Page 164 of Before I Loved You

“Daddy loves you,” he coos as he scoops Lily into his arms, holding her high above his head. Her beautiful, big green eyes widen in excitement. She squeals, making the most adorable baby giggle as he spins her around before bringing her down to his chest. He looks at me and winks. “Daddy loves you too, baby girl.”

I shake my head, feeling my cheeks heat up, thankful that Paul’s mom is getting food now.

“You know I love making you blush,” he teases.

I push my hair behind my ear. “So, are you going to finally tell me what the big surprise is?”

Paul woke me up this morning by whispering in my ear, “I have a surprise for you, baby girl.” But now that I know I have a surprise coming my way when I don’t like surprises, I’ve been on the edge of my seat all day, ready to get this surprise over with.

I swear to God, it better not be the Princess Leia costume he tried to get me to wear last Halloween.

Even Princess Leia didn’t want to wear that costume.

He taps the tip of my nose. “Nope. You have to be patient.”

I roll my eyes.

“Your mommy is so impatient,” he tells Lily, who bubbles with laughter. “But I think she’ll like our surprise. Don’t you?”

Lily places her hand on Paul’s cheek, giggling, and my heart melts into a big sappy puddle.

“Okay, you two.” I gently take Lily from Paul, adjusting the little pink bow in her hair. “Don’t you have a game to warm up for?”

He peers over his shoulder. “I’m going to win this game for you. And after, we’ll go straight home so I can give you your surprise.” He winks, bends down to kiss me, and then races toward his team on the court, where he spends the next couple of hours making good on his promise, winning his game with a buzzer-beater shot.

* * *

“Hey, Mom, do you mind taking Lily for the night?”

My head whips to Paul with parted lips. We haven’t spent a night away from Lily, and I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet.

Is that the surprise? Our first night away together since having her?

My stomach coils as I anxiously bite on my thumbnail.

He looks at me, smiling, taking my hand over the center console. “She’ll only be just down the street.”

I raise a brow in confusion as I look back at Mrs. Weston, who smiles and replies, “Of course.”

“This was planned?” I ask, watching Paul, who shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly.

“Maybe,” he responds.

After dropping Lily and his mom off at her house, Paul turns in the driver’s seat to face me.

“What if she wakes up and needs me?” I ask. “What if she’s out of formula? Or diapers?”

Paul laughs, his fingers running through my hair, pushing it back. “We’ve been living with my mom for a year now. You know perfectly well that the basement is stocked with everything and anything she might need for Lily.”

I sigh. “I know. You’re right. She’ll be fine. Your mom has been nothing but amazing. I don’t know what I would have done without her.”

After we had Lily, we took up Mrs. Weston’s offer to have us live with her. Initially, I was hesitant, not wanting to invade her space, but she assured me that having family in her home was exactly what she needed. And while Paul was away for games, she was always by my side, helping me navigate the enduring trials of motherhood.

God, I was so exhausted the first few months that it all seems like a distant blur now.

“Although…” He hesitates before saying, “There is a slight chance Lily will forget who you are—”

I swat his arm. “That’s not funny!”

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