“I didn’t get pregnant on purpose,” she rushes out.
I frown. “I never said that you did.” That thought never even crossed my mind. It took the both of us to make our baby. I knew the possibilities when I chose not to use a condom.
“I’ve been going crazy thinking. Finally, I remembered that a few weeks before you came to Roses, I was sick. I was on antibiotics. I didn’t realize they could disrupt birth control.” She licks her lips. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Hey, it’s okay.”
“I don’t want your money, Grave. And if you want to walk away, I understand,” she adds.
“What?” I blink.
“I don’t want you to be stressed. If you don’t want to be part of his or her life, I understand that, too.”
She’s not making sense. What the hell has she been thinking while I’ve been in rehab? I should have reached out to her, but there was a short list of people I could have contact with. I wanted her to focus on the baby, not my recovery.
“April…”
“I know things aren’t ideal.” She sniffs and drops her gaze to her heels.
I place my hands on either side of her face and she looks up at me, her ice-blue eyes full of tears. “What are you talking about?”
“I don’t want to put any pressure on you,” she whispers.
“You’re not,” I assure her. She’s the only thing that I know I can’t live without. I need her more than any hit I’ve ever craved.
She bites her bottom lip. “I’m afraid.” Her watery eyes dart around the room.
“Of what?” My chest tightens. “Of me? I promise you, April. I will be better for you and our baby,” I quickly reassure her.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” A tear rolls down her face.
“What do you mean?” Her bottom lip quivers. “Hey, talk to me. Please.” Whatever it is, I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right, but I can’t guess what she’s thinking.
She lets out a shaky breath. “I’m afraid you won’t love me sober.”
My tight chest constricts like a vice at her confession. How could she think that? What have I done to make her think I could love her any less? I love her more. I did this for her. I’m demanding more of myself because she deserves that. “April.”
“You almost kissed me in your car but stopped,” she adds, interrupting me. “And I realized that maybe you don’t want?—”
I cut off her insane words by pressing my lips to hers. Her arms wrap around my neck as she parts her lips for me, allowing me to deepen the kiss. My hands tangle in her hair, loosening her updo, and I tilt her head back to give me better access to her lips. I devour her. Drink her in as if she is the cure for a disease.
I break the kiss and she opens her heavy eyes, lips parted as she sucks in a breath. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving to you that I love you.”
EPILOGUE
APRIL
IT’S BEEN A month since Emilee and Titan’s wedding. Grave went back to rehab that night, and two weeks later, I picked him up, knowing that he wouldn’t have to return like Cinderella at midnight.
Things have been crazy busy since the wedding. Titan had every news crew in Las Vegas there, and a picture of him and Emilee ended up on the cover of a magazine. The title readThe King found his Queen. It was gorgeous. I blew it up and hung it inside of Roses.
Turns out, their wedding got a lot of publicity, which gave me exposure. Emilee and Titan had done an interview that was published in the magazine as well, and they name-dropped me and the shop as their florist. The calls started rolling in.
And that call that I got right before we walked with Emilee down the aisle? It was from my realtor. With the amount Emilee and Titan had paid me for their wedding, I had enough to make an offer on the boutique that was for sale next to me. They accepted it.
Me, Jasmine, Haven, and Alexa spent the week that Emilee was away for her honeymoon tearing down the wall that dividedthe boutique from Roses. Who knew a sledgehammer and some beers would be such a great stress reliever? Well, as the mom-to-be, I had Capri Suns. But there was still something therapeutic about it, nonetheless.
Ethan is staying out of trouble for the most part. He’s been at the shop every day showing me that he’s dedicated and trying his best. He told me he wants to work off his debt to Grave the right way. I respect that. And so does Grave.
