Page 89 of Mountain Trial

“I know. I’ve been feeling the same way all evening.”

“You just found out today?”

She nodded. “I was going to go find you. I just wasn’t sure …”

His expression darkened. “You weren’t sure I’d want the baby?”

“I wasn’t sure you’d want me.”

“Oh, Kat … I’m sorry I ever led you to believe that.”

“I don’t want you to think I’m asking you for―”

Luc winced. “Please don’t finish that sentence, Kat. I made a mistake. But I never want you to have to ask me for anything. I want us to bring this child up together. I want to guess what you need before you even realize you need it. I want to be there for you and for this child.”

Tears fell down his cheeks, and he didn’t try to stop them. He raised his hand towards her. “May I touch your belly?”

She laughed, raising her T-shirt to give him easier access.

“It’s still so flat,” he said, caressing her skin reverently.

“She’s the size of a grain of rice.”

“She?”

“I don’t know. She. He.”

“This is incredible,” he said, kissing her flat belly. His hands went around her back, supporting her as she arched into his kiss.

“So you’re … happy?”

He looked up. His eyes filled with tears, and he didn’t try to stop them from falling. “I couldn’t be happier, Kat. You make me the happiest man in the world. And to think that now, we’re going to be three … it’s more than I could ever have wished for.”

She smiled and sat down on his lap. “Me too.”

Epilogue

Kat

Two and a half months was a long time to house-search. For a while, Kat had feared they’d never find what they were looking for: a ground-floor, accessible, two-bedroom flat, close to the slopes and to the center of town.

Finally, though, they’d come across the perfect place, and managed to put a deposit down before anybody else did.

Eventually we’ll need a third bedroom.

She put her hand to her belly, which wasn’t as flat as it’d once been.

It’s going to get a lot less flat in the coming months.

One baby had turned into two at the first doctor’s appointment.

Apparently, the two little pink lines in the test don’t tell you how many babies you’re carrying.

Kat laughed as she recalled Luc’s expression when the doctor had shared the news―let’s just say it was good he was already sitting down.

It turned out their situation was not unique―recent studies showed that even men who didn’t ejaculate normally after a spinal cord injury could still conceive children naturally. It was rare, but it happened. The babies inside her were proof that this was the case.

Luc was already at the bar when Kat arrived, sitting with Jens, Gael and Hiro. From the happy smiles, she deduced he’d already spilled the beans.