Seth buried his face in Heavenly’s hair, breathing her in. Beck’s forehead pressed against his shoulder.
This was his family. His future.
And he’d protect it with everything he had—no matter what.
Heavenly sniffled again. Tenderly, Beck dried her tears. Seth watched, wishing he could lose himself in the moment with them. He gave them what he could while his thoughts raced, caressing her crown and kissing her forehead.
Then he pulled away, breaking the moment.
Fuck, he needed space, needed to breathe. No time to linger or wallow or reverse-engineer how to jettison his fears enough to fully embrace his future. Mom and Carl would be home soon to prep for their post-wedding brunch—friends, family, and out-of-town guests gathering for one final celebratory moment before saying goodbye. Later this afternoon, he’d take Beck, Heavenly, and Hudson back to the airport for their flight to LA.
Then tomorrow…he’d sit his mom down and come clean. The weight of that responsibility pressed down on him—not panic, but something heavier. Unavoidable. With a baby on the way, telling her about the three of them wasn’t optional.
Whatever he felt, whatever the fucking tangle in his head…it had to wait.
With a last, lingering kiss on the bow of Heavenly’s mouth, Beck slipped out of bed and grabbed his clothes. “As much as I hate to break up this party and what could be a really promising morning, I’ll head across the hall and start getting ready. After all, we have to keep up appearances.”
Beck’s expression was tight, resentful.
Seth didn’t blame him. “Last day.”
“Thank fuck.” The surgeon slid a lingering smile Heavenly’s way before he left, closing the door behind him.
If not for his mom’s convictions about right and wrong, the three of them would probably pass a lazy Sunday in bed, laughing, talking, and making love as they celebrated their pending future.
Instead, they had to resume their roles and hide their love. They had to pretend they didn’t know about the child growing in Heavenly’s womb. Seth knew Beck and their girl hated that. He hated it for them, too.
Heavenly grabbed Seth’s hand. She must have read something in his expression because her voice was searching and soft. “Now that Beck’s gone, tell me how you really feel. Are you happy?”
“Yeah, angel. I’m happy. Of course I’m happy.” He cupped her cheek. “I won’t lie and say I’m not scared shitless. I am, and I don’t know if that feeling will ever go away.”
She sent him a sympathetic smile and wrapped her fingers around his still against her cheek. “I know. But whatever happens—the baby, the move, all of it—we’ll handle it. Together.”
Seth wanted to believe her more than anything.
“It’s going to be okay,” she assured. “You don’t have to carry the weight alone. The three of us will move heaven and earth to keep our child safe.”
He nodded. “I know you’re right. We won’t let anything happen to him or her.”
“Ever,” she reassured, kissing him long and deep.
Seth groaned before sinking a fist in her hair and taking control of her mouth. The need to be inside her clawed at him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t invite Beck back to his room, and making love to Heavenly again would be like playing Russian roulette with the clock.
Reluctantly, he broke the kiss with a heavy sigh and pressed his forehead to hers, breathing hard. “If we don’t stop now, I won’t.”
Heavenly traced a finger down his bare chest. “I wouldn’t object to more time in bed with you…but I guess we need to get ready.”
“Yeah.” Seth backed away and watched her sigh as she padded to her suitcase.
She rummaged through her clothes. “Is the brunch a casual thing, or do I need to dress up?”
“Definitely casual. It’s just family and a few close friends.”
“Oh, good.” She plucked up a burgundy cotton V-neck, a black cardigan, and a pair of distressed jeans, along with a clean bra and panties, then laid them across the bed. Then she turned and scanned the dresser, a scowl slowly forming as she turned to him. “Have you seen my ring?”
“No.”
“Did you move it? I put it here last night with the rest of my jewelry. But?—”
