Page 84 of Hearts Like Hers

“I have no taste, but I can help. We can takeour time.”

“Great, because we skipped some steps, youknow.”

“No way,” Kate said. She sat up, fullyenjoying this conversation. “We did not.”

“Well, most people date for a while longerbefore deciding to be together forever. A year, maybe two before settling downto become boring.”

“That’s silly. I don’t need another year todecide that you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and probably thenicest person I’ll ever meet. You’re the one I want to be boring with. Plus,”she said, pulling back the sheet and sliding on top, “nobody makes sexy noisesin bed the way you do. The search is over.”

Autumn laughed and Kate melted. “Youmentioned us starting a family. You meant it?”

Kate nodded solemnly. “One hundred percent.At your pace.” Whatever child they had would no longer just be Autumn’s. Itwould be theirs. She smiled and marveled at how quickly life could change, howmuch better this felt than being the supportive force on the sidelines.

“Let’s take a little time for us first,”Autumn said. “We’ll get there.”

“We will.” And since they were on a roll…“Where should we live? Here?” Kate glanced around Autumn’s dimly lit bedroom.She liked her house a lot. Unique with a lot of character.

“We could live here,” Autumn said, tracingthe column of Kate’s neck. “It’s a pretty long drive from work, though. I’venever loved that about it.” She raised her eyebrows as a thought seemed to hit.“There’s always Venice.”

Kate turned her head to the side, her eyeswide. “You know how I feel about Venice.”

Autumn laughed. “You love it.”

“That’s right, because it’s the place I wasvery first introduced to…” She stole a kiss. “You.” Another kiss. “AndMs. Pac-Man.”

“Oh, no.” Autumn said. “You did not just lumpme in with that arcade game. I don’t even own a bow.”

“It’s a compliment. And we could get youone.”

Autumn gasped and flipped their positionseasily. “Now you pay.”

Kate didn’t mind the payment at all. In fact,she savored it. When they were happy and wrapped up in each other, they slowlydrifted off to peaceful slumber. Kate had a smile on her lips because withtomorrow came the promise of so many more tomorrows.

She was well on her way to her happily everafter, one she never saw coming.

Epilogue

Six Months Later

November temperatures had cooled the streetsof Venice significantly. As Autumn walked with her hands shoved into thepockets of her fluffy purple jacket, she took a moment to watch the dry leavesdance, frisky and happy, as the wind bounced them along the stretch of sidewalkthat led from the parking lot to Pajamas. She shrugged her shoulders to hold ina little bit of the electric energy that came with fall, the season she wasnamed for.

“Well?” Gia said, the second Autumn pushed throughthe door. Hadley and Isabel stared at her expectantly. They were there wellpast their usual breakfast hour. She’d come in late that morning, taking alittle extra time for herself, and a little extra for Kate, too. They’d hadbreakfast together before Kate headed in for her shift, the newest member ofStation 63. She’d adjusted well to her new company and had made a lot of newfriends on the job. Autumn wouldn’t have expected anything less. She smiled ather own friends, realizing they were waiting there for her in anticipation.

“It turns out,” Autumn said, drawing out thesentence, “that we are, in fact, pregnant.”

Hadley looked like her face might explode.She shot to her feet, silent. Isabel made a dash for Autumn and crushed her ina bear hug. Gia seemed caught in the middle, unsure what to do with herself.“You guys are gonna be moms?” she asked, meekly.

Isabel released her. “It’s actuallyhappening.”

“Yep.” Autumn eased a strand of hair behindher ear. “It looks that way.” She looked around Isabel and Gia to Hadley, whohad sat back down in her chair. Her face was red, her hair pulled back in aponytail, and a genuine smile lit her face. “You okay over there?” Autumn askedgently.

Hadley nodded. “I was hoping so hard.”

Autumn walked to her and kneeled down. “Iknow. It worked. But there’s more.”

“More?” Gia asked.

Autumn stood. “The blood test indicates thatwe’re working with two.”

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