“Look at me,” I say, waiting until his eyes meet mine again. “I’m not going anywhere. Not now, not when things get hard, not ever. This is everything I’ve ever wanted.”
His breath hitches, and I can see the walls he’s built around his heart starting to crack.
“I love you,” I continue, my voice growing stronger. “I love Isla. I already love this little one. We’re a family, Aidan. All of us.”
I know it’ll take time for him to fully believe me, but every word comes from the depths of my soul. Slowly, his protective hand lifts, settling against my stomach.
“A baby,” he breathes, wonder lacing every syllable. “Our baby… Christ, Lucy. Are you okay?”
The worry in his voice wraps around me, fierce and tenderall at once.
I offer a small, crooked smile. “Can we get off the bathroom floor and talk about this somewhere else?” I tease, nudging his shoulder lightly.
His lips twitch in a faint smile. “Aye, fair point.” Without another word, he sweeps me up into his arms. My arms go instinctively around his neck as he carries me to the bedroom.
Once there, he eases me onto the bed, keeping one arm wrapped around my waist until I sink into the mattress. He sits beside me, close enough that our knees brush, his hand lingering on my back.
“So,” he starts. “How are you feeling? Really. You don’t have to sugarcoat it.”
I take a deep breath, letting myself relax. “It’s a lot, I won’t lie. I’m okay, though. I think I’m still processing it all, but I’m happy. Really happy.” My hand instinctively drifts to my stomach, and his eyes follow, softening even more.
His throat bobs as he swallows, and he reaches out, resting his other hand lightly over mine. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make this easier for you, for both of you. I just—” His voice cracks, and he clears his throat. “I just want you to be safe. That’s all I care about.”
Any lingering worries fall away with the tenderness of his touch. “We will be,” I assure him. “We have you.”
His eyes search mine, like he’s trying to figure out if I really believe that. “Then come home.”
My brow furrows. “I am home.”
He shakes his head. “No, I mean…move in.” His thumb brushes over the back of my hand. “Let me take care of you properly, Lucy. You shouldn’t be going through this alone in your flat. I’ll be worrying if the bathroom tiles are too slippery or if you’ve eaten enough. I want you here all the time. With us.”
My heart stutters. “You realize this means that Marmalade has to come, too, right?”
Aidan’s rich, deep laugh cuts through the heaviness that’s been hanging over us. “The damn cat. Isla’s going to lose her mind with excitement.”
I open my mouth to throw back a smart reply, but the look on Aidan’s face stops me cold.
His smile fades, but not in a bad way. It’s as if he’s seeing me all over again, noticing every curve and line for the very first time. His gaze drifts lower, catching on the gentle swell of my stomach beneath the fabric of my shirt.
And then he sinks to his knees.
He doesn’t speak. His palm rests lightly over my stomach while the other slips to the small of my back, holding me.
“Aidan…”
He looks up at me, eyes shining with something fierce and tender. “You’re carrying my child,” he says. Then he leans in, pressing a soft, reverent kiss to my stomach, making a promise without words.
Air leaves my lungs in a shaky, stolen exhale, and all at once, the world narrows to just him.
My hand slides into his hair, fingers tangling in the strands as he rests his forehead against my stomach.
“Lucy… It’s you. You, Isla, and this wee one. You’re the ones I want waiting for me when the day is done.”
I blink, the weight of those words folding around me like sunlight spilling through a window. It’s not just about the baby, or the fear, or even the mistakes behind us. It’s about choosing each other, day after day, no matter what else comes.
I don’t even realize the tears are falling until his hands are on my thighs, slowly sliding upward, tracing the curve of my hips as he rises. He presses his lips to the hollow of my neck, and I wind my arms around him, holding him close.
He pulls back just enough to whisper, “Let me show you what this means to me. Let me take care ofyou.”
