Brooklyn felt devastated on his behalf, but it was funny—he didn’t seem that upset about it. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m not. I chased my dream, and I got a taste of it. That’s more than most people get in a lifetime. And you know what? It was nice for a minute, but it wasn’t going to last. There was always going to be someone better or younger nipping at my heels. I don’t need the validation. Not that kind, at least. I need someone to love me. Someone who I can love in return. You and I belong together. I know that with everything that’s in my body and brain and heart. And we’re not going to put this off any more.”
Brooklyn was so in awe of the poetry Alec had managed to roll off his tongue, completely off the cuff, that she hadn’t noticed that she was crying or that the tears were freezing on her cheeks. “We do belong together. Forever. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He smiled again and his shoulders dropped. “God, it feels good to finally say that. Out loud.”
She managed a small grin, but there was one more thing they had to address, the real sticking point between them. “I got my period this morning, Alec. I’m not pregnant.”
“I’m so sorry, Brook. Are you okay?” His mouth fell open, his face painted with genuine concern. Disappointment.
And that was the moment when Brooklyn knew that this was all real.
“I’m fine. There was only a tiny chance that I was pregnant.”
“We can try again. Right away. I mean, when you’re ready.”
“You want to?”
“Yes. I doubt you realize this, but you’ve been turning my thinking around since that day we ran into each other in the diaper aisle. Between Dallas, and my brother, and my nieces, and everything you’ve helped me with, I know now that I can be a great dad. Or at least I know that I will always give it everything. It’snottoo late. For me or for you. For us.”
Time was the thing Brooklyn had felt like she was battling from the beginning, but funnily enough, it was also the thing that helped bridge the divide between her and Alec. They were meant to be together, but it took the tides of days and weeks to help them end up in the same spot. She was so glad they’d waited. So happy that they’d stuck around for each other. “I love you, Alec.”
“I love you, too, Brooklyn. More than you’ll ever know.” A delicate ice crystal floated through the space between their faces. Then another. And another. Alec directed his sights skyward. “It’s snowing. We should get inside.”
“But we can’t. Snow is frozen rain.”
He looked back at her, smiling, slyly cocking an eyebrow. “Oh, right. I know what you want. A kiss.”
“Oh, Alec,” she muttered. “I love it when you speak in Prince.”
A breathy laugh left his lips. “That’s not Prince, Brooklyn. That’s all you.” He pulled her closer as the snowflakes got fatter and heavier and dropped on their noses. The winter wind swirled around them, but the rest of the world fell away. She held her breath, eyes wide open, waiting for the heaven of his lips.
And when the kiss came, it was everything she’d ever wanted.
Epilogue
Eleven months and twenty-six days later
Thanksgiving at Alecand Brooklyn’s house wasn’t the ideal situation for a dog to have puppies. But sometimes, life threw you curveballs.
“How’s the patient?” Alec asked Brooklyn as he rushed around the kitchen, wearing a chef’s apron over one of his many sweaters. The stovetop was covered in pans bubbling away, steam was floating up into the range hood, and he was peeking into the oven, releasing wafts of delicious roast turkey smell.
“Connie’s doing great. She’s a rock star. And the puppies are nursing like crazy.”
Brooklyn and Alec had welcomed Connie into their home a little less than two months ago. Their personal pursuit of pregnancy had yet to come to fruition, and although they’d started looking into adoption, that was all off in the distance. Brooklyn had been desperate for someone or something to nurture, beyond Alec and their ever-growing collection of houseplants. And then out of the blue, Lela called Brooklyn and asked if they had any interest in a dog. She and Donovan had found a golden retriever wandering the woods near his mother’s home in Connecticut. They took it to the vet and without a collar or a microchip, there was no way to find where she belonged. Lela had been unable to find a spot for her at the local shelter, and she couldn’t take a dog because she and Donovan already had three cats. Donovan’s mother couldn’t take the dog because she already had dozens of pets. So Lela had asked Brooklyn to step in.
The only hitch? Connie, who they named for Connecticut, was pregnant.
It had taken Alec and Brooklyn about five seconds to say yes, and it was true love from the start. Connie took to life in Alec’s brownstone immediately. She spent her afternoons sleeping in his office and liked to curl up on the sofa between Alec and Brooklyn at night when they watched TV. Sometimes there wasn’t much room, since Alec and Brooklyn were often glued to each other. When that was the case, Connie simply stretched out across their laps.
“Virginia and Dallas are in the guest room with her,” Brooklyn said. “He’s so excited about the puppies. But I don’t think he bargained on them looking like little aliens at first.”
Alec wandered closer to Brooklyn and placed a hand on her hip. “Oh, come on. Connie’s puppies are adorable.”
“I think you should admit that you’re biased. She can do no wrong in your eyes.”
“That’s because she’s perfect.” Alec had definitely become a sunnier person since Brooklyn moved in. He seemed to worry less. He enjoyed everything more. It turned out that the burden ofGood Day USAhad been weighing on him far more than anyone fully appreciated. Of course, that left him without a job for several months.
