Page 133 of Possession

“Oh, I expect so.”

She laughed and glanced up at me, her eyes full of the ocean and the sun and more happiness than I’d ever hoped to find. “I love you, Blake.”

“Almost as much as I love you, Grace.” I touched her lips. “Love remains. Don’t ever forget that.”

Eyes glistening, she shook her head. “I won’t.”

I slid my arm around her waist. “Let’s go home.”

Epilogue II

Grace

We’d been officially married for over 5 years, and on the day of our wedding anniversary, I was concerned it might end.

I mean, deep down, I knew it couldn’t. Itwouldn’t. Sure, things were changing against our will, but love remained, as he’d told me when he proposed. It deepened and grew.

It dug roots that lasted a lifetime.

And not even just ours.

I’d been told years ago that I couldn’t have children. An unviable ovary, thanks to one too many cysts. The other had been nearly anemic, for all intents and purposes. I’d closed off my mind to even the possibility.

I’d even made myself believe I didn’t want them, and handily, neither did Blake. We were career-focused, completely obsessed with one another, and happy as two.

We’d actually added to our family this past Christmas. Blake had been the first one to widen our little circle. I’d come down to find a little multicolored kitten with long gray, white, and gold fur prancing over the towering stack of gifts under our tree.

Blake always went overboard and got me too much, but I hadn’t seen anything but our little Legacy.

As if it had been perfectly coordinated, she’d climbed into my lap and licked my chin as my happy tears dripped all over her.

“Aww, there’s our girl. Legacy.”

“Legacy?” Blake questioned, curling his arm around us both. “Is that her name?”

“It sure is, unless you don’t like it.”

“She’s yours to name as you see fit.”

“No, she’s ours, to go with our glass baby we made so many years ago.”

He’d laughed so hard, and I’d laughed too, with no idea what fate had in store. The memory was a good one and bolstered my resolve. He had so much love inside of him. We both did.

Now our glass baby had a real-life counterpart. Well, it would, in about 6 months or so. I slid my hand over my suddenly growing belly.

I’d made sure to wait over three months so we could take heart in our baby’s survival. The doctor had said I was likely closer to 3.5 months now, and any possible miscarriage risk was minimal.

And I had something to show him that should allay any fears—at least assuming he wouldn’t be displeased that we were having a baby in the first place.

I did not know the sex yet, though I was almost certain our baby was a very strong little girl. I was convinced. And if somehow, he didn’t want our fighter—which I would never truly believe, despite what my insecurities whispered in the deepest, darkest part of the night—then I would care for her on my own and never stop trying to convince him she was a gift.

Ourgift.

Showing up to Blake’s glass palace dressed for a picnic was my first step. Well, an indoor one, since rain was currently raging against his beautiful windows.

This wasn’t our actual wedding anniversary. That wasn’t for another week. I’d wanted my present to be a surprise.

I closed the lapels of my jacket, my heart hammering with nerves and excitement. I didn’t want to immediately give away my secret. I was seriously pressing my luck. I seemed to be hungry from dawn to dusk, which was hard enough to hide, considering my husband watched me like a hawk.

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