to be a surprise to Luke. I thought.

Then I froze. I needed to tell my boyfriend, that afternoon in fact, and I didn’t even know for sure where he stood on having children. We’d only been dating for a few months, after all, but he was so wonderful. Even as my stomach churned with nerves and worries about what a baby would mean for my future, I felt confident Luke would be happy after the initial surprise passed.

We met by chance, and I hadn’t liked him at first. He could be such an ass at times, still could, but then be so sweet.

He’d cut in front of me in the coffee shop line one morning. I always stopped at the same shop before going to work, and that morning I’d been in a bit of a hurry. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have cared about someone cutting me off in line—it just wasn’t that big of a deal to me. But that morning, I was running late, and I hadn’t been in the mood to deal with rude people. Not only had he cut in front of me in line, but he knocked my purse off my shoulder onto the floor. At first, he was gruff and tried to blame me for the mess. We exchanged a few words, but it was the barista who managed to calm us.

Ultimately, Luke apologized and bought my coffee for me. He then slyly asked me out to dinner that coming weekend. I wanted to turn him down for acting like such an asshole, but he was handsome and the way he smiled got to me. I accepted on the condition he didn’t cut in line anymore.

After that, it was a done deal. We were officially a couple.

As I started getting ready for work, I kept thinking over how things were going to change. I was only twenty years old; he was twenty-two. I worked as a full-time public-school receptionist, and he worked for a local telephone company. I’d have to consider asking if I qualified for maternity leave. God that sounded so strange.

After I second guessed keeping the test, I slipped it into a bathroom drawer wrapped in a baggie. I locked my apartment, climbed into my car, and headed to work on autopilot. Though, I decided to skip the coffee shop...I wasn’t sure if caffeine was okay since now it wasn’t just my health I had to worry about.

I was pregnant.

_____

All through the day, I tried to keep the news to myself. I really wanted my boyfriend, the father of my baby, to be the first one to know. But it was becoming more and more difficult with each passing hour. The longer the thought bounced around my head, the more excited I was becoming. I was going to be a mother!

Finally, and I think because of my incessant leg bouncing, the secretary I worked with finally spoke up.

What’s got you all jittery? Laura asked while pointing a pencil at my nervous fidgeting.

What do you mean? I should’ve known I couldn’t keep a straight face. My face always gave me away—dammit.

Uh-huh...spill, she demanded with a sly smile on her middle-aged face. Something’s up. Did your guy propose or something?

I laughed a little at that, Umm, not exactly no. I could feel my face heating up, Don’t tell anyone, okay?

She nodded her head, Deal, now spill Eliza.

It took me a minute to find my voice, and then I told her. Her squeal, even slightly muffled, nearly deafened me.

Shhhh.... I put my finger to my lips but couldn’t help but giggle. I haven’t told Luke yet, I just took the test this morning.

That’s great though! I’m so excited for you! Her enthusiasm helped calm my nerves a little more, and again I was getting excited myself.

Thanks, don’t tell anyone yet please? I want to be able to tell Luke before anyone else finds out.

Completely understandable, my lips are sealed. She made the motion over her mouth and with another girlish giggle, we returned to our work. All the while, I was trying to figure out the best way to let my boyfriend know he was going to be a father.

Chapter Two:

That night was one of the few times I was thankful Luke worked later than me. It gave me time to clean up my apartment, freshen up, and start a nice dinner. I still wasn’t sure how to word the news exactly, but I figured it would come to me when needed.

Around 7pm, I heard his key turning the door lock. We had keys to each other’s apartments, which happened pretty fast in our relationship. Thinking back, we’d been dating less than a month when it was suggested we swap keys.

I brushed off the invisible lint on my form-fitting black dress and leaned against the doorframe as he came into view.

Hey babe. I smiled, hoping it was as sexy as I wanted it to appear.

Hey, well hello there..., Luke replied looking me up and down with smoky blue eyes. His black hair was short around the sides and back, while the top was slightly longer and combed to one side with gel. His 6’3 frame was lean, and he worked out regularly. He was so damn sexy.

I made dinner. I motioned to the small two-person table in the corner, which held a couple of lit candles. And, I have some news for you.

I can see that...but I’m not hungry just yet.... The tone of his voice heated my flesh, as it always did when he sounded like that.

After he placed his coat over the back of my couch, he approached me without breaking eye contact. Slowly, his strong hands caressed my jawline before trailing up to tangle in the underside of my dark brown mane. Luke gently pulled me closer, so close I could feel his warm breath against my lips. At least..., he whispered, ...not hungry for food. Can the news wait?

My gaze heated as he leaned forward, Yeah.

It felt like the first time he’d kissed me. Jolting, electrifying, and my knees went slack. Thankfully, his arm was already around my waist, so I just leaned against his broad