Page 107 of Books and Hookups

She rolled her eyes. “That’s what I’m talking about. You willingly delude yourself about me, and I don’t understand why.”

One corner of my mouth quirked up. “You’re the smartest person I know. You know why. It’s because I love you. I see all the good parts of you, even the ones you can’t.”

“Goddammit, Danny. Why is that so easy for you?”

“What, falling for you? Easiest thing I’ve ever done.”

“No. Saying it.” She took a deep breath and held my hand tighter. “I love you too, Danny Carbone.”

My head swam like the crowd of people had sucked all the oxygen from the room. “You…you do?”

“Yes.” She lifted her other hand to my cheek. It was cool enough to steady me. “And I want us to be a family.”

My gaze caught on her plastic hospital bracelet. “Is this the hormones talking, or do you really want that?”

“It’s true, my hormones are super fucked-up right now. But I can’t imagine living the rest of my life without you in it. I’m a better person with you than I am without you. I want to be my best self for you, and for her.”

“Jesus Christ.” I surged forward. My mom tutted at my curse, but I didn’t care. I hugged Lucie and kissed her temple.

“Come on,” she murmured in my ear. “I may be a mother now, but I’m notyourmother. You can do better than that.”

I pulled back far enough that I could kiss her lips. Gently, since there were still a dozen people in the room and she’d just been through a grueling physical ordeal. But she didn’t want gentle. She tunneled her hands into my hair and yanked, then crushed me to her. I deepened the kiss, no longer caring about our audience. I shoved my hands between her back and the rough hospital sheets and gathered her to my chest.

Leo’s whistle, muffled behind his mask, broke into my focus. Reluctantly, I pulled away and stared into her eyes. “Really? You want me? I’ve still got the ring back at my place.”

“I want you,” she said. “No ring, no wedding, no house in the suburbs. Just you, me, and…Mia. What do you think?”

The muttering in the room stopped. Behind me, Savannah sucked in a breath.

My heart swelled in my chest. “It’s a beautiful name. Almost as beautiful as she is.”

Savannah whooshed out a breath.

My mother announced, “A good Italian name. Now, what about a middle name? My mother’s name was Paulina, but maybe you have a family name you’d like to use, Ellen and Marvin?”

They could argue about her middle name all they wanted. I didn’t care. All I cared about was that Lucie wanted me. Loved me. Wanted to be with me. Forever.

Epilogue 1

Tessa's Legacy

TESSA

“Come on, y’all.” When Savannah grasped my wrist and pulled me from Lucie’s hospital room, I flinched. I trusted Savannah, but unexpected touches always sent a kick through my nervous system.

“Where are we going?” Carly asked as Savannah led us toward the elevator bank. “I wanted to hold the baby.”

My lip curled. I’d come to check on my friend, but I didn’t need to hold her baby. And I’d rather not have witnessed Lucie’s sappy declaration to Danny, who I guessed was her boyfriend now. All that emotion made me itchy. I tugged my wrist from Savannah’s grip and scratched it.

She pressed the call button. “Lucie’s mother mentioned they don’t have a car seat. So we’re going shopping.” When the elevator doors slid open, she stepped in and beamed. “It’s going to be so much fun!”

Carly stepped inside and tapped on her phone. “There’s a boutique, Le Petit Bébé, about twenty minutes away. I used to shop there for baby shower gifts.” She flipped her phone around to show us a photo of a store decorated in shades of white.

“Looks expensive,” Savannah grumbled, hitching up her tracksuit pants.

“Or…” I pulled out my phone. “We could order a car seat to be delivered to their door. No muss, no fuss. I can have it there by this afternoon.”

“No.” Savannah put her hand over my phone screen. “No impersonal online ordering.” She glared at Carly. “No pricey boutiques. There’s a Target five minutes from here. They have everything we need.”

---