Her face suddenly turned serious. “I know.”
I set the bag down on the table beside me, looking at her closely. I hadn’t noticed it before, but she was trying to be brave, to act happy. But her distress was leaking through.
“Hey.” I reached out and took her hand. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
She tried to smile, but her eyes were teary. “I almost lost you.”
“Don’t be silly. The dumbass missed my vital organs,” I said, downplaying the seriousness of it.
“There was so much blood…”
“Don’t think about that.” I gave her hand a squeeze.
“I can’t stop…” She took a deep breath. “I love you too much.”
For a moment, I couldn’t believe my ears. Did she just say…
“Can you repeat that?” I asked in a choked voice.
This time her smile was real. “I said I love you.”
Giving her hand a yank, I pulled her down to me and stole a heated kiss. Her mouth molded to my own, and I shoved a hand into her hair, holding her in place until I’d thoroughly reacquainted myself with her lips.
When we broke apart, I looked straight into her hazel eyes, “I love you too.”
To my surprise, there was uncertainty in her eyes. I pulled back slightly.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Don’t believe me?”
“It’s not that, it’s just…” She bit her lip nervously. “I have something to tell you.”
I thought about the last time she’d confessed something to me, when she told me about her engagement to Hunter, and tried to tamp down on my anxiety.
“I’m all ears,” I said.
Straightening, she took another deep breath. “I’m pregnant. We’re going to have a baby.”
A million thoughts ran through my mind and the one that came out of my mouth was probably not the best option. “You’re not marrying Hunter.”
A light giggle bubbled up in her chest. “That’syour response? Really?”
“I mean it. I love you and you’re having my baby. Sorry, babe, the wedding’s off.”
There was a possessiveness inside of me that I’d felt before. I was willing to step aside for her happiness before, but now that I knew she felt the same way about me and we were going to have a family, I wasn’t going to be the nice guy anymore. I would fight for her if I had to.
“Don’t worry, I’d already come to the same conclusion. I haven’t talked to Hunter yet, but I can’t go through with the wedding. You changed everything, Butch. You showed me what I’d be missing out on if I allowed my parents to make this decision for me.”
Was this really happening? I was getting everything I could ever want.
“Are you happy about the baby?” she asked, placing a hand over the flat stomach.
I covered her hand with my own.
“Happy doesn’t begin to cover it. I can’t wait to meet our little peanut.”
“We still have quite a while. I’m almost six weeks along.”
I picked up the bag from the diner and pulled out my sandwich. This woman was perfect for me and I couldn’t wait to see what kind of an amazing mother she’d be.
