Knox's Girl (Carmichael Series #1)✔️

Here Comes The...

**

I was freaking out. It felt like everything was going wrong but things hadn't even started happening yet. I had a nauseous feeling starting up in the pit of my stomach and the day had only begun.

Did all brides feel like this on their wedding day?

I was pegging it down to the fact that I hadn't spoken to Knox since last night and that was usually the first thing I did every single morning. Wake up, roll over – or sometimes roll off of prior to becoming big as a bus – and face Knox. He's usually awake before I am and just waits until my body decides to grace me with consciousness. As soon as he's done kissing all over my face, neck, and belly he'll get up and lather my gigantic stomach with lotion before switching his attention to my ridiculously swollen feet and ankles to massage them next.

This morning, however, I woke up completely grumpy and sore all over. Without Knox's solid body cradling me from behind and giving me something to press up against, I slept weirdly and ended up with a kink in my shoulder and back. Not to mention, my feet were aching and it was impossible to lift myself up into a sitting position on my own.

"Mom!" I yelled, remaining put - not that I actualy had much of a choice.

"Yes, Honey?" came her sweet voice floating into the room. I instantly relaxed. I hadn't seen or heard much from her in the past month or so - it was almost as if she'd been distancing herself from me, but I haven't quite figured out why. I didn't want to think it was intentional, but I knew for a fact that it was given the numerous attempts I'd made.

"I can't get up on my own, my feet hurt more than usual, and Knox isn't here to wake me up," I surprised myself by sobbing out. I couldn't wait until this pregnancy was over and my hormones could go back to their normal levels. I should've taken up stock with Kleenex at this point; I'd be filthy rich.

"Oh, Poppy," my mom sympathized as she rushed towards me. She crouched to her knees before pushing my hair out of my face and wiping away my tears.

"It'll be okay! It's already one in the afternoon and you're getting married at five. It's a good thing you woke when you did, we need to get up and get something to eat before we head to the venue for your hair and makeup," she explained.

My hair and makeup didn't take long at all because I was going for a natural, timeless look that I wouldn't cringe at when I showed my girls our wedding photos when they were older.

"Poppy, sweetheart, can I talk to you for a moment?" my mom asked as she peeked her head into my room. I tried to keep my mind from thinking the worst as she sounded a little hesitant at first. Despite the horrible start to the day, everything had gone perfectly from that point on. Thankfully, getting to sleep in so late meant that I would have enough energy to walk down the aisle and survive our reception as long as I got to sit the majority of the time. I knew Knox and I weren't really going to be the main attraction, rather my stomach would be, but that was okay. With only a few more minutes until I would walk down the aisle and promise myself to the love of my life, nothing else could possibly go catastrophically wrong.

Oh, how wrong I was.

"Girls, Eric, why don't you go line up so I can speak to her alone for just a moment," she murmured. They all nodded while exchanging confused looks before quickly leaving the room.

"I know you said you didn't want your father coming today, but, Poppy, I really think you should talk to him. He's here and he wants to apologize to you," she explained while rubbing my knuckles back and forth soothingly. No matter how softly she spoke, it didn't keep from sparking a fire in me as I saw red instantly.