Trying Not To Love You

Hunter, Hailey, and I returned to school that weekend, on the way back I told Hailey what my plans were for next year. I explained about going to school in Jersey so that I was closer to home and the baby and I could be with Hunter. She agreed with me that, that would be for the best. She said she would be transferring too since there was nothing left there for her. I was staying in Jersey and Mason would be moving back to Jersey as well.

Hailey and I made an appointment to speak with our councilors that week to explain to them the situation and started the process of transferring our credits to our local community college.

Hunter had refused to let me stay at the dorms after the first night that we were back. He said he didn't like the fact that he couldn't take care of me the way he wanted. He spoke with Bentley, and they both agreed to have Hailey and I move in with them. I felt bad for not giving Bentley a choice but he assured me that he was perfectly ok with us and he even joked around with Hailey and me about cooking to earn our keep. I stuck my nose in the air at the mention of food while Hailey and Hunter laughed at me. They had to explain that cooking food made me sick but Hailey said she had it covered. I was really going to miss seeing Bentley when we moved back home; he turned out to be a great guy even when he threw some crazy parties.

Hunter and I had our first little argument since getting back together about me keeping my part time job at the library.

He had his hands on his hips, scowling at me he said, "I don't want you working, you don't have any reason to."

"Yes I do, I'm not just going to quit when I am perfectly capable of working."

"I don't like it Kenzie. You need your rest."

"Hunter, I'm fine. If I feel it becoming too much I'll give them my two weeks' notice."

I eventually won since he had no valid point that I couldn't. My first day back, I pulled Logan aside and thanked him for talking to Dominic about him figuring out that I was expecting. Hailey stopped by one evening to check up on me, Hunter's part of the agreement that I could work, and she and Logan talked about what happened earlier in the year. It came down to a huge misunderstanding about Brittany. Dominic was also stopping by a few times as well to check in and see how I was going, Hunter didn't like that but he was dealing with it. Dominic told me how he and Brittany were fighting once again because she refused to believe that the baby wasn't his.

"I don't mind telling her myself that this baby is Hunter's, Dominic. Just say the word." I told him one night as he was walking out to Hunter's truck.

"No I don't want you anywhere near that crazy bitch. I told her if she kept this up that we were done." Dominic shifted his weight from one foot to the other while standing next to the passenger side of the truck.

"Ok well the offer still stands." I reached up to open the door and Dominic helped me in.

"No, I'll take care of it." Dominic and Hunter mumbled hellos and then Hunter took me home.

"So what was all that about?" Hunter asked as he reached over to rest his hand on my thigh.

"Brittany is giving him problems. She is convinced that this is Dominic's baby. I offered to set her straight but he refused my offer."

"Good, stay away from that nasty whore CC."

I didn't even attempt to argue back, I just let it go.

I was still doing well in my classes despite missing a few because of headaches and morning sickness. April rolled around, and Hunter and I drove back home for a doctor's appointment and to meet with a contractor my dad found to help with the house. We had our first ultrasound scheduled for this appointment. It was the ugliest thing and most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Hunter said it looked like a gummy bear with his heart on the outside; we were also able to hear his or her heartbeat for the first time that day too. Mrs. McCormick, Mom and Dad met us at the house along with the contractor after our appointment was over. We showed off all the pictures the nurse gave us to our parents who were excited about becoming grandparents again. The contractor arrived while we were showing the pictures off so my Dad and Hunter told them what we were looking for and told them we would get the contract back to them as soon as we reviewed there proposal. Later that night we made our journey back to school.

Hailey, Hunter and I were in full swing of finals and were busy studying every night. Chloe had been calling me a lot lately since their wedding was fast approaching. I promised that we would go dress shopping as soon as I moved back in a little over a week. I didn't want to go too soon, because my baby bump was getting bigger and bigger. I wanted to make sure the dress still fit by the time the wedding came.

We all took our finals in the middle of May, and Hunter graduated the following week. We had a full house the week of graduation. Mrs. McCormick and Jaylinn stayed with us so that they could attend Hunter's graduation and help us pack up all of our belongings. Mom and Dad were going to see Cooper and Mason graduate in Boston, so we said we would plan a party for them once everyone was back home.

When we arrived home, it looked like a completely different place. With the renovations finished, it finally felt like home. Hunter told me the baby's room was off limits since he wanted to work on it himself.

We had another ultrasound scheduled so we could find out the sex of the baby. Sitting in the waiting room, Hunter and I discussed whether we wanted to find out or not, but we still did not have an answer when the nurse called us back.

"Hunter, we are going to have you wait right out here while we get some measurements of the baby. Then, we will have you come in, and show you everything as well." The nurse explained all this while leading us back to the Ultrasound room.

"Sure, that's no problem." Hunter kissed my forehead before I disappeared behind the curtains.

After the nurse finished all of her measurements, she stepped out of the room and asked Hunter to join us.

"So, I will let you guys listen to the heartbeat for a few minutes while l work on getting you two some pictures."

Hunter stood next to my head, reached for my hand and gave it a little squeeze. The baby's heartbeat was nice and strong. It was like music to our ears. I wished we could bottle the sound up and take it home with us.

"So would you like to know the sex of the baby?" The nurse asked us.

Hunter looked down at me and I smiled. I was letting him make this call. He knew I really didn't want to know.

"No we're going to let it be a surprise."

"Very well then, Ms. Cahill, you are all done here."

I cleaned up and we went to Baby's R Us to look around at all the different stuff that we were going to need. We knew we needed to stick with natural colors that would work for either a girl or a boy.



Two weeks later, we threw the boys a graduation party at the shore house and had the wedding rehearsal for Jackson and Chloe, all on the same weekend. We tried to fit everything in, and we took up everyone's weekend.

After the rehearsal was over, I was feeding Alex his bottle while Chloe took a nap. Jackson walked in and did a double take when he saw me sitting on his couch.

"Getting your practice in?" He asked, after he kicked off his running shoes.

"I guess you can call it that." I looked down at Alex and gave him little kisses on his little chunky cheeks. "Or you can call it spending time with my awesome little nephew."

"Did you burp him yet?" Jackson asked, taking a seat next to me.

"Not yet, he just started drinking it." I took the bottle out of Alex's mouth and checked the ounces. It still had one ounce left, so I gave it back to him.

"I know what you're thinking Kenzie. Trust me; it's harder than it looks. You are up all hours of the night, leaving the house takes forever and you have to pack half the house just to go around the damn block." He reached over, grabbed Alex's little hand and Alex grabbed hold of his pinky. "Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't trade it for the world, but it is hard work."

I blinked away the tears, "I know." I sniffled.

"Everything will work out." He looked down at Alex's bottle and took it from me. "Now give me my son. Hunter is looking for you out back."

"Thanks Jackson." I kissed Alex's head since Jackson was already burping him, then I kissed Jackson on his cheek and left to go find Hunter.

I went out the sliding glass doors expecting Hunter to be outside on the deck but he was nowhere to be found. I walked out towards the ocean, thinking that maybe he was down there. When I made it past the sand dunes, there he was, standing there in khaki shorts with a black button down shirt and his black hat. I looked down at his feet and saw he was standing in the middle of a heart made out of candles and seashells.

As I approached, I scanned up and down the beach and we were the only ones out here. How did he do that in the peak of the season? He reached for my hand and pulled me to him; he smiled that panty-dropping smile and kissed me.

"What's going on?" I asked.

He looked over my shoulder, and lifted his chin in the direction that I had just come from. I turned around and saw all of our friends and family standing there, and then it hit me. He was proposing. My free hand came up to cover my mouth. As I turned back to Hunter, he dropped to one knee.

I was a complete blubbering mess. Hunter pulled out the hand that was still behind his back, and held out a Tiffany's little blue box that held a princess cut diamond ring, with little diamonds wrapped around the band. He looked up at me with glassy eyes. "CC, you're my world, you're my light in the darkness, my safe haven. I love your more than anything. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

I was sobbing so hard, all I could do was nod. He took the gorgeous ring out of the box and placed it on my finger. He put both of his hands on my stomach and said, "You hear that little man," He looked at me, winked and then continued, "Your mama is gonna marry me." He leaned forward and placed a kiss on my stomach. At that exact same moment, the baby kicked for the first time, right where Hunter's lips were.

His eyes shot up to me all wide and asked, "Was that the baby kicking?"

I just laughed through the tears and winked at him. "Yeah, I guess our little peanut likes that we're gonna get married."

Hunter stood up and wrapped his arms around me and all our family came rushing towards us congratulating us. Everyone was so happy for us including Mason, which made this day a little extra special. We had a lot to celebrate that weekend.

The following week was extremely busy. I had my final fitting for my maid of honor dress, we were throwing a bachelorette at Chloe's house Friday night and the wedding was Saturday afternoon.

Chloe and Jackson's beach wedding was stunning. All the girls wore coral color dresses; Jackson and the guys wore khakis pants with white shirts and coral ties. Chloe looked breathtaking in her dress; she decided to go with a destination dress, with an empire waist, all white with clear and pink crystals spread over the train. Her hair was curled and pulled up off her neck. Her parents didn't show up for the wedding, so my dad walked her down the aisle. Hailey was holding Alex in his little white tuxedo. He looked so handsome.

Chloe and Jackson were going on a cruise for their honeymoon, and I was watching Alex while they were gone. Jackson volunteered me, saying it was good practice; I didn't have a problem with it since Hunter was going to be starting his new job that week. He was working with the local police department in the investigation unit. He was excited that he was able to land this job.

Mom, Mrs. McCormick, Hailey, and Chloe threw me a surprise baby shower two weeks after Chloe got back from her honeymoon. Hunter and I got everything we needed for the baby, plus more. Hunter still refused to let me see the baby's room until it was not finished. I began having some swelling issues around my thirty-third week, was put on bed rest and had to go to the doctors twice a week for monitoring.