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Chapter Thirty-Two
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Bab terkait
I Choose You Epilogue
“Are you sure?” Jacob frowned, holding up two nearly identical baby onesies.“Yes, I'm sure. We only need one,” I told him. “Babies grow fast. He'll be out of them before he's worn them twice.”“I don't know,” Jacob said, shaking his head slowly. “We can't be too prepared.”I chuckled. “We already have fifteen of them at home. Maybe we could let my mom buy a couple of things for the baby, too?”“I'm getting both,” Jacob announced, putting both items in the basket.I sighed. It was a good thing that Jacob was a billionaire. I was fairly sure that he'd already spent several million on this kid already.A sharp pain started in my stomach and radiated around to my back. It wasn't awful, but it was enough to make me stop and gasp. Luckily, it didn't last long.“Are you okay?” Jacob asked, coming to my side quickly. His blue eyes were big with concern. “Is it starting? Do we need to go to the hospital? I can leave all this stuff here, or I can have someone come buy it and meet us there or--
I Choose You Chapter One
This is going to hurt, I thought as I hurtled through space.I wasn't quite sure what had caught the toe of my shoe, but somehow the floor was quickly coming up to greet me. It would be less than a second before my entire body slammed into the floor of the restaurant entryway, which was conveniently made of very hard-looking tile.Just don't break anything, I prayed, holding my hands out, hoping that my arms would be strong enough to break my fall. It was going to be ugly and there was nothing I could do about it. I was inches away from colliding, when a pair of strong arms caught me around my waist and pulled me back up into a standing position.“Careful,” a man's voice said. The voice was calm and his hands were strong.I was still wincing in anticipated pain as the stranger held me. I had been expecting to hit the floor, so it took me a second to realize that I had just been saved. His hands were on the top of my waist, holding me steady with a firm and safe grip.“You okay?” he as
I Choose You Chapter Two
I tried to pay attention to the discussion about how terrible Tommy's teacher was, but the table next to us stood and left, giving me a clear view of the room. Instead of the conversation, I was drawn to something else. Or rather, someone else. It was the guy who had saved me from falling in the entryway.From where I sat, I had a perfect view of his face. My first impression of him was dead on. Gorgeous. He was strikingly handsome, with dark hair combed to one side and a square jaw covered in beard stubble. He wore square dark framed glasses that instantly gave him the impression of intelligence. My stomach fluttered with the thought that I had been wrapped up in his arms not that long ago. Warmth filled my belly and my heart skipped a beat. He must have felt me looking at him, because he glanced up and smiled at me.I nearly melted at the subtle flirtation and even more so when I noticed his eyes. They were sky blue, unlike any I had ever seen in real life. They were beautiful and i
I Choose You Chapter Three
Dear Alicia,We regret to inform you that the position you applied for as software engineer has been filled by a more qualified applicant. We wish you the best in your journey and hope you reapply next year.With an agitated sigh, I clicked the “delete” button on the email and put it in the trash along with all the others. It was the third email I had gotten that day and they all said the same thing, that my newly received college degree was worth practically nothing in the work force.I spun my chair around away from the desk. At the same time,Tommy popped in through the door, unannounced.“Why do you look so upset?” he asked, as he pushed his shaggy hair out of his eyes.“Because I have a little brother who doesn't know how to knock,” I replied, with a sarcastic smirk.Completely ignoring me, Tommy strolled in and took a seat on my bed.“Seriously, Alicia, you've been in here all day,” he said. “You've been home from college for more than a week and I haven't seen you at all.”“I'm
I Choose You Chapter Four
He was still beyond gorgeous. Instead of the glasses, he wore sunglasses, but they still looked like prescription glasses.“Me too,” the man said to Tommy, pulling out his phone. “You said your game locked up?”Tommy nodded glumly. “I'm stuck on the loading screen.”“Did you log out? Sometimes that reloads your user data and will get you back in the game,” the man told him.Athena came up to him and sniffed his hand. The man quickly pet her on the head, and Athena leaned into it. If my dog thought this guy was okay, I guess I could let him talk to my little brother. He looked up briefly at me and smiled as Tommy continued to follow his instructions.“I'm back in,” Tommy announced, relief filling his features. “Now, to keep the gym under our control.”“Good to have you back in the battle.” The man studied his phone screen. “Hmmm, a leveled up Stingly would take care of this situation in a heart beat.”“You're right,” Tommy agreed, but he frowned. “But I don't have one.”“I do,” I inter
I Choose You Chapter Five
The sun shone brightly and birds chirped as I walked Athena towards the park. I had made sure I looked good today, so my confidence was high. I could do this. It wasn't really a date. It was just meeting a cute guy.A really cute guy.My initial confidence faded as I stepped onto the path that led into the park. First dates, even if they weren't really dates, were not my forte. I always managed to say something far too nerdy. I liked computers and science, and I had more than one date never call me back because I started talking about programming or computer languages better than they did.I ran my fingers through my hair and then over my summer dress, making sure that everything was in order. It was too late to make a different first impression with Jacob, but I figured I could polish up my third impression the best I could. My heart beat quickly, and I drew in a slow breath to calm myself down.Nearing the fountain, I noticed that there were a handful of people standing around it, j
I Choose You Chapter Six
“What is your company’s name?” I asked. I would have to look it up. Maybe they were hiring. “Are you still running it now that you’re living here?”Before he could answer my question, our phones vibrated. We both glanced down at the same time to see the Monster GO app flashing on the screen.“There’s a Buugybuug nearby,” he said. He put his hand on the small of my back to turn me in the right direction. “It’s not a rare monster, but you should catch it anyway. Anything you can do to get experience points will help get you leveled up.”Talking with Jacob, I had forgotten we were playing a game. I lifted my phone, and so did at least five other strangers around us. With a swipe, I caught the little cartoon creature. The catch gave me a grand total of five monsters in my inventory.“See, it’s easy,” Jacob said, holding up his phone. His inventory screen looked way fuller than mine did.“I’m still shocked at how much of a worldwide craze it’s started. It’s insane.” As much as I fought it
I Choose You Chapter Seven
“Are you guys going to kiss or something?” Tommy asked, stepping around to the front of the bench.Jacob pulled away and cleared his throat. He shifted in his seat, trying to play it cool. It was the first time I'd seen him even a little bit flustered, but he shrugged and was suddenly totally collected yet again.“No, we were just hanging out, playing some Monster GO,” Jacob explained.“Tommy, what in the hell are you doing here?” I asked, doing my best to stay calm.“Last I checked, we live in a free country,” he said, as he crossed his arms to stand his ground in front of me. “I finished cleaning my room and Mom said I should come find you. It was just lucky I looked here first.”“Tommy, I’m going to give you three seconds to turn around and go home.” I stated, my words slow and measured. Inside, I was ready to pummel the kid for interrupting what would have been an amazing first kiss.“Or what?” he snapped back. “What, Alicia? What are you going to do?”“Three.” I narrowed my eyes.
Bab terbaru
I Choose You Epilogue
“Are you sure?” Jacob frowned, holding up two nearly identical baby onesies.“Yes, I'm sure. We only need one,” I told him. “Babies grow fast. He'll be out of them before he's worn them twice.”“I don't know,” Jacob said, shaking his head slowly. “We can't be too prepared.”I chuckled. “We already have fifteen of them at home. Maybe we could let my mom buy a couple of things for the baby, too?”“I'm getting both,” Jacob announced, putting both items in the basket.I sighed. It was a good thing that Jacob was a billionaire. I was fairly sure that he'd already spent several million on this kid already.A sharp pain started in my stomach and radiated around to my back. It wasn't awful, but it was enough to make me stop and gasp. Luckily, it didn't last long.“Are you okay?” Jacob asked, coming to my side quickly. His blue eyes were big with concern. “Is it starting? Do we need to go to the hospital? I can leave all this stuff here, or I can have someone come buy it and meet us there or--
I Choose You Chapter Thirty-Two
It was now Friday at three, and I was ready for my interview. I'd barely been at ZephTech as a full time employee for a week now, and I was ready to pull my hair out. I hated it. Without having an end date, every day was worse than before. My heart just wasn't in doing everything for the company with only a pat on the back for reward. I was looking forward to this job interview. I was hoping it would give me something a little less demanding, something that I could continue to do once the baby was born. Even if it didn't pan out, I was excited for the job interview as a chance to expand my horizons.I wore my best suit. It was a dark gray with strong lines that I felt projected strength and dependability. At least, I hoped it did. Paired with some cute low pumps, I felt ready to take on the world.My phone buzzed. It was another phone call from Jacob. I didn't answer it. I still didn't want to talk to him. I'd told Lauren that he wasn't allowed in the apartment, and upon hearing that
I Choose You Chapter Thirty-One
I peed on the stick.And waited.And waited.And waited.It felt like an eternity. I paced the bathroom, I sat on the toilet, I straightened up my shower toiletries, yet the time did not pass. It was the longest five minutes of my life.My hands shook as I approached the sink. It was the moment of truth. I was half afraid the test would somehow be inconclusive, despite the box's assurances that wouldn't happen.I swallowed hard and picked up the test.PREGNANTIt was written there in big bold letters.I shook it, just to be sure.PREGNANTI didn't know if I should scream, cry, pass out or laugh. I felt like I should probably do all of the above. I wished I had someone here to hold my hand as I read that dark word that meant my life was changing. I wished I had Jacob, the one who didn't lie to me, with me telling me that everything was going to be okay and that this was a blessing.I wished I had someone who would help me tell my dad.I sank slowly onto the toilet and felt a tear trick
I Choose You Chapter Thirty
Monday morning came, and it took everything to crawl out of bed. My whole body hurt with heartache and all I wanted to do was sleep until I didn't need to cry anymore. It wasn't the way I had envisioned starting my dream job at ZephTech, but then nothing about the past three days had gone as I'd expected.I blinked several times before standing up. My stomach was still lurching back and forth. Whatever stomach bug I had was still with me. The act of standing hadn’t helped any, but I ignored it as best I could as I lumbered into the shower.The air was fiercely cold against my wet skin when I stepped out, a feeling that gave new energy to the wrench in my stomach. I took several deep breaths while I leaned over the toilet, hoping to prevent myself from falling back into a spiral of vomiting. Finally, I zombie-walked back into my room, the shower not having done anything to cure my exhaustion.The lit up digits on the clock beside my bed suddenly caught my attention like fireworks in th
I Choose You Chapter Twenty-Nine
I sat in shock as I stared at the picture. It was most definitely Jacob. He was wearing the shirt he had left in and had the dark rimmed glasses that I thought made him look so smart on.Slowly, I read the first article:Reclusive Monster GO billionaire, Jacob Rigby, seen here exiting his new headquarters in Silicon Valley. After the sudden success of the game, the developer disappeared from Silicon Valley to regroup. Little to no information of the developer was available at that time.Fans were afraid that without the designer at the helm, the game would stagnate. But, during the last six weeks, major game changes were put into play and offices were opened as the company went on a hiring spree. Mr. Rigby has been incredibly busy with his business.Whatever Mr. Rigby did to regroup has worked well as the new updates to the game have fans joining in the highest numbers yet. The battle feature as well as the ability to see nearby friends has been lauded as “incredible” and “brilliant.”
I Choose You Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Are you feeling any better?” Jacob asked, coming over and kissing my forehead. I was still wrapped up in the soft hotel bedding after dragging myself from the bathroom. I smiled and leaned into his kiss, enjoying the tender caress.“Much,” I promised. “I just hope I don't give you whatever stomach bug I've got.”Jacob sat on the edge of the bed. “It would be worth it,” he assured me. “Besides, I've got a cast-iron stomach. Nothing gets me.”I hoped he was right. I had woken up first thing in the morning to yet again loose my dinner. Jacob had ordered room service, but all I had managed to eat was a piece of toast and some orange juice. The juice had actually tasted better than the coffee, which again, I had only been able to get a couple of swallows down.“At least I don't have to clean the bathroom here,” I joked. Jacob laughed.“I will get you a hotel room any time you are sick,” he promised. “Or a maid.”“You spoil me,” I replied with a smile. He grinned.“That's part of how I pla
I Choose You Chapter Twenty-Seven
We went straight back to my place after lunch. The entire drive over, it was all I could do to keep my hands off of him. I wanted to touch every inch of him and make sure he was still real. That this whole day wasn't just a wonderful dream where I got everything that I wanted.As soon as he parked the car, I grabbed his hand and led him up the stairs to the front door of my apartment building. For the past six weeks, we'd only been able to talk on the phone. We'd done our share of dirty talk and sexy emails, but it was never as good as the real thing. I wanted to touch him, to taste him- which was just something I couldn't do over the phone or in an email.As we walked down the hallway toward my apartment, our hands were all over each other. He walked close behind me, burying his face into my neck and grabbing my butt. I’d reach back and playfully touch the front of his slacks, where his bulge had already formed. His every touch sent my senses into overdrive.I poked my head into my a
I Choose You Chapter Twenty-Six
Just five minutes after I stepped out of the shower, someone knocked on the apartment door. My hair was still wet and I was wearing only a towel. I hadn’t even had a chance to think about what clothes I wanted to wear for when Jacob got in town later that afternoon.“Lauren, can you get that?” I called out.There was no reply, so I walked over to my door and poked my head out into the living room.“Lauren?”The apartment was silent and Lauren’s bedroom door was open. She was nowhere to be found. I glanced at the clock. It was two in the afternoon and I assumed that she must have gone to the gym or for a run in the park.There was another knock on the door, this time a little louder and faster than before.“Hold on. I’m coming!” I said.Crap, who’s here right now? I hope it’s not some salesman or something. I’m going to be so pissed if I rushed for that, I thought.I ran back into my room and dropped my towel, before stepping into some jeans and a t-shirt. My wet hair fell around my fa
I Choose You Chapter Twenty-Five
I woke up in a panic and ran to my bathroom, flipping up the lid of the toilet quickly as I dropped to my knees in front of it. Then I threw up, not once but three times, one right after the other. My stomach clenched until it was all over. Once the storm had passed, I laid down on the bathroom floor for a minute. I drew in a long breath and tried to relax. The nausea was gone, but my stomach still felt tight from the throwing up.Sunlight flickered on the bathroom floor and I shut my eyes against it. All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and die. There was nothing I hated more than throwing up. It was terrible. The nausea, the retching, the smell. I wanted so badly to avoid it. I thought that maybe a sip of water could make the feeling go away, so I took a drink from the glass next to my sink. It only made it worse, though and my stomach turned again. That water was coming back up, whether I liked it or not.Dammit, I thought. I closed my eyes and willed the water to stay down. It
