“I—” The fluttering increases in intensity, as though Leo coming close turned up the volume…or maybe the sound of Leo’s voice.
“Oh,” I whisper, tears springing to my eyes. “Oh,” I say again, one tear slipping free as I turn to face him, my palm flush against my stomach. “The baby.”
His eyes go wide in alarm.
“I can feel her,” I explain quickly. “She’s moving.”
The concern leaves his features. “Really?” he asks excitedly. “Can I try?”
Heart rolling over in my chest, I nod and take his hand, pressing it to my belly. “There,” I say when the fluttering picks up. “Do you feel her?”
He frowns, as though concentrating, pressing a little harder. Then he sighs and shakes his head.
“It’s still early yet,” I murmur.
“Yeah.” He touches my cheek. “What does it feel like to you? Weird?”
“A little,” I admit. “It’s like…a flutter, like someone is tickling me from the inside out.”
That has his lips curving. “Well, that’s rude.”
I giggle. “I’ll take tickling over puking.”
“Fair enough.”
We stand there, bodies pressed close for a few more moments. Then, as though as one, we pull back, Leo taking my hand. “Ready?”
I nod, snag my purse and light jacket from the hooks.
He takes the former from me, helps me into the latter, and then we’re walking to his car.
“Are you going to tell me what this surprise is?”
A shake of his head.
But we don’t stop at his car. We keep walking to the park just on the other side of the lot, the trees alight from the fading sunshine.
“The sunset is beautiful.”
“You’re beautiful,” he says, squeezing my hand and drawing me down the paved path.
I’m beyond curious as to where we’re going, but I decide to go along for the ride.
And it doesn’t take long for him to reveal his surprise.
The blanket is spread out on the grass, battery-powered lanterns positioned strategically to show off the picnic he has laid out for us.
Or maybe not all him.
“Is that—” I break off with a surprised chuckle when I see the big, bearded hockey player bolt for the cover of the trees. “Thanks, Smitty!” I call.
His head pops out of the trunks. “Anything when love is on the line!” he calls back.
Leo curses softly but just draws me over to the blanket.
I go because I want to…and maybe also because I’m absorbing Smitty’s words.
Accepting the most important one.
