Sunstroke

SUNSTROKE Part One The story begins I won't jump on him the minute he gets here. I'll take my time. Bailey George paced back and forth in the tiny living room of the miniscule apartment she and Zack Wallace had been sharing for the past year. She had pinched herself every day since they'd moved in together. Her family hadn't been too excited about their baby girl, a sophomore, "living in sin" with a big bad senior, and a fifth year senior at that. But then they met Zack, and he won them over so smoothly, they had no objections left. She hoped when she broke her news to them they would realize she was as at fault as Zack. She was nervous about his reaction, but they loved each other. Underneath her nerves, she was secure in the knowledge that, together, they'd handle the situation. So maybe her plans might have to change a little, but that would be okay. Just as long as they were together. She stood in the middle of the combination living/dining room, checking everything for tonight one last time. The table was set with real plates instead of paper. She had splurged and bought two small candlesticks and some scented candles. And the dinner she'd cooked had turned out well, much to her surprise. Should I wait until he has a drink? Changes into his sweats? God. What if he says he's not hungry? Thanks for all this work, babe, but I've really gotta hit the books tonight. Everything else aside, this was probably a good time to talk about what came next. They'd danced around it but hadn't really nailed anything down. Bailey still had two more years of undergrad followed by law school. Zack had already planned to go into the Air Force right after graduation. He had the qualifications-a GPA of 3.7, a degree in engineering, and a civilian pilot's license. The man was hooked on planes and flying. Couldn't seem to get enough of it. Talked about it all the time. He even earned money by flying tourists around the area on weekends, working for a small charter service at a nearby field. Every time he came home from that field, his eyes sparkled like Fourth of July fireworks, and he was totally jazzed. Sometimes she thought he could give up food easier than he could give up flying. They had sort of discussed Bailey finishing the next two years here while spending time with him whenever they could work it out. They'd get married when she graduated. Then he hoped for some kind of permanent posting, at least long enough for her to get her law degree from whatever university they happened to be near. After that, they'd see what was in store for them. Of course, the best laid plans and all that, she thought to herself. Here they were one month before his graduation, and along came a big monkey wrench. Pregnant! She'd hardly been able to believe it. Being pregnant and unmarried at twenty had never been in her plans. They'd been so careful, but she'd had the flu, and the doctor she'd seen said that often threw off the birth control pills. Now he told her? Why hadn't he said something when she went to see him for flu medicine? She agonized over how Zack would take it. She hoped he'd be excited. Would he want to get married right away? Would she be able to go back to school in the fall, at least for a semester, until she had the baby? Then they could see about sitters. They'd said they wanted children. Okay, so maybe not this way, and maybe not so soon, but still. It is what it is. She desperately wanted a glass of wine to steady her nerves, but tonight-and for the foreseeable future- she wasn't drinking. She'd thought it all out as intelligently as possible. At she hoped she had. Her plan was doable if Zack would just take a good look at it and agree. Zack! She still got weak in the knees whenever she thought of him, even after almost two years. God. He'd blown into her life, quite literally, on a windy, rainy day. She'd been struggling to get up the stairs to the library, where it was dry, but the heavy wind kept buffeting her. Suddenly, a pair of strong arms scooped her up and carried her inside. She'd been so stunned she hadn't had time to be afraid. "That rainstorm's a killer today, isn't it?" The voice was deep and warm and sent a chill through her that had nothing to do with being cold. When he set her on her feet, she could only stare at him. She looked up-and up and up-to the tallest guy she'd ever seen, she was sure. His thick black hair curled from the rain, and drops clung to equally thick lashes framing electric-blue eyes. His face was rugged, with high cheekbones and a square jaw. A little bit of late-day dark scruff shading his jawline gave him a hint of danger. For a minute, she'd thought she was hallucinating, that her addled freshman mind was having a waking dream. Then he'd reached into the backpack he carried and pulled out a windbreaker, wrapping it around her freezing body. "Looks like you need someone to take care of you." That deep voice had resonated inside her, and she was lost to him. After that evening, they were inseparable, the past two years flying by as if the days had wings on their feet. Zack's graduation was just around the corner. She'd planned a surprise for him, but not quite like the one she now had for him. She could only hope he turned out to be as excited as she was. Well, maybe excited wasn't quite the right word. But he loved her. He'd told her more times than she could count. And she loved him, too. Hell, when her parents were this age, they got married. Bailey placed a hand over her stomach, as if the pressure could calm the butterflies having a field day in there. She had just taken a sip from a glass of water when she heard Zack running up the stairs. Her heart skipped a beat, and her pulse accelerated. Of course, it always did that when she was anticipating him. A minute later, the door opened. His dark hair was windblown, giving him an even sexier look. She didn't think she'd ever tire of looking at him. She hoped he'd feel the same way when she gave him her news. He tossed his knapsack on the couch, picked her up, and swung her around. "Just wait until you hear what I have to tell you." He put her down, cupped her face, and kissed her hard. When he drew back, she noticed the excitement gleaming in his eyes and the big grin on his face. "Wow. It must be good. Is it something more about the Air Force? You look like a kid at Christmas." "Better than Christmas." He glanced over at the little dining area and froze. "Uh, did I miss a special date or something? Looks like you went all out for dinner." "A little. I have something to tell you. I just hope-" "Then we both have something to celebrate. Bailey, you won't believe what happened."