I wanted to rip my hair out. Harper has been ignoring me, since the incident with Alexander knocking on the door. After we had our 'seperate' showers, she left and went down to the pool with Alexander and texted me letting me know that they were already down there. When I arrived by the pool area, I had to stop myself from throwing her over my shoulder and taking her right back to the bedroom, because Harper in a bikini was just absolutely breathtaking. Only problem was, she avoided eye contact, or any contact with me the entire two hours we spent by the pool. She swam with Alexander and a few times wrapped her arms around his neck from behind and let him walk her around the pool. When we sat back in the loungers she lay right by Alexander and snuggled with him. I didn't know how I should feel about my girlfriend spending more time with another man, but I couldn't even tell her that because she acted like I wasn't even worth a second glance. When we went up to our room, Harper opted to shower in Alexander's room again and I think that even he started to pick up on Harper's cold behaviour towards me.
For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what I did wrong. I stood in the living room pacing up and down waiting for Harper to emerge from the bedroom, only to have Alexander come out thirty minutes later saying that Harper was asleep. By this point I almost barged in there and demanded that she tell me what the hell I did wrong.
"Calm down dude, she's really tired; and take a seat before you wear out the carpet," Alexander commented in reference to my pacing.
"I know she's tired, but she's ignoring me. I know she is; I just can't figure out why she'd be doing that," I sighed in frustration and sat opposite Alexander.
"This whole dating thing is new to her and she's a little embarrassed that I heard the two of you going at it earlier," he said wincing slightly.
"Sorry about that. I just couldn't help myself. It just seems that since then, she's pulling away. I really like her man," I admitted.
"If you really liked her, you wouldn't have walked out on her during your first date together and you wouldn't have treated her like shit for almost a year," came Alexander's reply shocking me. I don't know why I was shocked, when everything he said was the truth. Then the shame settled in like it always did.
"Shit, sorry about that outburst. I wasn't supposed to bring that up, I promised Harper that I wouldn't," Alexander said in a rush.
"It's alright. I mean you're right about that. I don't even know what the hell I was thinking at the time to walk out on such an amazing girl. Things would have been way different between Harper and I right now."
This relationship between me and Harper already got off to a rocky start, and it just seems like our past will always come back and bite me in the ass.
"How about you let her get some rest and do the same and you'll both wake up with clearer minds and sort things out huh," Alexander suggested.
I nodded my head at his suggestion and retreated to my room. I was almost tempted to go to where Harper but I didn't think Alexander would appreciate that.
******
I woke up startled to the feeling that someone was sneaking into bed with me, and then I smelt raspberries and knew that it was Harper. I felt Harper lift the sheet I had covering me and move in beside me. I immediately turned in her direction and snuggled her closer to me breathing her in. I felt her body stiffen for a second before she relaxed.
"What's wrong sweetheart?"
She mumbled something incoherent, so I stopped and asked her what was wrong again. She turned towards me looking so sad that it literally felt like someone kicked me in the gut. I hated seeing her look so defeated, especially if I were the reason behind it. She took a deep breath before looking me in the eye saying, "I think I might be pregnant," she said in a rush.
My arms immediately locked themselves around her and my breathing hitched. Holy shit, it never crossed my mind that Harper might be pregnant. I lose control every time I'm with her and it makes sense since I've never used any protection every time we made love. Why was Harper so broken up about it though? Did she not want to start a family with me? Does she think I'm not going to make a good dad? The minute I realised I liked Harper, I knew I was going to marry her and have kids with her. Did she not feel the same way?
"Say something?" Harper said breaking me out of my thoughts.
"Do you want to have children with me?" I asked feeling my palms sweating profusely. I don't know what I'd do if she said no.
"Of course I want to have children with you. Problem is we've only just started dating Xavier and now we might be having a baby together." This made me smile, I though she didn't want to be with me at all. "What are you smiling about?"
"We're going to be parents sweetheart. I hope she looks like you and she won't be allowed to date until she's 21 or maybe 30,yeah 30 seems like a more reasonable age." Harper couldn't stop laughing at my rambling but I was genuinely happy that I was going to be a father. "Holy shit sweetheart, can we still have sex? I don't think I can go a day without being intimate with you," I said with a hint of panic in my voice. This time Harper was literally in hysterics.
"Oh my god Xavier, thank you."
"What are you thanking me for?" I asked confused.
"You don't realise how scared I was to tell you that I might be pregnant. I was scared that you would leave me and accuse me of trapping you, which I didn't. You have to believe me Xavier," she said panicking once again.
"Calm down sweetheart. If anything, it was me who trapped you. It never once crossed my mind to wear protection, and I've always made it a habit to wear a condom with everyone that I've been with, except you. I love you Harper, if I knew you'd say yes I would ask you to marry me right now; even if you're not pregnant. But I know you're not ready and I still need to make up for everything I've done. When did you realise that you might be pregnant?" I asked.
"It actually never even occurred to me until Lex was shouting through the door for us to remember to use protection and that's when a lightbulb when off in my head."
"I hope you are sweetheart. Mums going to be so happy. We should definitely move in together. Macy's probably going to kill me for knocking you up so fast," I said rambling.
"Xavier, slow down. I have a house that's being renovated and should be done in about a month and a half. That's where I want to live. I think we should still take things slow and besides, I still haven't taken a pregnancy test yet."
"If you want us to stay at your house that's fine by me. I'd live in a cardboard box if that's what you wanted but I don't think I can last a day without you in my bed sweetheart. Mum and dad can rent out my place, but I need to be with you Harper. I meant it when I said I'm going to marry you. Hopefully, sooner rather than later. How about I go to a pharmacy and buy some tests so we can see whether we're having a baby or not?"
"That sounds good and we'll take things from there."
******
An hour later Harper sat in my lap in my room while we waited for the results. I ended up getting ten tests because I didn't know which one to get and Harper laughed so hard that she cried, which resulted in Alexander coming in and seeing all the tests. He looked like he was going to beat the shit out of me for making Harper cry, had it not been for the tests that she and I were holding in our hands he would have done so. His attention was redirected and Harper explained the situation to him; so he ordered me to sit in the room and relax while Harper took all the tests and he was in the bathroom right now on countdown duty.
"Everything's going to be fine sweetheart," I said in reassurance to Harper who had gone completely silent all of a sudden. She just nodded.
Alexander came out a lot quicker than expected. Harper and I both looked at him and his expression was unreadable.
"So?" Harper and I asked at the same time.
"I'm going to be an uncle," Alexander said with a huge grin on his face.
"Are you sure?" we both asked again at the same time. At this point Harper's fingernails were digging into my thigh.
"All 10 of those pregnancy tests came back positive the minute you walked out of the room. I'm sure. You better take care of her Xavier," he said giving me a stern look. "I'll be dedicating my fight tonight for the little peanut."
"Peanut?" Harper and I said in unison once again making all three of us laugh.
"That's what I'm going to call my little niece or nephew. I assume it's about the size of a peanut. So we'll call it peanut."
We both smiled at that.
"That means you and I conceived this little peanut the first time we were together when you were so drunk," I said to Harper as I rubbed my palm on her stomach where our little peanut lay. Harper just nodded and watched with fascination at what I was doing.
"I'll set up a meeting with a doctor once we get back to New Zealand."
"Can we keep this between ourselves for the time being. I know a lot of mums are at their most vulnerable during the first three months of their pregnancy, so if we could just keep this between the three of us until I pass the first trimester before we start announcing it to everyone," Harper said.
"That's fine by me sweetheart. I'll take care of you and our little peanut and make sure nothing happens," I answered placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Let's go out and get something to eat. A celebration of sorts," Alexander asked.
We ate at the hotel restaurant and talked all night about the peanut and came to the decision that Alexander gets naming rights if it was a boy. I would be more happier with that decision if he'd stop dicking around, saying that if we had a boy, he was going to name him 'Goku', Dragon ball Z freak that he is. Harper and I laughed but I had the sneaky suspicion that he would do exactly that, so I had my fingers crossed for a girl.
As I sat and watched Harper and Alexander's interaction, I couldn't help but feel like my life was finally falling into place. I was the CEO of a thriving company, a loving family, had the girl of my dreams who I'm sure I would one day marry (once she's ready of course), and a little one on the way. To many people, this may seem too fast, but I wanted everything to speed up. I excused myself from the table and made my way to the hotel lobby to make a call. On the third ring they picked up.
"What's up loser?" came Nate's chirpy answer.
"Can you do me a favour?"
"Depends on what it is," he said sounding a bit sceptical.
"Would you be my best man?" I asked. I know I wasn't engaged yet, but I needed to know that he'd be there for me at a moments notice if I needed him to be.
"Haha, very funny. For a minute there I thought you were being serious asshole."
"I'm not joking Nate. I'm not engaged right now, but I'm planning on marrying Harper as soon as she agrees to it of course, and I want to know if you'd be my best man."
"Holy shit dude. Fuck yea, I'll be your best man!" he said with excitement. "Put Harp on the phone, I want to tell her how sorry I am that she's marrying the less endowed man out of the both of us."
I couldn't help but grin. "She's eating right now and we both know I got the bigger package. I'll fill you in on everything when I get back. But thanks Nate. There's no one I'd rather ask, then you to be my best man."
"Thanks man. You know you're going to be my best man at my wedding someday a hundred years from now, right?" Nate answered making me roll my eyes.
"Haha. I'll see you in a day or two. Bye." We said our goodbyes and I made my way back to the table. Harper was beaming when she saw me and leant over and gave me a little peck on the cheek before returning to her conversation with Alexander. There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to marry this girl and build a family and home with her.