Page 71 of 40 and (So Over) Fixing It
Carter had been through this before; he would know it was risky at her age. “I’m perfectly healthy.”
Fingertips traced her skin right above her mound. “And the baby?”
She ran her fingers through his hair. “So far so good.”
He looked up at her then. “Are you happy?”
She couldn’t stop the smile that broke over her face. “So happy.”
That was when he smiled. It was like the sun rising over the horizon, spilling out light to warm the world. Warm her. “A baby.”
“I didn’t—”
Carter leaned in and placed a kiss on her skin. Reverent. Awed. “Thank you.”
She gripped his head and tilted it up, stared deep into his eyes. “I didn’t plan this. I really was on birth control.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think you planned this.” His fingers were tracing over her skin, his hands cupping her lower belly where their baby was growing. “But sometimes fate knows what you need before you do. I know how much you love kids. I do too. I never expected something like this to happen, but I don’t think I could have imagined anything better than you in my life and a baby on the way.” He winked. “Even if I had to apologize to get it.”
Her laugh was shaky, a little tearful. “I love you,” she said again, needing him to be sure, needing him to know she was sure. “I think I have since the first time you apologized.”
Laughing, he scooted up until he was face-to-face with her. Fingers delved into her hair. Legs tangled with hers, bringing them firmly against each other. “I love you too. Thad loves you.” A palm against her lower back pressed her belly to his. His mouth trembled against hers, betraying the emotion shaking him. “We’re going to be a family.”
And then he made love to her all over again.
Epilogue
December 25th
“Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas, cutie,” Erin told Thad, grinning as she joined him and Carter in her living room. The room was lit by the soft glow of lights on the Christmas tree and hanging in the windows, still dark as they waited for the rising of the sun in a couple of hours. Colorful balls glinted among the evergreen branches, and Carter had lit a fire in the fireplace while she made coffee. She hadn’t had a Christmas morning with a child since she’d been one, but seeing Thad’s face light up as he hovered around the Christmas tree lit something inside her as well.
Love.
She’d known love all her life, from her parents, from Stephen, from Scott and Ruth and her friends. But nothing had prepared her for the way she could love a child, especially someone else’s child. She loved Thad so much her heart ached with it. And if she’d thought Carter was a good parent before, watching him raise his son over the past couple of months had confirmed her opinion again and again. Basically living in two places at once wasn’t easy, but Carter did what he had to do to make sure he didn’t miss the important parts of Thad’s life.
Her own life had changed so much in less than three months. Sure, she still lived in the same place and had the same job, but there was a richness to her life that had been lacking for so many years. She’d met a man that turned out to be perfect for her, despite a rocky start. She’d gained a son. And in a few short but seemingly far-off months, she would have a child of her own.
Just the thought blew her mind.
“What has Santa brought you?” she asked.
Joining Carter on the couch, she watched as Thad began to ooh and ahh over the shiny red bicycle in front of the tree. Carter took his cup of coffee from her, then raised a brow at the remaining cup in her hand.
“Decaf,” she confirmed. She was just now beginning to drink coffee again. The first few weeks of her pregnancy had been rough. Morning sickness was from the devil, she was certain, and she’d had plenty of experience with it, but finally she seemed to be having more good days than bad.
Snuggling up to Carter’s side, she sipped her coffee and listened to her guys discuss learning to ride this coming weekend. Thad put on the red helmet that matched the bike, though it kept slipping over his eyes until Carter adjusted the straps.
“Hey, how about you grab the stockings and bring them over here?”
At his dad’s words, Thad was up and running. The small fireplace mantel held three hanging stockings, one for each of them. Just the sight of them made her tear up. She hadn’t decorated her cottage for Christmas since Stephen had died, preferring to spend her Christmas mornings at Scott and Ruth’s house, but those matching stockings were a signal for her, of family and togetherness and the future. Her throat closed and her eyes tingled with tears as she watched Carter and Thad eagerly unpack the contents of their stockings, finding candy and small gifts she’d spent a long time deciding on. She’d wanted today to be perfect, and so far she was getting her wish.
“Open yours,” Carter urged her.
Erin stuck her hand inside. First came a box of her favorite truffles from Gimme Sugar. A gift card to download some new music. A necklace from Thad. Then another box that looked like it might hold jewelry, except it wasn’t a rectangle like Thad’s gift. This one was a square.
From Carter, obviously. Maybe a bracelet?
