Page 65 of Enemy Ex's Secret Baby

“Okay, how old are you?”

“Nearly thirty. But you, old man –“

“Don’t start with the over thirty business, missy.”

We both laugh, holding each other closely. I cup Gillian’s face in my hand and stroke the sticky tracks of tears on her face. Nearly faded, but a reminder of the sadness past. “We’ll tell Lola together, huh?”

“And what if she’s mad?” Gillian asks, eyes downcast. “She’s going to be so upset with me.”

“She’ll be upset with us,” I say. “Together.”

She looks back at me, corner of her lip turned upward.

“Besides, we’re adults. She has to understand we’re living our lives.” I take a deep breath. “And Gillian, I am willing to fight for you. I am willing to go to hell and back for you.” I pull her hand to my mouth and kiss her knuckles. “I promise.”

Gillian considers me a moment. “I promise too,” she says and then kisses my knuckles in return.

Nothing has ever made me feel more like a man than a kiss to the knuckles by the woman I can picture myself with for a long, long time.

21

GILLIAN

I can’t stop smiling. My cheeks hurt.

Axel is mine. At least for now.

And I wasn’t crazy. All those years ago, those feelings I was having for him, he was having too. It breaks my heart that we spent seven years nursing this anguish when we could have been together.

Stella could have had a father.

But that’s a matter that’s still too complicated for me to even broach. One thing at a time.

Axel and I spend the next hour eating a quick cookie dough I whip up from scratch. “It tastes like the real thing,” he marvels.

“It is the real thing,” I reply.

He rolls his eyes. “I’m going to be eating a lot more vegan food, aren’t I?”

“As long as you keep an open mind,” I retort, swiping a bit of cookie dough onto his nose.

He gasps and lunges for me. It turns into an all-out chase around the bakery until I breathlessly give up, laughing as he pulls me into his arms and kisses me, the cookie dough now on my nose too. “If you think you can get away from me, Gillian, you are sorely mistaken. Because from now on…” he murmurs, “You are mine.”

I sigh in ecstasy. Is this real life? I must be dreaming.

Things are more complicated now. There’s a child to deal with (one he doesn’t yet know is his) and there is the matter of Lola…

However, we are touching each other freely. Even seven years ago we weren’t able to do that. Our interactions were always tinged with illicitness. Now…it’s real. Axel has made it known he’s willing to fight for me. And I’m willing to fight for him too.

Time ticks down quicker than either of us would like and soon enough it’s nearly ten o’clock. “Told Dana I’d be by to get Stella by nine…” I whisper to Axel. We’re sitting on the floor of the office, backs against the wall, our hands intertwined.

“Tell her you’re busy,” he replies and kisses my jaw.

“If only it were that easy.” I think for a moment. “It’s different now. I told you it would be different.”

Axel chuckles, “Oh, Gillian. Why do you say that like you’re expecting me to run away from you?”

Because I am. Because you did. I hold those thoughts back. They’ll do no good now that we’re here.

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