Page 167 of Chasing Sparks

“We?” Her voice is quiet, almost disbelieving.

“Obviously.”

She finally looks at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “Thanks for saying that. Sorry I ruined your birthday.”

“You haven’t,” I reply, my voice steady. “And it’s going to be the best on record once I get word that you two are okay.”

But she doesn’t believe me.

Hell, I don’t know if she believesanythingI say anymore.

I pull back onto the highway, but this time, I’m overly cautious. Every car, every shadow, feels like a potential threat that could strip my family from me.

My mind races, caught in a loop I can’t break.

I’m going to be a dad.

Holy shit.

I’m going to be a dad.

I couldn’t have picked a better woman than Ori. She’s the entire package—fierce, brilliant, and beautiful. And now she’s carrying my baby.

When I pull into the urgent care lot, I realize I’ve been silent for the last ten minutes of the ride. Judging by Ori’s expression, it’s scaring the hell out of her.

I get it. I’m terrified, too—but not for the reasons she thinks.

Sure, the idea of being responsible for another life is overwhelming, but isn’t that the point of this crazy ride? You fall in love, they love you back, and then you create tiny versions of yourselves to drive you up the wall for the next eighteen years.

Good times.

I park the truck and glance at Ori. “Do you need a wheelchair?” I ask, my voice brimming with nervous energy.

“No. I’m fine.” Ori’s already out of the truck and headed toward the entrance, her pace brisk and determined.

I easily overtake her. It helps that I have over a foot on the woman.

“Will you wait a minute?”

She whirls around, her eyes blazing, hands clenched into fists at her sides. “For what? To keep looking at that petrified, disappointed look on your face? I told you, I’m fine on my own.”

Typical Ori. When she’s scared or insecure, she throws up armor so thick it’s damn near impenetrable. I saw it during our first six months—those horrible days where instead of loving her, I was glaring at her.

But then she let me in. She removed her armor for me.

For a while, it was perfect—until Lucille showed up.

Since then, her emotional armor has been locked in place, and I don’t have a damn key.

But it won’t stop me.

Even if I have to scrape it off inch by inch.

Ori checks in, even going so far as to put a seat between us as she fills out the paperwork.

Me? I’m not sure what to say.

Patting my thighs, I stand and rest a hand on her shoulder. “I’m going to get coffee. You want something?”

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