Page 44 of Stepping Into Tomorrow

“I went off the handle and . . . I overreacted and I shouldn’t have blown up like that. I’m sorry that I said everything in front of the town. The last thing I’d want to do is hurt you or make you the center of gossip. I know from experience that’s a shitty place to be. I saw you in that tank and . . .” Imagined all the horrible things that could have happened to you in that ancient contraption.

Bella swallowed and blinked up at him. “You were scared?”

She saw right through him.

He nodded. “I was worried about what could happen to the baby.”

“Why? You didn’t even believe it was yours at first. And you certainly made it clear this is the last thing you want.”

“I deserve that. But you didn’t get pregnant on your own. I’m as much to blame if not more so. I should have checked the expiration date on that condom. Or seen if it had broken before I . . .”

“Ran away?” Bella crossed her arms in front of her as if she could protect herself.

He sighed. “Yeah.”

His gaze wandered past her to the living room, where Eli’s attention was focused on the tablet in his hands. “I want you to know I plan on doing everything in my power to be as good to our child as my dad was to us. And I’d like to find a way to co-parent with you.”

Bella touched her temple, blinking up at him in disbelief. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say ‘Yes, Nash.’”

She chuckled and it loosened something in his chest, setting it free. “Why couldn’t you have been this Nash at the marina?”

“Shock.” More like complete terror.

“I guess that’s fair. You want to start over?”

“You’d do that?”

She placed her hand on her belly. “It’s not about just me anymore. If you want to do this, your son or daughter deserves the chance to know you too.”

Right. “I think we should all get to know each other a little better.”

She chewed on her bottom lip. Damn, he remembered just how those tasted—sweet as frosting and rich as champagne.

“I can do that.”

Nash flicked a glance at Eli once more and then back to her. “Eli too, if it’s alright with you?”

Bella didn’t say anything for a moment, her eyes growing glassy before she blinked the emotion away and nodded. “I guess it makes sense. Just let me know when a good time is.”

“How about now?” he asked.

“Now?”

“Seems only right, since I ruined our Juneteenth celebration, that I make up for it.”

One of her eyebrows rose. “And how do you plan on doing that?”

“I heard Eli wanted to know a little more about fishing and boats. You think your stomach can handle it?”

She smiled and the sight nearly brought him to his knees. “Only one way to find out.”

22

ISABELLA

The first thirty minutes on the boat riding out to sea with Nash were awesome. Eli’s hands flapped in excitement as he drilled Nash with questions or spouted off maritime facts. Nash steered them past the no-wake zone, out of the bay, and into open water. Isabella sat in the same chair she had the first night she’d met Nash, making room for Eli next to her.

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