Page 67 of Doctor's Baby: An Enemies to Lovers Romance

I laugh. “I promise I won’t hold it against you.”

Nate grasps my hand firmly. He inhales deeply before he continues. I almost don’t hear what he says over the rush of my blood in my ears.

“Eve, I can’t remember the last time someone’s made me this happy. You make me want to be better. I want to be good at my job so I can support you and your dreams. I want to be a good father to Jacob and raise him with you. And if you’ll have me,” he plucks the ring out of the box and holds it up, “I’d like to be a good husband too. I want to be a fantastic husband, actually. And if you say yes, I’ll spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to make you as happy as you make me. Evangeline Lee, will you marry—”

I throw my arms around him and hug him tight before he’s even finished asking the question.

“Yes,” I say, so wondrously happy that I feel like I’m flying. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Nate slips the ring onto my finger and brings me back in, kissing me deep and slow. His heart’s beating so hard I can feel it through his chest.

When we finally part, Nate laughs. “I’m so glad I walked in on you stretching in the exam room.”

“I bet you are,” I tease. “You got such a good look at my ass that you decided to stay.”

“That may or may not have been part of it.”

I playfully hit him on the arm. “Oh, stop that.”

“Do you want to head inside and tell everyone the good news?”

“That’s a good idea. I think Pops just made the baby cry.”

“How can you tell?”

I shrug a shoulder. “Mother’s instinct?”

Sure enough, Jacob’s starting to whimper by the time we step back inside. I don’t know how I’m able to tell, I just can. The second he returns to my arms, he stops, gurgling as he grabs fistfuls of my hair.

“Are you magical or something?” Nate asks me.

“Most likely.”

A-Ma’s the first to notice the ring on my finger. She takes my hand and just gawks at the fine piece of jewelry.

“Aiyah,” she gasps. “What this? You marrying?”

I nod and smile. “Yes. We’re getting married.”

Pops claps Nate on the shoulder. “Congratulations! There’s so many exciting things happening, I think I need to sit down.”

Delilah smiles fondly as she shakes her head. “Congratulations. I’m very happy for the two of you.”

“Thank you, Delilah,” I say.

I really mean it too.

“Let’s eat cake,” A-Ma says, already making her way to the kitchen. “Time to party!”

The rest of the day is wonderful.

The house is filled with the sound of laughter and conversation. Everyone’s crowded around me and the baby, who’s now resting in the cradle Pops purchased for us. A-Ma and Delilah made a knitted blanket together for the baby, and the nursery is full of stuffed animals that were given to us by my friends at the dance academy.

There’s a mobile hanging about Jacob’s head, a collection of colorful stars, planets, moons, and comets. It’s one of those wind-up mobiles that rotates on its axis, the gentle tune of Brahms’s “Lullaby” plinking away note by note. It doesn’t take long before Jacob’s eyes droop shut. He falls asleep within minutes, clutching onto the finger I hold out to him.

Nate sits at my side, a protective arm slung over my shoulder as he peers in at his child. I find myself fighting the urge to fall asleep, but I’m too mesmerized by Jacob to drift off.

He really is a handsome boy. I think he takes after his father. He may be less than a day old, but I already know he’s going to grow up to be a real heartbreaker. I can’t get enough of the adorable noises he makes. I love how his grip on my finger is so strong despite his size.

Now that he’s here, my mind is wiped of any and all doubt. I don’t need to choose between Jacob and my career. I can have both. It’s going to take some time adjusting to the new challenges Jacob will bring, but I know I don’t have to go through it alone.

Nate’s here.

A-Ma’s here.

Pops and Delilah are here.

Jacob already has so many people who will love him, take care of him, treasure him. Even if I do have to spend some time away, I know my baby’s going to be in the best hands possible. He’ll want for absolutely nothing.

And I’m going to make sure it stays that way.

Epilogue

Nate

The wedding is the talk of the town.

It’s not every day someone rents out the entire performance theater at the Haven Ballet Academy to host a grand function such as this. Not very many people here can afford to. It costs a pretty penny, but I think it’s worth it. I want this day to be special for Eve, and if that means renting the largest venue in all of Haven, so be it.

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