The Rancher's Proposition

Chapter 12 ~ Unexpected

"Hey, are you okay?" Stacy asked glancing at Bella as they drove down the road. "Don't you dare be worried about the men this week? They have done this for years, Jonathan knows what he is doing." She stated, squeezing onto Bella's hand.

"What know just trying to relax and think about what we need in town?" She replied trying to distract Stacy from asking any more questions.

Stacy beamed at Bella with one of her kill-a-what smiles "Thank God, but first we need gas. My brother doesn't think he needs to fill the truck up when he uses it." She laughed

They pulled into the small gas station just on the outer edge of town. "Here I will go pay and you can pump. I want to see if they have any good junk food." Arabella stated knowing that this would be the only time in the week she would probably have to buy a damn pregnancy test without Stacy by her side.

"Okay great, just put ten in. Oh and get me a pop while you're in there please." She yelled as Bella walked into the small store.

She walked up to the clerk and handed him a ten-dollar bill "Can you put this on pump four please." She asked and gave a week smile as he punched it into the cash register. Slowly she made her way down the aisles. Finally, she found what she was looking for and grabbed two tests and walked to the coolers, and grabbed two Dr. Peppers.

"Will that be all for today ma'am?" asked the clerk with a friendly smile. Bella nodded quickly and pulled out her wallet. "That will be nine dollars and fifty-three cents," He said

She then placed another ten on the counter and shoved the forbidden tests towards the bottom of her purse for later and the pops on top of them. Then grabbed her change and headed out the door. "Oomph, crap I am sorry sir." Bella apologized for running into the man

"Bella, thank god I have been looking all over for you." Said the man as she glanced up and saw the one and only Neal.

Slowly she backed away "I am sorry I don't have anything to say to you. I have to go." She said hurriedly and speed-walked to the truck where Stacy was waiting.

Stacy looked over at Arabella as she jumped into the car looking like she had seen a ghost and was as white as snow. "Okay, now I know something is wrong what is it?" She asked in a demanding tone.

Bell shook her head and mumbled in a defeated voice "Just get us out of here and I will tell you, please." It took them a minute and she could tell that Stacy was getting worried and impatient. "That guy I just ran into, well that would be my ex-husband and he has been looking for me." She said in one huge breath of air.

Stacy looked at her for a second "Well shit, I think we need to call Jon and let him know what's going on." She said as she reached for her phone and searched for his number. "The last thing I want to do is call him, but you look upset and scared. Plus he is your ex so there should be no need for him to look for you."

"Hey Jon, we have a slight probably. I know you just left a few hours ago but we need you to come back." Stacy said into the receiver. "Yeah, I know but listen we just left the gas station and Bell just ran into her ex from New York. He said he has been searching for her." Bella strained to listen to his reply but could barely hear a word he said.

The next thing she knew they turned around and headed back towards the ranch. "Jon said he would be back in about an hour," Stacy reassured her as she patted her hand. Bella on the other hand wasn't so excited and was scared to know why this idiot decided to make his way here to find her. Finally, they pulled into the driveway and walked into the safe harbor of their home.

Remembering she had purchased two tests Arabella looked at Stacy. "Hey, I am going to hop in the shower and try to relax for a minute okay." She said as she made her way to the bedroom with her purse.

"Yeah sure, I will get dinner going," Stacy answered worried for not only her new sister and friend but also for her relationship with her brother. They seemed so in love and she didn't want something to happen to them.

Bella pulled out the two pregnancy tests and stared at them while sitting on her bed. Well, Arabella Lane you always wanted to be a mom she thought to herself as she walked into the bathroom reading the directions. She felt like her heart was thumping out of her chest as she finally peed on the two sticks that would determine her fate. What if he doesn't want kids like Neal? What if he doesn't love me as I do him? So many what if's just constantly running through her brain as she placed the two little plastic tests on the bathroom counter.

Two minutes seemed like it would take forever, so to calm her nerves she decides to take a hot shower like she told Stacy she was doing. It felt fantastic to feel the steam and water roll off of her neck and down her back in-between her shoulder blades. Bella took her time and shaved her legs and was just rinsing her hair when a soft knock on the bathroom door appeared.

"Bella dinner is done whenever you're ready to eat," Stacy called through the bathroom door.

Rushing out she grabbed her towel and went to her room and grabbed a pair of sweat pants and one of Jonathan's old shirts. He might not be here yet but the smell of him lingered on everything which brought her comfort. Then she headed for the kitchen as the smell of fried chicken and corn wavered in the air. "Dear God Stace, I love your cooking. I mean if I eat like this the rest of my life I am going to get fat." She stated as she plopped down in her seat and dug in.

Stacy laughed "Now you're starting to sound like my brother." She replied as she took a bit out of her chicken leg. "I thought you might have passed out in there or something. I mean you were in the shower for a good hour."

"Oh wow, I didn't know I was in there that long. I love the fact that the water stays so hot here. In the apartment, I lived in, if the neighbor flushed their toilet I would either get scolded or frozen." She said nervously remembering that she had the test on the counter. Thank god Stacy didn't walk in to check on her.

Once dinner was cleared up Bella made up an excuse that she needed to brush her teeth. She dreaded those results but knew that it was now or never. Slowly she made her way to the two sticks as she felt her feet weigh down like cinder blocks and her heart thumping out of her chest. Breathing in as deep as she could she looked down and opened her eyes. Each test showing two bright blue plus signs and she felt her world spin and turned towards the toilet and vomited.

"Bell are you okay?" asked a husky voice as he rushed over to her. Crap Crap Crap Crap Crap was all that ran through her mind as she stood up and faced Jonathan as he was looking at the two foreign objects in his hands.