Page 158 of It's Always Us

The ugly voice is drowned out with love. The overwhelming love I feel for her and the total and complete love she’s only ever given me in return. She put me first over everything we had.

The desperation I felt only seconds ago evaporates into belief. Belief in her. In us. In what was always meant to be.

A swift thump-thump from her belly hits mine.

I hold her face, pressing my forehead to hers. “I love you.”

Her hands slide to my neck. “I love you, too. I’m so proud of you.” Her lips press against mine so, so gently. “It’s only a couple of weeks.”

Just a few weeks.“You have to stay off the shop floor.”

She bites her bottom lip, hiding a wry smile.

I glare at her. “Don’t make me stay here.”

She kisses me hard but quick. “Never.”

Chapter 51

LEX

I roll to a stop in the school drop-off lane. “I’m picking you up today, so I’ll see you this afternoon.”

Rather than hopping out, Bree sits for a second. “Do you think Mark will be able to call tonight?” She sets her backpack in her lap. “He said . . . he’d help me figure out the rest of my comic strip that’s due tomorrow.”

The worry in her voice reminds me that she’s still learning to trust us, and our ever-changing world isn’t helping.

The vision of him dropping to his knees this morning as he left for the airport and her hugging him tight bolts through my mind. The two of them have become thick as thieves, which will only makes his absence harder.

“Yep. He said he’ll FaceTime, and you can show him what you get done today. Ok?”Thank goodness, because my ability to help with homework efficiently is seriously lacking.

She nods, a hint of a smile breaking the corner of her mouth. “He said he has a good idea for Captain Gooey.”

“Oh, I bet he does,” I laugh as my phone vibrates in the cup holder.

She giggles, popping open the door. “I’ll see you after school.”

The door slams as the social worker’s name appears. I press the answer button, waiting for the car in front of me to move forward. I listen as she relays the news I was certain we’d never get.

“Ok. Yes. Thank you.” I end the call, watching the brake lights in front of me blink off and then back on again. My eyes dart to the clock on the dash.

I glance back at the cars in the drop-off lane, needing them to move IMMEDIATELY. I have the urge to lay on the horn, but it won’t help.

My stomach has ached since kissing Mark goodbye this morning. Over these past months, my dreams have morphed into something brand-new. Something that resembles a house where Mark comes home every night, and I spend the weekend watching him like I’ve always wanted. A much smaller garage where I get to work on the rusty truck he bought me. I might’ve even allowed myself to think about a restoration business.

My skin prickles with heat and the need to get to the private airport. I crack the window to the let the fresh air in.

Mark didn’t sleep at all last night as he tossed, turned, huffed, and groaned. The worry in his eyes this morning told me exactly what was going through his mind, and I hate that my past choices put it there.

I want to erase his fears, putting a nail straight through any lingering doubt, and I want to swing the hammer face-to-face.

The cars inch forward, and I glance at the clock on the fancy display. If these freaking cars move, I might just make it.

With only a tad bit of speeding and carefully rolling through a few stop signs, it takes me ten minutes to dive into a parking spot at the tiny airport.Please still be here.

I push the door open and swing my legs out, using the ‘oh, shit’ bar to help slide my increasingly immobile self to the ground. I don’t care what anyone says. Those overhead handles were made for pregnant ladies.

I slam the door and hurry as much as a pregnant penguin can, swinging my arms, hoping it will propel me forward faster. As I near the entrance, I have to lose the arms and help support my belly.

---