Nicola Taylor After a long, exhausting call with my sister Rose, I was officially wiped out. Three hours of back-and-forth, catching up on life, gossip, and me spilling my guts about everything Cole-related had left me feeling drained. But that’s what happens when you talk to someone who knows you
Oh, he wasn’t going to let me off that easy. “Nicola?” Cole called after me, and I stopped, turning to face him with a mock-innocent look on my face. “Yes, dear?” I sang out sweetly, leaning against the wall with exaggerated patience. “You’re telling me that she—” he hesitated for a second, “hate
Nicola Taylor I stood by the front door, my heart fluttering with excitement. It had been so long since I'd seen my sister, and the anticipation was making me giddy. Arabella was just as energetic, bouncing around the foyer like a wind-up toy. Her wide grin and excited squeals made me laugh as I wa
Rose flashed him a tight smile, sipping her coffee. “Yes, it is. I’m really looking forward to it.” Her tone was polite but clipped, and I could sense the tension rising beneath the surface. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever was coming next. But before Rose could say anything more
Cole’s eyes flickered with a mix of frustration and something else—maybe guilt, maybe shame. “You’re right,” he conceded after a beat. “Nicola does deserve better. I’ve been… working through things, but that doesn’t excuse how I’ve treated her. I’m not trying to make excuses. I just—” “Stop ‘workin
Nicola Taylor The week with Rose around had been crazy. Arabella adored her, and we had fun, even though I could feel the tension in the air whenever Cole joined us for breakfast or dinner. He was civil, polite even, but distant—more distant than ever before. He didn’t argue or snap back at Rose,
I raised an eyebrow at his words, a small smile tugging at my lips as I teased, “Hmm, true. You’ve got some catching up to do. Let’s start small.” His hand lingered on my back, and I felt my skin tingling beneath his touch. We reached the classroom, and Ms. Hoffman looked up, offering us a polite
Nicola Taylor After an exhausting day, I stepped inside the house, my body aching from the double class I had been forced to go to. Mrs. Hinkle had been out sick, and she had to cover all of her sessions in a day, making Saturday even more brutal than usual. The moment I walked through the door,
"Are you excited for Aaron's party?” I asked, brushing through her locks as she watched me through the mirror.She nodded, swinging her legs happily. “Yes! But I have to take care of everyone. Because Aaron’s just a baby, and I’m the big sister,” she said, very seriously.An hour later, we were fina
Nicola Taylor“No, no, Cole, let go of me now!” I groaned, half-heartedly trying to wriggle out from under him. His weight was pressed against me, his warm, muscled arms keeping me pinned to the bed. Despite my protests, I couldn't stop a smile from sneaking onto my face.“Baby, sleep. It’s fine,” h
He blinked, looking a bit taken aback. “Of course. What did you have in mind? Movie marathon or something?”I forced a small smile, working to keep the nerves out of my voice. “No…like a date.”His brow quirked with interest, but he nodded, loosening his tie and hanging it on the back of a chair. “A
Nicola TaylorThe past few months had been tough, but I’d finally turned a corner. The nausea was gone, and I was starting to glow. People said I looked radiant, my hair had this newfound shine, and my skin had that pregnancy flush everyone raved about. But beneath it all, I was struggling. The wors
When I returned to the room, she was still curled up, her eyes closed but her breathing uneven. I knew she was only half-asleep, fighting the nausea that had been plaguing her all evening.“Tea’s here,” I murmured softly, sitting beside her and holding the warm cup close to her face, letting her inh
Cole HarringtonAs I held Nicola's hair back, feeling the warmth of her trembling shoulders as she cried and heaved in turns, my heart ached for her. She leaned into my chest as if she couldn’t keep herself up anymore, her face flushed and exhausted. I’d never seen her look so vulnerable, and it only made me want to shield her more.“Nicola, just tell me when you’re done, okay?” I murmured, trying to soothe her as best as I could. "I'll carry you to bed, and you can rest a little or sleep for a few hours.”Her face twisted in a mix of frustration and exhaustion. "I’m covered in puke, Cole… this is so gross,” she choked out, tears spilling over as she buried her face in her hands.I smoothed her hair and smiled, trying to keep her calm. “Hey, hey… do you want to shower first? I can run a nice hot bath for you.” She looked up at me, a fragile, helpless nod, her eyes puffy and red. It was like looking at a child who'd been through too much.I kept a hand on her back as I stood and turned
He nodded, his gaze meeting mine. “Alright. Last time… with Arabella, I was overwhelmed. I didn’t know what I was doing. I felt too young, unprepared, like I was in over my head. But now, even though this wasn’t planned, I feel more grounded. It’s just… I don’t want to make the same mistakes again,
Nicola TaylorThe quiet hum of the doctor’s office felt oddly comforting as I sat beside Cole, my fingers tapping against my knee. He didn’t say much, just held my hand, calm and steady in that way he always was when he was holding back. Part of me had expected more—something like shock or excitement—but his silence left me feeling exposed, like I’d hoped too much.After what felt like hours, the doctor finally walked in, her warm smile dissolving the tension a bit. “Congratulations,” she said, her tone cheerful yet professional. “You’re officially pregnant, Mrs. Harrington.”The words sank in, spreading a comforting warmth through me. I looked at Cole, waiting for something to flash across his face, some signal that he was thrilled or, at the very least, surprised. But instead, his eyes softened, and he smiled—not wide, not exactly happy, but something between relief and satisfaction. He squeezed my hand, a reassuring gesture, and nodded at me.“This is great news, isn’t it?” I said,
Cole HarringtonAs Nicola’s words sank in, I just stared, unable to process everything. She was sitting there, looking fragile in a way that broke my heart, her voice barely a whisper. "I… I think I might be pregnant, Cole," she managed, her voice trembling. "I haven’t taken a test, but I’m ten days late." She was holding back tears, bracing herself for my reaction.My silence must have been deafening because I saw her shoulders tense even more. I swallowed, pushing down my own whirlwind of emotions to focus on her, only her. I didn’t know what to say at that moment, but seeing her so scared, so vulnerable, made me realize that this was far more difficult for her than it was for me. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to sound calm. “Hey,” I murmured, pulling her closer, rubbing her back gently as I held her. "Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out. I’m here, okay? You’re not alone in this." She buried her face against my shoulder, and I felt her release a shaky breath. It made me w