Dawn of Eve by MJ Howson (best ereader for students .txt) 📕

room sofas before joining Dawn in her kitchen. He paused beside her as she poured a glass of merlot.

“Should you be drinking?” Jacob asked.

“That’s for you.” Dawn pointed at a glass of water on the counter. She ran her hand across her stomach. “I’m looking out for Evelyn. She’s all that matters now.”

Jacob was about to say something when the music faded, and the automated system said, “Please restate the command.”

“Cancel,” Dawn said. She passed Jacob the glass of merlot and shook her head. “That’s becoming a problem.”

“I’ve told you before to change the system’s name,” Jacob said. “Or the baby’s.”

“But the baby must have my mother’s name.”

“Why? She’s no longer a part of your life.”

“That’s exactly why.” Dawn glanced up at the nearest speaker and frowned. “I’ll call the technician tomorrow and ask him how to change it.”

“Or just call the baby Evie.”

“Evie? My mother hated that nickname.”

“How about Eve?”

“Eve?” Dawn tapped her lip and smiled. “Eve. I like that.” Dawn led Jacob over to the living room. “Evelyn, light the fireplace.”

The two settled into a black leather loveseat that faced the wall of windows. To the left, a large wall covered in black marble contained a ten-foot-wide fireplace filled with white crystals. It quickly sparked to life. A pair of white Barcelona chairs that faced the fireplace began to reflect the glow.

“How’d things go today?” Jacob asked. “Your text said it was perfect.”

“It was. I had this new technician. Gwen. She said there were no complications.”

“That’s great.”

“She’s engaged.”

“Who?”

“Gwen. She showed me her ring. It was cute.” Dawn wiggled her fingers and stared at them. “I . . . I know you want to wait to see what happens with the baby, but–”

“Dawn, we talked about this.” Jacob smiled and gently held her hands. “Let’s take this day by day.” Jacob kissed Dawn’s fingertips one by one. “I have a surprise.” Jacob walked over to his coat, reached into an inner pocket, and retrieved a robin-egg-blue Tiffany box wrapped in a white silk ribbon.

Dawn’s eyes widened as she stared at the gift. Jacob sat beside her and smiled as he handed it to her. She gently released the bow and opened the box.

“I hope you like it,” Jacob said.

Dawn retrieved a platinum necklace with a half-carat sapphire pendant. She cupped the sparkling jewel in her hand and suppressed a frown.

“What?” Jacob asked. “It matches your eyes.”

“It’s . . . it’s lovely. But you can’t afford this. Why do you keep buying me these expensive gifts?”

“You’ve been so stressed about the baby. I just wanted to show you how much I love you.”

Dawn dropped the pendant back in the box and said, “But, someone of your means–”

“Is lucky to have someone like you.”

“Honestly, Jacob, there are times I think you’re trying to overcompensate. Most men feel . . . threatened by my wealth.”

“I’m not most men.” Jacob winked at Dawn and kissed her on the cheek. “You deserve the best.”

Dawn slid closer and let Jacob wrap his arm around her, burying her face in his chest. She smiled as Jacob began to run his fingers through her hair.

“We’ll get through this,” Dawn said. She sighed and ran her hand across Jacob’s shirt. The sweet woody scent of his Bulgari Man cologne wrapped itself around her, comforting her. “I know a baby was never in our plans.”

“No. No, it wasn’t.”

Dawn stared at the small blue box, wondering how in the world Jacob could afford a pendant from Tiffany’s. This wasn’t the first time he’d lavished her with luxury.

“I have a surprise for you,” Dawn said. She sat up and kissed Jacob on his cheek. The rough stubble around his lips felt raw. “Follow me.”

Dawn stood up and hurried to the spiral staircase. The massive steps, alternating in black and white marble, circled a set of four thick pillars. Glass walls on the outer edge of each stair made for a sleek modern look. She didn’t bother to wait for Jacob as she made her way upstairs.

Jacob stood up and adjusted his black wool trousers. As Dawn disappeared upstairs, he checked his cellphone tucked away inside his coat pocket. He frowned when he saw over a dozen notifications.

The second floor included two bedrooms, each with adjacent bathrooms. The doors to both rooms were closed. Dawn waited for Jacob beside the private elevator. When Jacob reached the top of the stairs, Dawn walked over to the nearest bedroom door and grabbed the handle.

“I hope you like it,” Dawn said.

Jacob waited as Dawn spun the crystal doorknob and slowly opened the door. Inside, the walls and ceiling were awash in a pale white aurora borealis. The ribbons of light danced as they swam across the boundaries of the room, reflecting off the baby furniture inside.

“You converted it to a nursery?” Jacob’s jaw dropped, and his brow furrowed. “When?”

“Last month,” Dawn said. “The final piece was delivered yesterday.”

“Aren’t you the sneaky one?”

“I wanted to surprise you. What do you think?”

Jacob followed Dawn into the room, stopped, and looked around. He remained silent as he methodically studied everything.

“My designer did a stunning job, didn’t he?” Dawn asked.

“It’s beautiful.”

The nursery’s style matched the rest of the apartment, including the lack of color. A cream-painted crib was positioned beneath a Swarovski crystal chandelier. A changing table and dresser were along the side of the room near the entrance to the bathroom. A white wooden rocking chair sat in the corner, angled to allow a view out the floor-to-ceiling windows. A small matching table was beside it. The walls were covered in abstract paintings Dawn had specifically created for the nursery. Like the rest of the apartment, the artwork lacked color–a mix of black, white, and creams.

Dawn slid her arm around Jacob’s waist and led him to the dresser on the far side of the room. A nightlight projector she’d purchased earlier in the week sat atop the chest. The small lamp beamed realistic variations of nebulas and other cosmic effects. There were multiple settings to adjust the color and variety