“Fern, you have it all wrong. I’m gonna marry her.” My brow furrows. “Did you really think I’d knock up your sister and leave her to raise a kid on her own?”
She rolls her eyes. “You can’t marry her just because you got her pregnant. That’s even worse. But it’s so typical of you. I should have known you’d always play the hero.”
“I’m not marrying her out of duty. I fucking love her.” Saying it out loud to someone other than Lilly only makes this all the more real. It feels good to let it all out as if the roots of our relationship grew in the dark voids of my heart and now they’re bursting through my chest walls seeking the light so our love can bloom.
Fern opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.
In case she didn’t hear me the first time, I say it again, because I like how it sounds, and I want to make sure it’s clear. “I love her, Fern. I’ve loved her for a long time, and she loves me. And…” I can’t stop the grin from forming on my face, but I’m overflowing with happiness whenever I think of it. “And somehow, along the way, we’ve created another life. Neither Lilly nor our baby will want for anything while I’m around..”
I take two steps towards Fern, her mouth still gaping. “If you want to be mad at anyone, be mad at me. Hate me if you like, but I’m begging you, please don’t shut her out. She needs you.”
Fern shakes her head. With a clenched fist still, she gently pushes against my chest. I take it as a good sign and animprovement from when she was pummelling me with both hands. “I thought?—”
“I know what you thought. And you couldn’t be more wrong.” With a pinched brow, I gaze into Fern’s eyes. “I’m gonna marry her, and I’d really like to have your blessing. I know it would mean a lot to her to have you at the wedding.”
“Aunty Lil, why are you crying?” Harry’s voice carries from down the hall.
My eyes widen as Fern opens her kitchen door to reveal Lilly standing behind it. “How long have you been here?”
“Long enough.” Her face beams with happiness despite the tears running from the corner of her lashes. She covers her smile with her hand, but she can’t hide the dimples in her cheeks or the way her smile reaches her eyes.
Closing the distance between us, I cup her face in my palms. “Everything all right? Ash okay?”
“Yeah. He was all right.” Her eyes flit to Fern, and she mouths the words, “I’m sorry.” It was barely audible, but I heard it like a whisper on the breeze.
“Muuum,” Harry whines from the top of the stairs. “I think I sharted.”
Fern looks between me and Lilly, then rolls her eyes with an exasperated breath. “Excuse me.” Fern trudges up the stairs, leaving us alone.
My eyebrows pull inwards as I turn to Lilly and whisper, “Sharted?”
She waves a hand in front of her face, happy tears still dripping from her lashes. “Farted and shit himself.”
I nod my head, trying not to laugh at the lad’s misfortune. “Happens to the best of us.”
A giggle bursts from her mouth. Her happiness seeps into my bones, and I press my lips to hers, needing to feel them against me.
Pulling away, I search her eyes. “I’m guessing you heard all of that?”
Her palms slide over my chest. “Yes.” She looks down, trying to hide her smile.
“You’re not mad that I came here to talk to Fern?” I lift her chin, needing to look into her eyes.
“I’ll deal with you later.” There’s a glint in her gaze that makes me chuckle. And I look forward to whatever she has planned.
“I think it’s going all right.” Leaning into Lilly, I whisper, “I mean, she hasn’t kicked us out yet.”
Fern’s footsteps descend the stairs. I stand close to Lilly, wanting to protect her from any harsh words her sister might throw at her or us.
Fern steps into the kitchen, her eyes zeroing in on how my arm wraps around Lilly’s waist.
“Fern, I was going to tell you yesterday. I tried to tell you, but then Ash called, and I had to go and…” Lil wipes her cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”
“Let me just get one thing straight.” Fern holds her hand up, then closes the kitchen door, checking Harry isn’t in the hall. “This is the guy you said gave you the best night of your life?” Her eyes bulge.
My chest fills with pride, and I can’t help but wonder which night that was exactly.
“Seriously?” Fern whisper yells.
