Unconditional

Unloveable. Doomed to be alone.

But Carina made me see that I want a future now, more than anything. I want to build a home with her, a family, to see our child grow, to be there for every new milestone and tiny everyday blessing.

I don’t want to be scared, or alone, anymore.

I never believed much in fate or destiny, but now I wonder if there was a plan all along. Charlotte followed her heart, no matter what the price, but if she hadn’t, then I would never have wound up meeting Carina. Char has her family now, the love that makes the sun rise and set for her. And me, I could take the love I felt for Charlotte and double it, a thousand times over, and still not come close to the depth of feeling I have for Carina. Sometimes there is no reason.

Sometimes you just love someone more.

I burst through the hospital doors, full of determination, but when I make it to Carina’s room and find her sitting up in bed, surrounded by people, all my resolve falters. I pause in the doorway.

She turns. Her eyes meet mine across the room.

Time stops. Everything melts away. And for one precious, pure moment, there’s nothing but relief and love flooding through my body, just to see her awake and alive.

God, how I’ve missed her.

“We’ll, umm, go get you some food from the cafeteria,” Juliet speaks up, looking back and forth between us. “Come on, Emerson. Brit.”

“I can stay,” Brit looks fascinated, but Emerson yanks her out after them. “Give them some privacy,” he hisses at her, closing the door behind them.

We’re alone.

Carina gives me a shaky smile. “Hey,” she whispers softly.

The sound of her voice cuts right to the heart of me. In a single stride, I cross the distance between us and climb up on the bed, pulling her into my arms and holding her tight, so tight it would take an army to haul me away. And even then, they’d fall in their millions before I let go of her ever again.

“Forgive me,” I murmur, cradling her head against my chest. “Please, forgive me.”

“But I’m the one who’s sorry!” Carina pulls back, looking up at me with anguish in her eyes. “I should have told you!”

“I don’t blame you,” I swear. “God, I was such a mess, I pushed you away. I was scared,” I admit, full of shame. “I realized how much I loved you, and all I could think was that if it hurt now, how much worse it would be later, when you left me.”

“I would never leave you.” Carina reaches up and places her palm softly on my cheek. Her eyes pierce deep into mine, true as gravity. “Never.”

My heart swells, to hold her again, feel her in my arms. Where she belongs.

“I missed you so much,” I murmur, and then I can’t hold it back anymore. I lower my lips and gently capture her mouth in a tender, heart-stopping kiss. I feel Carina melt against me, like she was made to fit my body. I taste her, savoring every moment, imprinting the memory of this perfect moment deep in my mind.

When we come up for air, I find her cheeks wet with tears. “What’s wrong?” I whisper, gently wiping them away.

“You said you love me,” she smiles, her face alight with a new happiness. “You’ve never said that before.”

“Better get used to it.” I kiss her again. “Because I’m telling you every day for the rest of our lives.”

“I like the sound of that.” Carina snuggles against me. Then she suddenly freezes in my arms. “Did you feel that?” she gasps.

“What?” I’m already reaching for the “call” button. “Is something wrong? Do you need the doctor?”

“No!” Carina turns to me, her face glowing. “I felt him move. Here.” She takes my hand and presses it against her abdomen. I hold my breath, feeling the new swell of her body. There’s nothing, and then—

“There,” she gasps again, and I feel it: the smallest flicker of movement, coming from inside her body.

Our eyes lock, united in excitement. “Wait,” I pause, catching up. “You said, ‘he’…”

She smiles shyly. “The ultrasound showed the sex. It’s a boy. A little baby boy.”

I have no words. There’s nothing to say, nothing I can do but kiss her again, tears streaming down both our cheeks now. A kiss of joy, of hope, for the new future we’ll share now, and the family we’ll build. A place of love and trust and second chances.

Together, and always.

30

It’s the opening party for Emerson’s restaurant. The place is packed with everyone we know, dressed up to the nines to toast the big event, and I’m bigger than a beached whale. “I’m enormous,” I say mournfully, looking down at my swollen belly. “I can’t even see my ankles anymore. Which is a good thing,” I add, rueful. “Because they’re probably fat too.”

“You’re not fat, you’re beautiful,” Garrett laughs, kissing my hand. “The most gorgeous woman in this whole place.”

“You have to say that,” I tease him. “You’re the one who got me into this mess in the first place.”

“Damn right, I did.” Garrett meets my eyes with a hot, possessive gaze. He leans closer, dropping his voice to a sexy whisper only I can hear. “And I can’t wait to get you home and give you a repeat performance.”

His hand dips softly down the low back of my dress, caressing the bare skin and sending a shiver of anticipation through my body. I blush, my pulse quickening. Now I’m in my final trimester, this baby is driving my hormones crazy, but luckily, Garrett is only too willing to take one for the team. I look at him in his crisp button-down and suit, his hair combed back neatly for a change, and feel a new surge of desire and love.