Page 1 of Coming Innocent

Chapter One

THE CONFINED SPACE OF the car sends chills of claustrophobia through her system, something she has never experienced in the past, but suddenly finds herself enraptured by it as the days continue to creep by.

Avery knows that she should feel grateful that she has been able to carry one child – let alone twins – but as the smell of fried chicken from Angie’s Diner wafts through the air and fills the cabin of her SUV, leaving her in a nauseated state, she finds herself groaning in misery.

Finally, she watches as Logan steps out of the doors of Nelson’s Pharmacy and heads in her direction, crisp white paper bag hanging from his fingers – her saving grace.

“Hey, beautiful,” he says as he opens the door and steps into the car. “You’re looking a little green. Do you want one of these now?”

Avery takes a deep inhale through her mouth, trying to keep from drawing in the scent of the offensive chicken, and exhales before responding.

“It’s the food from Angie’s. And yes, please. I need one of those pills stat.”

Logan offers her a sympathetic smile before opening the child-proof cap of the amber bottle and handing her one of the self-dissolving nausea tablets. She places it on the back of her tongue and closes her eyes while resting her head on the cushion of the seat, waiting for the miracle pills to take effect.

“I’m sorry you’re still feeling so poorly. I was sure it would have passed by the halfway point,” he commiserates as he strokes a hand across her cheek and into her hair.

Logan has been an ideal husband and soon to be father, doting on her at every turn.

Once the tablet dissolves it only takes a minute before she can feel the effects working their way through her system, immediately offering her some sort of relief.

She opens her eyes and glances over at the man that makes her live again, the man that shows her what it means to love with all of your heart. Avery turns her head into his palm and offers a slight smile.

“Thank you for rushing in there to get them. I can’t believe I forgot to grab them after work yesterday.”

“It’s no problem. We still need to have that conversation about you working.”

Avery rolls her eyes and turns her head back to face out the front windshield.

“No, we don’t. Charles says I’m perfectly healthy and can work as long as I feel that I can.”

As Logan shifts the vehicle into drive he huffs under his breath, but loud enough for Avery to hear.

“Yes, but he isn’t the father.”

“Logan,” Avery sighs.

“Avery,” he mimics.

Not wanting to continue the useless argument, Avery rests her hand on her expanding belly, feeling the four feet and hands wiggling around beneath the skin, making themselves known. Knowing she has two lives growing inside her, depending on her, makes her question her own motives to continue working. If she knew staying at home and stopping work would keep them safe she may reconsider her stance on the subject.

Lost in thought, Avery startles when the SUV stops in front of her contribution to the town of Carson, North Carolina. The town that welcomed her with open arms even after learning she was the product of an affair from the town hero.

The expansive building before her of glass and stone blends seamlessly with the rest of the surrounding buildings, just as she had imagined. The first floor is a dedicated pediatric clinic with everything provided per the Director’s aspects.

They were about an hour from a major hospital, so Avery spent the money she had inherited from her late fiancé to provide the growing town with the most cutting-edge equipment to cater to the families – including her own. Her husband’s friend Brooks had signed on to take the Director’s position and had been integral in getting the project off the ground.

As far as she knew, it was practically finished. A few modifications were needed on the third-floor space, items her brother Jameson needed for his software business, but besides that, the clinic should be on schedule for its ribbon cutting in a month.

“Want to do a walk-through? They finished laying the floors yesterday.”

Excitedly Avery releases her seat belt and jerks forward in her seat. A pinch spanning across the right side of her abdomen overwhelms her and she grimaces in pain. Logan is opening her door just as he notices the agony cross her face.

“Is everything alright?” he asks as he places his hands gently on her stomach, feeling around for any tightness.

His gentle hands massage the side of her stomach where she gestures and she feels instant relief.

“Better?”