“You’ve been crying since we got here.”
“That’s different.”
I kiss the top of her head. “Love you.”
She smiles up at me. “Love you too.”
Zach walks us to the door like he’s escorting us out before we can contaminate anything. “Thanks for coming.”
Aria smiles at him. “You’re already ridiculous.”
“I’m a father now. Ridiculous is my right.”
“You’re going to be amazing,” she says.
Zach’s face softens. “Thanks.”
We step into the hallway, and the door closes behind us.
For a second, Aria and I just stand here.
The sounds of the hospital move around us. There are nurses walking by and machines beeping. I thread my hand with Aria’s as we walk down the hall.
Aria sniffs. “She’s beautiful.”
I agree with her. “She is.”
We both go silent on the way to the car. It’s like we’re each deep in thought. I have to tell her tonight. The thought makes my stomach twist, but for the first time, I don’t try to run from it.
Aria deserves the truth, and if I lose her after that, at least she’ll finally know I never stopped wanting forever with her.
CHAPTER 22
ARIA
The ride home from the hospital is quiet and not the comfortable kind of quiet either. Penn holds my hand the whole way, but there’s something different about him now. I don’t ask him what’s wrong because I think I already know.
He’s going to tell me.
The thought makes my stomach twist even though I’ve known the truth for a week. Reading it on paper was one thing, but hearing it from Penn is going to be something else entirely.
When we get home, he parks in the driveway but doesn’t move right away. His hand tightens around mine.
“Come inside with me,” he says.
I give him a small smile. “I live here, Penn.”
His eyes come to mine, and the pain there wipes the smile from my face.
“I know,” he says softly. “I just mean… come sit with me.”
My heart starts beating harder.
“Okay.”
We go inside, and I set my purse on the entry table. Penn locks the door behind us, then turns toward the living room. “Can we sit?”
I nod, but my stomach does a flip-flop. I kept telling myself he needed to tell me, but now I’m not sure I’m ready.
