At 5:30 on the dot, Jeremiah walked through the door and stopped short when I walked toward him from the hallway. He placed his hand on his heart and shook his head.
“You look beautiful,” he murmured, his eyes wandering over me as he walked toward me. He placed his hands on my hips and ran his thumbs up and down the fabric of my dress.
“Thank you,” I said, my cheeks burning. He could still make me blush.
“Maybe we shouldn’t go to dinner…” he said, his blue eyes darkening.
“Oh, no you don’t,” I said with a laugh. “Baby is hungry!”
“So is daddy…” he said throatily.
“Jeremiah!” I swatted at him playfully.
He let out a deep belly laugh and linked his arm through mine.
“Let’s get you and baby fed,” he said, leading me toward the door.
Thirty minutes later, the town car pulled up outside one of our favorite restaurants. It was an upscale Italian place, with fresh, handmade pastas and delectable desserts. My mouth was watering before we even sat down at our small candlelit table. We ordered our usual favorites, along with a bottle of sparkling cider that bubbled in our champagne glasses.
He lifted his glass up and I raised mine to his, clinking it lightly.
“A toast,” he said. “To you, babe. For being resilient and strong. For being a mother most would dream of, loving and caring for our baby who hasn’t even arrived earthside yet. You’ve taken care of us all. I don’t know where I would be without you.”
I felt my eyes watering, but held back the happy tears that were forming as I stared back at the man I loved.
“My favorite moments have been the little glimpses I get of you when you think no one’s watching. When you talk to your tummy, like when you’re doing everyday things, like folding little onesies or soaking in the bath. Or when you dance around the kitchen while you’re cooking, singing lullabies. You’re incredible, Sadie.”
I shook my head, not knowing what to say. No one had ever spoken such kind words to me, and it almost felt like we had come full circle from when we first met. Instead of him questioning me or picking me apart out of his own fears, he was praising me and putting me on a pedestal.
“I’m going to miss the bump,” he said, his eyes falling to my stomach longingly.
I placed my hand over it and said, “Well, maybe we can do this again one day in the future.”
He looked at me, slightly surprised before giving me a confident nod. “Definitely,” he said.
After we ate too much pasta and tried a bite of every dessert on the menu, we decided to go for a walk in the chilly, moonlit evening. It was the start of winter, and even though the air bit, it felt good against my face as we began our stroll, bundled up in our coats. Jeremiah’s arm draped over me and his hand slid up and down my arm to keep me warm.
“You sure it’s not too cold?” he asked worriedly.
“No, I’m fine. I promise,” I said reassuringly.
Just then, someone in a hurry bumped into my shoulder, knocking me back slightly. Before I could even react, Jeremiah whipped around and snapped at them. “Watch where you’re walking, buddy!”
They put their hands up in defense and kept quickly walking the other direction.
“Asshole,” he muttered, as he turned and we continued on.
I laughed and shook my head. He was still Jeremiah after all. The man I fell in love with, flaws and all. But I didn’t mind these protective glimpses I sometimes caught. I knew it just meant he was going to be an incredible father. Fiercely loving and protective.
Chapter 58
Jeremiah
“How about this?” asked Kevin, holding up a baby carrier.
“We’ve got one,” I said.
He sighed frustratedly, running a hand through his sandy hair. His eyes continued to scan the store. I watched with amusement at how seriously he was taking this. This bachelor living his dream life of being a renowned photographer and sleeping with different women on location, shopping in the baby department like his life depended on it. Earlier, I had taken a picture on my phone of him holding up two onesies as he debated between them with his brows knitted together.
