Whitney"What brings you here today?" the female Doc Miller asks me. I purposely requested her when I called for an emergency appointment. The receptionist went to high school with me and knew by the shock in my voice I needed to see someone today, although I didn't tell her about my positive pregnancy tests. I'm just lucky the clinic is open until seven at night.I try to fight back the tears that are threatening. "I thought I was depressed," I whisper as I think back to the thoughts that were so clear hours ago. Back when I'd tried to convince myself it was seasonal."Okay, what's going on?" she asks, opening up the chart in front of her."I'm tired all the time, some days I don't want to get out of bed. You and I both know that's not like me. Running my own business is all I ever wanted to do. Now that Whitney's Weddings has taken off, I'm busier than ever but some days it's a struggle. I'm crying very easily, like at the drop of a hat, I feel nauseated some mornings, and so
WhitneyI'm sitting at my kitchen table with my latest client file in front of me, earbuds in, and Spotify on. When I'm stressed this is what I do best, bury myself in work and let the stress go. Now that the pregnancy has been confirmed, I have a surge of energy I haven't had in weeks. It makes me want to get back to work. Whitney's Weddings has become one of the most sought after wedding and event planning businesses in the Birmingham area. I serve all the small surrounding counties and have handled events all the way to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, as well. My business is growing, it's become enough that I'm making more money and living better than I was when I was married.Which makes me smile, because it was a big issue that Stephen held over my head for the longest time. I couldn't take care of myself. There wouldn't be money for vacations, or the manicures and pedicures I enjoy. How wrong he was – I've thrived without his negativity.I reach down to cup my non-existent bu
RenegadeThe next morning I'm raw after talking with Whitney. All night, I tossed and turned because nothing has been resolved, and I fucking hate it. I'm the type of guy that likes not to have anything up in the air. I have a plan for everything and I even account for most contingencies. It's how I've lived my life since I turned eighteen and got out from under my parents' roof, it's why I excelled in the military, and it's how I plan on living my life, including this pregnancy.Whitney thinks she just handed me a rude awakening.I have never in my life let someone push me out of anything the way I let her potentially push me out of my child's life yesterday. It had a purpose, though. After talking with her for a few minutes, I realized I need to re-group – I need a new game plan. Obviously Whitney isn't the type of woman who wants a man to take care of her any longer. She is strong, independent, and ready to take on the world without someone at her side. My thoughts are interru
WhitneyWhat I wouldn't give for a glass of wine, but let's face it, that's what got me into this situation in the first place. I'm emotionally and mentally raw after talking to Ryan yesterday. So many times in my life I've had to deal with things on my own. Nobody knew how horrible my marriage was, because I kept it all to myself. I've never wanted to be the type of woman who needs someone to clean up her messes, and that ended up with me in the biggest mess of my life.Beside me, my phone buzzes, and I see Addison's smiling face. Somehow she always knows when I need to talk."Thank God," I answer the phone, sniffing as I say the words. "How do you always get it right?""Because, we were twins separated at birth," she jokes, a laugh in her voice. "Tell Addison all about it. Did you go to the doctor? Have you found out what the hell's going on with you?"I haven't told anyone about my night with Ryan, not even the doctor who just confirmed my pregnancy, and I desperately need
RenegadeFilling out paperwork is my least favorite thing about this job, but it's a necessity. I usually try to get it done immediately after we finish a raid, but tonight, my mind is somewhere else. It's on a southern debutante who looked like a porn star on her knees.Shaking my head, I lean back over that paperwork and continue writing up my report.I'm quiet as I move deeper into the woods. My breathing is slow and steady, I'm not winded and I'm on high alert. All my senses are attuned to what's going on around me. Adrenaline is pumping through my veins, making sweat trickle along my back and run down under the bullet proof vest I wear. This is exactly why I wear leather gloves, so that the gun doesn't slip between them when my heart pounds the fastest and my head runs through every scenario.I stop for a moment and focus on chewing my gum, let it regain my equilibrium. I spot Ace up ahead and he motions to me to stop. My reaction is immediate. I hear what he hears. People
WhitneyI don't think I've ever been this nervous in my life. Running my hands down the jeans I'm wearing, I hope to dry some of the sweat off of them. As I pull my SUV into the parking lot and find a parking spot, I see Ryan's truck already there. That boy is nothing, if not punctual. I look down at the clock on my dashboard to see that I'm fifteen minutes early myself. Makes me wonder how long he's been here; he was probably wondering if I'd show up or not.He sees me and gets out of his truck, walking over towards my vehicle. I can't help but watch him as he strolls across the blacktop. There's something about the way he walks that shows his authority. He doesn't look down, his gaze is always straight ahead, even though his hands are tucked into his pockets. The jeans he wears are just the right amount of loose, the black t-shirt he wears hugs his body tight. The aviators covering his eyes give him an air of mystery. With the boots on, he looks like he owns the place. My hands s
WhitneySo far I've been pretty lucky. Other than a few times, morning sickness hasn't been a blip on my radar. Today that changed in a major way. I take a look at myself in the mirror and squeeze my cheeks, hoping to put some color into them. I still have the nasty taste in my mouth since I have no toothpaste or mouthwash. I hope it doesn't cause me to get sick again. I have to figure this out, I have to pull myself together and make this work."Are you sure you don't want to go home?" Addison, asks as I come out of the ladies room for the third time in the last hour. I hope that no one has noticed and that no one thinks I was on a bender the night before. That's the last thing that I need right now.I shake my head. Being able to do my job, being able to support myself is the only thing that's kept me going for years. It was the one thing that pulled me through my divorce. It forced me to get up every morning, put my feet on the floor, and face the day. It didn't matter how cra
RenegadeShe looks exhausted, even in the candlelight surrounding us. Unfortunately, I don't know much about her job, but given the way she brought her shoes into the house with flip flops on her feet, I assume that she stands for a good portion of any event she's planned."How was your day?" I take a bite of the asparagus, almost moaning. There are three things I do well. Cook, fuck, and take down bad guys.I watch her take a bite of her cream of mushroom covered pork chop and daintily swallow. The movement of her throat muscles mesmerize me, and I have to adjust my seat, which is almost embarrassing."It was long, but good."She doesn't offer more than that, and honestly that's not enough for me. If we're going to do this, I want to know as much as I can about her daily life. Right now I know what she tells her brother, and what he in turn bitches to me about. "Did you have an event?""A wedding," she smiles. "It was gorgeous, too. They were a young couple, extremely in l