Page 95 of Broken Single Daddy's Baby

“No,” he says hoarsely. “I don’teverwant you to go.”

“What does that mean?” I ask as he pulls his fingers out of me, looking at me intently.

“What do you think it means, Kenna? It means I want you. It means…I love you.”

“Wh-what?” I stare at him, shell-shocked. “Really?”

He chuckles, rubbing his hand across his face. “Of course, really. I’ve been going crazy thinking about you leaving. I can’t even imagine it.”

“Because I might meet other guys?”

“Because I can’t live without you,” he says, searching my face. “Because I don’t know how to do this without you, sweetheart.”

“I-I don’t understand,” I stutter.

“Marry me, Kenna Lodge,” he says, still pinning me up against the counter, his arms loosely around my waist. “Marry me, not because you are pregnant, not because of anything other than the fact that we love each other, and let’s raise this family together.”

I don’t answer, completely flabbergasted. I never expected him to open up this much to me. I never expected him to say these things.

“I know that I have a lot to work on,” Derek says. “I know that I’ve been afraid, a coward, and that I’ve not trusted you, but I’ll change, Kenna. I promise. I want to make you happy.”

“You do make me happy,” I say shakily.

“Then will you do it? Will you marry me?”

I tilt my chin up. “I’m still going back to college.”

“Berkeley?” he asks hopefully, and I crack a smile and nod.

Derek picks me up off the counter, squeezing me in a bear hug. “So, you’ll marry me?”

“I guess I’ll marry a rich old man,” I tease, giggling, my heart feeling fuller than ever before.

Then he kisses me, thoroughly, and we stay downstairs in the kitchen and talk all night, until the kids get up the next morning.

“Mama?” Eli says, rubbing his eyes as he pads into the kitchen.

I turn toward him with a big smile. “Go get your sister,” I say excitedly. “Your dad and I have news.”

I turn to Derek, thinking maybe I’m being too exuberant, but he’s grinning from ear to ear.

“Is it Christmas?” Eli asks when he walks into the kitchen and Maggie scoffs.

“Christmas ismonthsaway,” she says. Then looks at the both of us and asks, “Right?”

Derek laughs.

“It feels like Christmas to me,” he says, taking my hand.

Maggie’s eyes widen. “Are you finally marrying Kenna?”

“I am,” Derek says, kissing my knuckles, and both the kids jump around and cheer.

“One more thing,” I say, holding Eli in my lap.

He looks up at me with wide eyes.

“You’re going to have a baby brother or sister.”

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