Page 24 of Her Baby His Gift

Harlem nibbled on her lower lip. “I think two is a good round number.”

“Harlem,” the more Damian talked, the more riled up he became. “If we’re not on the same page, you need to say so.”

They weren’t, but she wasn’t ready to admit it. “You’re asking me to sacrifice the career that I’ve worked hard for. I’m not ready to just give it all up.”

“That’s not what I’m saying, and you know it! You wouldn’t have to give anything up. We’re both people of means. We can hire all the help we need.”

Harlem knew that, but she also didn’t want nannies raising her children. No, if she were honest, there was something else holding her back, and she was afraid to admit it, even to herself.

Damian continued to make his point. “Almost all of our friends are settling into the family life. We’re the only ones without kids.”

“We’re not theonlyones. Is that what this is about? The pressure to start a family because everyone else has?”

“I don’t give a goddamn about everyone else. I love you. I want to spend my life withyou,and I’m ready to start our family. I’ve been ready. You’re the one who seems to want to flip the script. Why is that? And please don’t give me the bullshit about your job.”

“Mycareer,”She stressed the word,“is not bullshit!” Harlem was pissed at the way Damian was so casual about how he described her work. “If we are going to be honest and lay our cards on the table . . . let’s do it. Whose last name would our child have? If something were to happen to you, what legal protections would I have? You want me to give you a baby, but you’re not willing to give me your last name? That’s the difference between our friends and us! You’ve taken marriage off the table. I’ve accepted that, but I’m not willing to give up my career too.”

Damian gritted his teeth in anger. “So without a ring, you’ve taken children off the table?” He ran a frustrated hand down the back of his head. “I’ve always been open and honest with you. Apparently, you haven’t. You should have told me the truth about how you really felt when we had this conversation the first time.”

Harlem lowered her voice. She wrapped her arms around her body. “I’m not taking anything off the table.” This argument had escalated to borderline out of control. Harlem felt as if she were falling downhill at ungodly speeds and unable to stop the momentum. Her career was the one thing she had control over, and she didn’t want to lose it.

Damian wanted to lower the temperature of their conversation too. He inhaled deeply to gather himself before speaking. He spoke in moderate tones. “Look, you know how I feel about marriage.”

“I do. It’s just that I believe marriage is so much more than a societal construct. It can be beautiful between two people who really love each other. I’ve seen it. My parents have been married almost fifty years.”

“Your parents are like a unicorn. Don’t we already have a beautiful relationship?”

Harlem tried a different approach. “I know that your childhood was difficult . . .”

The hairs on Damian’s body stood up. He was not going to discuss the horrors of growing up in foster care and group homes. Damian was now an adult. He chose to live in the real world. A world he thought Harlem wanted to share. “I’m completely committed to you. You know that.” He meant every word.

Damian walked over to Harlem. He hesitated, then dropped down on one knee. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little black box.

Harlem’s hands flew up to her throat, and her heart started racing.Oh my God.

Something about the look in his eyes was so pure, honest, and almost desperate. “I wanted to give you this at dinner, but now is as good a time as any. I understand how important the idea of marriage is to you.” Slowly, Damian opened the box to reveal a dazzling five-carat emerald-cut diamond. “It doesn’t mean the same to me, but I want you to know how much I love you.”

“Is that an engagement ring?” She whispered. Her stomach was in knots.

Damian reached for her hand. “This ring is a symbol of my love and commitment to you and our family.”

“Is that an engagement ring?” She asked a little louder.

“It’s a promise that I will always be here for you until death do us part. I want that with you. Do you want it with me?” Damian’s eyes pleaded with hers. “If so, accept my ring, and let’s start the next chapter of our lives.”

Harlem wanted marriage even though she denied it to herself. She had hoped that it would fix whatever it was that was missing between them.

She had to make a decision. If Harlem said no, she was afraid this might be the end of their relationship, and Damian was herperfectmate. She might not ever find another man like him. If she said yes, Harlem might be denying herself the life she really wanted. She could no longer hide behind her career or even the excuse of wanting to get married. The simple fact was that Harlem wasn’t in love with him. She should be, and Harlem had tried her damnedest.

It was her moment of truth.

Chapter 13

Damian couldn’t believe his cell phone began to buzz during this life-changing moment. He ignored it and held Harlem’s gaze. His heart pounded as the endless moments of silence ticked by, waiting for her to respond.

“You should get that,” Harlem said softly, barely able to maintain the intensity of his stare.

Don’t do this. Jump with me.Damian’s grip on her hand tightened just a bit. “I can’t imagine any call more important than what’s happening in this room.”

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