AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Erin.” I start to reach for her hand, then change my mind and stop. She probably doesn’t want to be touched by me right now.
She perches on one of the stools and studies me. “Yes?”
“I… This is amazing news.”
Her whole face transforms. “Really?”
“Yes.” I laugh with joy.
I’ve thought before about what it would be like to have kids. While it’s always sounded ideal, I’ve never let myself go too far into that daydream. I mean, I never knew a woman that I wanted to settle down with.
Until Erin, that is. Until she came back into my life and showed me what it’s like to be truly alive.
I take a sip of my coffee, letting the warmth and caffeine bring me back to reality. I need to be practical about this, too. “Erin, I want to be involved.”
She looks surprised but pleased. “You do?”
“Of course I do. This is our baby, and I want to be there for you every step of the way.”
Tears well up in her eyes, and instinctively I reach out and take her hand. “I’m sorry for everything that’s happened between us. I know I messed up, but I want to be there for you both and be the father our child deserves.”
And partner.
I want to be Erin’s partner.
I don’t want her to think I’m all talk, though. I know I need to use actions to show her how serious I am.
Erin squeezes my hand, and I feel a glimmer of hope that maybe we can work things out. Maybe this unexpected turn of events will be the catalyst to push us towards each other instead of apart.
“Thank you,” she whispers, tears streaming down her face. “I was so scared to tell you, but I knew I had to. I couldn’t keep it from you.”
“I’m glad you did.” I bring her hand to my lips and kiss it gently. “And I promise, I’ll be there for you every step of the way. We’ll figure this out together.”
She nods, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “I would like that.”
There’s a moment of silence between us, the weight of the situation settling in. I take another sip of my coffee, trying to gather my thoughts.
“I need to tell you something, too,” I say, setting my mug down on the counter.
Her expression turns serious. “What is it?”
I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “I’m freaking crazy about you, Erin. I’m in love with you. I messed up, and I’m so sorry. If you give me another chance, I promise I won’t make assumptions or push you away. I’ll be the father our baby needs, and the man you need.”
I hold my breath, afraid to even exhale. I’ve put it all out there, and now there’s nothing left to do but hang on tight and see what happens next.
Erin’s eyes widen in surprise, and for a moment, I fear I’ve said too much. But then she smiles. A genuine, beautiful smile that fills me with hope and happiness.
“I love you, too,” she says, reaching out to touch my hand. “I never stopped loving you, even when we were apart.”
Relief washes over me, and I reach out and wrap my arms around her, pulling her close. She fits perfectly against me, and for a moment, we just hold each other, reveling in the comfort of one another’s embrace.
When we pull apart, we’re both smiling, and I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. We still have a lot of work to do and a lot of discussions to have, but we’re moving in the right direction.
“I love you so much.” I kiss Erin’s forehead, and a second later, I’m laughing. “God, we’re gonna be parents!”
“I know. It’s crazy, right?” She grins up at me, and I gently push hair from her face.
“I’ll move here,” I say. “I’ll sell the whole ranch, and—”
