Page 88 of One Unexpected Gift

“This is beautiful. When did you have time to do this?”

“You have no idea how hard it was to get a hand and footprint of a squirmy baby, especially while trying to hide it from you. Last week when you took a power nap on my couch I wrestled her feet and hands and globs of paint. I have a friend whose wife owns a pottery place in town. I saw these plates when I picked up a gift for my mom.”

The Potter’s Wheel was a cute shop she’d visited with Gina one time. The inventory hadn’t been something Sky was into since she didn’t have a home to decorate. Military housing wasn’t anything special, and she’d never been attached to one place, preferring to travel and explore the areas she visited instead of investing her time into decorating.

“This means the world to me,” she said, clutching it to her chest. “Thank you so much.”

Other than the quilt Gina had made for her, it was the only personalized item she had representing her daughter.

“I didn’t know what color her nursery was so Sherry suggested light pink and the green and purple lettering. She said she can change the color scheme if you want.”

“No. It’s perfect.” She was ashamed to admit there was no color scheme in Gabby’s room. Other than the multi-colored quilt, everything was quite basic. Sky never considered having kids. She hadn’t spent years, months, or even weeks imagining the perfect nursery, or even shopping for clothes.

For nearly her entire pregnancy, she’d been in a sort of denial that she was going to have a baby. And then the depression set in before she even delivered.

Her tears didn’t stop flowing, and she used the cuff of her sleeve to wipe them away. Nick reached across her, opening the glovebox, and handed her a napkin. She took it and blew her nose. “Thank you.”

“Why the tears?” He kept both hands on the wheel instead of touching her, as if afraid of her emotions.

“They’re good tears. I don’t deserve this, Nick. Or you. It was wrong of me to keep the pregnancy and Gabby from you for so long.” She wrapped it carefully in the tissue paper and closed the box.

“Hey, don’t talk like that.” He slowed the truck and pulled off to the side of the road. When he was parked, he took off his seat belt and turned to her, cupping her face. “You are the strongest, bravest person I know. You’ve done an amazing job raising our daughter and haven’t asked for a thing in return. Honestly, I don’t know how I would have reacted if you’d told me you were pregnant nine months ago. I was dealing with my own grief of not being able to do the things I love to do. Knowing the asshole I am, I would have looked at having a baby as another nail in the coffin.”

Sky swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked at him in surprise. She’d never thought of him having such negative thoughts. All the time she’d known him he’d been nothing but positive.

“I don’t think of her like that. I never have. Not once did that thought come to mind, but to be honest with you, I would have thought that last year, so I’m thankful I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have deserved yours or Gabriella’s forgiveness if I’d reacted that way.”

“Nick.” She placed her hands over his.

He lowered his mouth to hers, the salty tears mingling with their kiss. “Stay with me tonight,” he murmured on her lips.”

Instead of thinking it through, over-analyzing it, she nodded and replied instantly. “Yes.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Yes.”

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