Page 99 of Worth the Vow

I giggle as I drop my things off on the kitchen island, discreetly grabbing the ultrasound picture I hid in the side pocket of my bag, and tuck it into my shorts. But when I get to the back door, I completely forget what I was doing.

Fairly lights twinkle down from the ceiling of the porch, giving an ethereal quality to the space as the sun begins to set behind the mountains. Soft music plays, and I notice speakers hidden in the corners of the enclosure. But the best part is a massive swinging bed, with mounds of pillows, waiting behind Dominic.

“How did you do this?” I breathe.

“Alex and Luca set it up while we were at your graduation,” he says simply. He motions for me to come closer, and takes me in his arms when I arrive. “I wanted this to be done for you months ago. I knew you’d love studying out here, but the frame was on backorder. Everything worked out perfectly for today, because now you can do lesson plans out here instead.”

I can’t hold in my tears as I look at him. “I think I’ll enjoy feeding our baby out here more.”

I feel Dominic stiffen in my arms. “What did you just say?”

I slide a hand behind me to grab the ultrasound picture, then bring it between us. “Dominic, I’m pregnant.”

“Wh — what?” he stammers, his eyes wide as he snatches the image from me. His hands shake as he studies it, before he grabs my face. “You’re pregnant? How?”

“I’m pretty sure you know how, baby,” I joke, making him chuckle. “The doctor said sometimes it just happens for women like me.”

“Wow,” he murmurs as he kisses me, then draws back in alarm. “Wait. How long have you known? And how far along are you? How did you get an ultrasound already? Does anyone else know? Holy shit, the kids are going to freak!”

I giggle as he hits me with all the rapid-fire questions. “I figured it out last week, but had the ultrasound done two days ago to confirm. I’m twelve weeks, and they did an ultrasound because my cycles are so weird, I couldn’t tell them an exact date of my last period. No, no one else knows, and yes, the kids are going to freak.”

“I think your surprise trumps mine, Katharine,” Dominic says with a laugh, before wrapping his arms around me and burying his face in my neck. “I’m so fucking happy, baby. Thank you.”

“I didn’t really do anything,” I protest.

Dominic lifts his head. “Yes you did. You brought me back to life.”

“Dominic,” I whisper, overcome with love and emotion.

“You did. I was surviving. Every ounce of energy went to work and my kids. You showed me how to love, how to have fun, and taught me the kind of husband and father I want to be. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for what you’ve brought to my life,” he says, his voice catching.

“I love you,” I rasp.

“I love you, too,” he says, kissing me deeply. He breaks off the kiss before we both sink into it, and steps back so we can sit on the swinging bed. “How soon until we can find out the gender? Wait, you aren’t going to make me wait, are you? You wouldn’t. You hate surprises.”

“I may have already researched those early tests, and one should be delivered in a couple days. And yes, I hate surprises,” I tell him. “My gut is telling me it’s a boy, though.”

“Carter would love that,” Dominic murmurs. “I bet Aspen will ask for a little sister, though.”

We quietly did DNA tests on all three kids because Dominic wanted to be prepared in case any men showed up proving they were the biological fathers to any of his children. Even with Savannah telling us in a letter after she was extradited to Montana that all three kids were Dominic’s, he wanted proof. He needed the closure. I doubt I’ll ever forget the look of relief on his face when all three tests came back proving he is their biological father.

“That’s probably why I’m thinking it’s a boy. Then we’d be perfectly even.”

“You don’t think it’s mother’s intuition?”

“Maybe? This is my first go at this, so ask me next time.”

“Next time?” Dominic asks, his eyes sparkling.

“Well, I mean … you know what I’m saying. This is probably my only time, but if it happens again, we’ll see.” I feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment. Already planning on getting knocked up again, and I’m not even a third of the way through this go around.

“You know what they say, right?”

“About what?” I ask as he slowly pushes me back onto the mattress.

“If you want to get pregnant, you gotta practice,” he says huskily as he kisses my collarbone.

“I’m already pregnant,” I comment breathlessly as Dominic slides his hand up my ribcage to cup my breast.

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