Page 86 of Never Say Never

Tucker’s dad must have realized that his son wasn’t going to back down, not this time. I’m sure he knew I wasn’t going toeither. So, if he wanted to have a relationship with his only son and the goddaughter that he’s always considered his own, he’d have to admit he was wrong. I know how hard it must have been for Tucker to take the first step, and I’m relieved my Uncle Mark received him so well.

But most of all, I am proud of my boyfriend. Tucker, with his big, beautiful heart, forgave his dad whether he deserved it or not. Even if he has been unnecessarily hard on him for most of his life, Tucker found a way to forgive him.

It makes me love him even more, if that’s possible.

“I think he’s changed,” Tucker murmurs, picking at his pastry.

I hope it’s true. For Tucker’s sake.

“And what if he hasn’t?”

Tucker reaches across the small iron table to push a lock of hair from my face. “It doesn’t matter. Nothing else matters. Nothing but you and me.”

I grin, feeling myself melt a little inside. Tucker is sweet and wonderful and so different than I thought he’d be. It feels like we’re getting a second chance, like we’re starting over. Everything in this moment feels almost too good to be true.

Tuck’s gaze shifts toward the piazza, to where a mother is carrying a cloth bag full of groceries as a little boy around 4 years old skips beside her.

“Do you see yourself having kids?” he asks, watching the little boy chatter away to his mom in Italian as he eats his cream-filled maritozzi.

“That came out of nowhere.” I laugh.

“I’m curious. It’s something we’ve never talked about.”

“No, I guess we haven’t.”

“So… do you?”

“I do. At least two. I’ve always wished I had a brother or sister.”

It never dawned on me until right this second that maybe that was one of the reasons our parents always treated us like siblings. Because I didn’t have any of my own.

“What about you? Do you see yourself having kids?”

I sit perfectly still waiting on his answer. Tucker would make a great dad. I’m not sure how I will react or what it will mean if he says he doesn’t want children.

“I didn’t, until recently,” he says. “I’ve only ever had one dream for myself, and that is the NFL. When my chances of making it to the league as a player disappeared, I shifted my focus to coaching there. It’s always been the goal, but I think I’d probably be happy living on Haven Harbor for the rest of my life coaching the Outlaws too.”

Tucker is meant for the NFL, and I know it’s only a matter of time before they come calling. I’ll have to deal with that when it comes. Would I be able to leave Reed Point and follow him to a new city? Would he want me to come? Neither of those questions need to be answered today, but if the time comes, I’ll make the decision that feels right for me. But deep down, I know I’d follow Tucker to the ends of the earth.

I rest my elbows on the table watching him take a bite of his pastry. “Technically, you didn’t answer the question.”

“Whether I want kids?”

“Yes.” I wait, trying to keep my heart in check.

“With the right girl.” Tucker licks the cream from his finger then leans over the table toward me to press a lingering kiss to my mouth. He chuckles when he sits back down.

I really hope he means me, but maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. Yes, we’re very much in love, but in the big picture we haven’t been together very long.

I look out at the piazza, which is slowly starting to fill with locals running errands and tourists setting out on their days. The mother and her son have stopped at a small market acrossfrom us. She’s sorting through a pile of lemons, passing the good ones to her little boy to carry. He says something to her, and she smiles at him, ruffling his hair. The moment so sweet, I can’t help but smile.

“You’d make a great mom, you know.”

I turn to face Tucker. “How do you know?”

He laughs like it’s obvious. I’m not sure that it is. “Because I know you. I know every little detail about you. You’re caring. You’re good. You accept people for who they are. You are the best person I know.”

Something tugs at my chest. I’m pretty sure it’s my heart expanding two sizes.

---