Chapter 27

Twenty-Seven

Abby

E very day since I’d told him the news, Nick had texted to make sure I was okay and called me before bed to say good night. He’d even sent a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates to say congratulations. I felt cherished, but we hadn’t discussed anything since I told him I was pregnant.

I wasn’t sure where we stood or what it meant. He’d said he needed to talk to Brody and Austin, but how long would that take? When would he decide if he was staying in Annapolis or moving? The not knowing was stressful.

I was more tired and a bit nauseous, but otherwise, I felt okay. I didn’t want to tell Hunter about the pregnancy until I discussed it with Nick, and we should tell the boys at the same time.

The thought of revealing it to the boys at the same time had my heart pitter-pattering in my chest. At least once a day, I imagined what life would be like if I was truly with Nick. We were in a relationship. No hiding, no rules, or boundaries. A real relationship.

Would we live together? Would we help each other with the boys? The thought of having someone to support me at the end of a long day, not just in texts and phone calls but a physical presence in the same house, sounded amazing.

On Sunday, a week after I told him about the baby, Nick called to say he arranged for Ben and Brooke to watch the boys so we could have some time together.

I tried not to read too much into that. Did he want the boys out of the way because he was delivering bad news? I couldn’t relax the entire day. I was short with Hunter as I waited for the clock to tick down to the time that Brooke was stopping by to get Hunter.

At five, she came inside, announcing her entrance with a singsong voice, “It’s me.”

I sucked in a breath, nervous even though it was just my sister. Nick wasn’t even there yet.

Coming into the kitchen, she hugged me tightly. “Are you freaking out?”

“Am I that obvious?” I asked, putting my cleaning supplies away.

“You’re stress-cleaning, and you look like you’re going to be sick.” She tipped her head to the side, considering me. “Or is that the baby?” Brooke took a step back to get a look at me.

I covered my stomach. “I’m not showing yet, and it’s not the baby who’s throwing me off-center.”

“It’s Nick then.”

“Did he tell you what his plans are?”

She shook her head. “No, just that he wanted time alone with you, and I agreed. You two need to talk. Get everything out in the open, so you can stop stressing. It’s not good for you or the baby.”

“I just hope I’m ready to hear what he has to say.”

“Are you still worried about what Seth did?”

“How could I not be?”

“If you want to move on and have another relationship, you need to move past Seth. You have to stop expecting Nick to be the same. It’s not fair to him.”

“You’re right.” I felt awful every time I said Seth’s name when we were together. Nick was his own person.

“I had to let go of my trust issues before Ben and I could move forward. It’s the same for you. You can hold on to what Seth did and let it pollute your life, or you can move past it.”

“I want to let it go.” I was ready to stop being bitter about what fate had dealt me and give Nick a chance to be the father my baby needed. To be the man I wanted in my life.

Brooke smiled. Satisfied with my response, she said, “Well, my work is done here. I’ll just grab Hunter and get out of your hair.”

I hugged Hunter and told him to be good. He didn’t ask why Nick was coming over to talk to me, and for that, I was grateful. I wasn’t ready for that conversation. And there was always the possibility Nick would break things off. He’d move Brody out of town, and there wouldn’t be a need to tell Hunter anything.

My chest felt hollow at the thought of Brody and Nick moving away. I could suggest long distance, but I didn’t want to. Nick had told me to ask for what I wanted. And I planned to do that today. I wanted Nick and Brody and Hunter. I wanted us to be together as a family. I wanted everything. I deserved it.

The baby inside of me would be the thing that pulled us together, instead of ripping us apart. I’d have faith, even when it was hard, but I needed Nick to want the same thing. Nick’s intentions were the only variable—the one thing I couldn’t control.

When I heard the knock on my door a short while later, I jumped at the sound. I felt jittery. My body a bundle of nerves. I opened the door with my heart in my throat.

Nick stood on my porch, handsome in dress pants and a buttoned-down shirt.

“Are we—are you going somewhere?” Was he just stopping by on his way elsewhere?

“I wanted to show you something.”

Thankful I’d worn a dress with black leggings and booties that were perfect for the fall weather and wherever Nick wanted to take me, I said, “Let me grab my keys.”

With my purse on my shoulders, I followed him to his car. I couldn’t help but wonder where he was taking me and why. Did it have something to do with the baby, or where he was going? My mind was a jumbled mess. I couldn’t settle on any one scenario. Instead, I jumped from one to the other.

“We need to talk,” Nick said, his gaze flitting to me before settling on the road.

“We do.”

“But I thought I’d show you a few things first.”

“Okay.” I drew the word out, on edge about what he needed to show me. Was he taking me to his new place? When he went the usual route to his house, I relaxed inch by inch. I was still confused but a little more hopeful that he’d decided to stay in Annapolis.

He parked in front of his rental home that had twinkling lights adorned on the wraparound porch. It was dusk, but I could see how pretty the effect would be when the sun went down. “I told you that I’d prove my love to you with actions, not words.”

I wanted to ask what that had to do with his house, but I didn’t. I sensed he’d put a lot of work into his plans for me.

He got out to open the door for me, holding his hand out for me to take it. I placed my hand in his and stepped out of the vehicle. His palm was warm and comforting. Nick wasn’t Seth. I wanted to let it evolve how it was supposed to, not interjecting my past baggage with the present.

He stopped on the porch, the sky darkening with each minute that passed. “When I toured this house, the owner wanted a renter who would be interested in purchasing it down the road. I wasn’t ready to buy anything. The thought scared the shit out of me, honestly. I hadn’t held on to anything permanent in a long time. Maybe ever.”

He took my hands on both of his, turning me to face him. “It’s the perfect house. It has five bedrooms and a little sitting room off the master. You’ve already seen the backyard. It’s a virtual playground for kids.”

“Nick, what are you saying?” Was he staying in town or not? The suspense was making my stomach twist into knots.

“I talked to a realtor in town about buying it. The owner is still interested in selling.”

“You’re staying?” I asked finally, the knots slowly unraveled as a smile covered Nick’s face.

“I talked to Austin. He’s going to give up the other people involved. He assured me he won’t be doing any more interviews. He saw how it was affecting Brody.”

“I’m so happy for you two.”

“I talked to an attorney about getting custody. I have a good chance since Austin’s behind bars.”

“Good for you.” I was so proud of him. He was finally living his life on his own terms. I just hoped the baby and me fit somewhere in his plans.

“That’s not all. I love you. I want you to live here with me. I want us to be a family—Hunter, Brody, you, me, and the baby.”

I could see the vision so easily. The boys playing in the backyard while Nick cradled the baby. My baby’s father would be in his or her life. Elation filled me at the thought. I felt settled. We were home.

I shook my head. “I don’t know what to say. I thought you were going to tell me you were moving.”

Nick dropped my hands and stepped closer. “You clearly haven’t been listening.”

Tears pricked my eyes. “I’m trying. I’m letting go of the past, and I want to move forward with you without the limitations I placed on myself.”

He brushed a hair out of my face, the move so tender, I tilted my cheek into his palm. “I want the same.”

Then he slid to one knee, holding my hand in his. “Abby, will you move in with Brody and me? Will you be part of my family?”

“I need to talk to Hunter, but I have a feeling he’ll say yes.” The tears fell freely now, obscuring my vision.

“I wanted to show you that I love you. I’m here to stay. And you’re my future.”

I laughed through my tears. “So you bought a house.”

He pulled out a box he must have had in his pocket. “And a ring.”

My lips parted on a gasp. My hand flying to my mouth. “Is that—” I couldn’t form the words. It was difficult to draw in a breath, much less put the words in a sentence.

“Abby, will you marry me? Will you be my wife? My future? The love of my life?”

“Yes, yes, yes.”

“I’ve been living my life based on someone else’s terms, but that ends now. I live it on my own now. I love you. I want to be with you.”

“I want those things too.”

“Will you marry me?” he asked, his expression still a little uncertain. I sensed he needed me to say yes specifically to that question.

“I’d love to.” He slipped a cool band on my finger, the diamond sparkling with the lights on the porch, then stood, crushing my lips to his. My fingers tangled in the hair at the base of his neck. His body, hard and solid, pressed against mine. I’d never get enough of him. Our future stretched out before us, with endless possibilities. But the one thing I knew I could count on was that Nick would be there. Not just for the pregnancy, but for everything.

I knew that with every fiber of my being. The man was it for me. He wasn’t leaving. I could count on him. “I love you,” I said between kisses.

“Not as much as I love you.” Then he lifted me bridal style, kicking open the door and shutting it behind us. He carried me up the stairs to his room and laid me down on his king bed. I’d never been there, but I didn’t even have a chance to look around before he was hovering over me, his mouth on mine.

I loved him with everything I had. I believed in him. Supported him. And I knew he’d do the same. We couldn’t stop saying we loved each other. It was as if we almost couldn’t believe that was our reality.

He stripped me of my clothes and slowly touched every inch of my skin with his hands and his mouth. By the time he entered me, my body was strung tight with need. I needed him inside me.

I arched into him as he slid inside. He slowly pumped inside, taking me higher and higher, his mouth never leaving mine until I was soaring through the air. My mind seemingly detached from reality as he went over a few seconds later. He rested beside me, his hand resting on the side of my face.

“This doesn’t seem real.” It had a dream-like quality to it.

The soft light from the moon outside illuminated his face. “You can trust in me. Our life gets to be this good,” he said.

“I love that.”

“I love you.” Then he kissed me until my lips were swollen and my body was ready for more. He made love to me again. It was like we had to have our hands on each other. I knew our need for each other would wane eventually, but for now, I needed the physical assurances that he was there. That he was real. That our life would always be that amazing.

“I can’t wait for our life to begin,” he said reverently.

Gazing in his eyes, I said, “It started when I saw you across the room at Ethan and Savannah’s wedding.”

Nick smiled softly. “We should have known then.”

“I didn’t need to leave a note or a number. We were destined to find one another.”

“You’re my destiny. My future. My one and only love.”

I smiled softly. “There you go again with the sweet words.”

“I needed you to feel my love.”

He wrapped me in his arms, and I felt the love surrounding me, buoying me, protecting me. He would be our rock. I knew that without a doubt. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to prove it to us.

I couldn’t believe I’d questioned it for so long. I’d pushed him away. Made him prove himself, again and again. But he was patient, and we were meant to be. Now that we’d found each other, nothing would ever come between us.