“Things will change once she has your babies,” Jack said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, and Tommy couldn’t help how his heart warmed at the thought. His babies. With Minnie. He hoped he could see that come to fruition. That she wouldn’t leave before they had the chance.
“Perhaps,” he said, thinking about the other night. The truth was, they hadn’t been careful, and Minnie could be carrying his baby right now. He didn’t want to trap her into anything, but he also couldn’t imagine letting her go any longer.
“You have people relying on you, Tom,” Jack said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Now, more than ever before. Whatever you do, be safe and take care of yourself, you hear?”
“I hear you, Jack. Thank you.”
They shook hands and gave one another a half-embrace before Tommy returned to the bottom of the stairs, finally allowing the excitement to flow through his veins. Yes, this shop would be his to lose now. But it was also filled with opportunity to make something of himself, to give Minnie everything she ever wanted, to help pay for the medication his sister so desperately needed.
He ran up the last few stairs, eager to tell Minnie, to surprise her. He knew she had been worried about what Jack wanted, even if she hadn’t said it.
Tommy stopped when he entered the room, pausing with his hand on the doorway.
It appeared that Minnie had tried to wait up for him. She was sitting upright in the bed, her blonde hair falling around her face like a halo, but her eyes were closed, her face serene in rest.
Tommy walked over and tenderly lifted her down so that she was under the blankets, which he tucked in around her neck.
He brushed his hand over her hair, leaned down and kissed her forehead, quietly singing a soft, slow, happy song as he washed up and slid into bed beside her.
In her sleep, Minnie nuzzled back into him, tucked into the curve of his body, and he wrapped his arm around her, holding her close, his nose nestled in his hair.
For the first time, he started holding out hope that maybe — just maybe — she would stay his.
But just in case, he would hold onto this moment, in which he was content with this woman in his arms and his business at his feet. A moment he would hold in his memories for the rest of his life.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Minnie woke the next morning, knowing before she even opened her eyes that something good was upon them.
“Tommy?” she murmured in her sleep before she felt his fingers brush against her face.
“Morning, Min.”
She blinked her eyes open, finding his silhouette in front of her as she lay on her side facing him.
“What time is it?” she mumbled. One thing about those who worked for a living – they certainly rose much earlier in the day. One more thing she was becoming accustomed to.
“Shortly after six,” he said. “I have to work soon, but I wanted to speak with you first.”
“Is all well?” she said, suddenly on alert. Perhaps she had misjudged Tommy’s excitement for concern.
“All is well,” he reassured her. “More than well. Besides the whole Blackwood thing, of course. I talked to Jack last night. He told me he wants me to take over the shop.”
His excitement was obvious, even though she could tell he was trying to contain it.
“Truly?” she asked, pride bursting through her. “That’s wonderful news, Tommy.”
“Thanks, Min,” he said with a wide grin. “It will make all the difference for us. I can feel it.”
Minnie tried to hold the same amount of excitement as he did. She was truly happy for him — for them — but she couldn’t help the lingering fear that bordered that excitement, knowing that the threats of Blackwood lay over their heads, that he could take everything from them at any moment.
“What’s wrong?” Tommy asked, guessing her concern.
“Nothing,” she said, shaking her head, not wanting to intrude on this moment for him.
“Minnie,” he said, reaching out and tracing her face with the pad of his finger, the rough callous running over her cheek. “Tell me. This is you and me now.”
She liked the sound of that. She wasn’t sure whether it was for now or forever, but she would take it.
