Page 46 of Bound Hearts

I squint my eyes and point a finger at him. “It could be a girl, mister.”

“Hmm… nah, I have a feeling.”

Shaking my head, my smile doesn’t fade. “Anyhow, I guess we’re entering safe territory to share the news… but I’m not sure I’m ready. Damn us for having friends who we work with.”

He grins and runs his finger along my arm. “I assure you, they will keep it to themselves.”

Shrugging, I’m sure he’s right. “I know. And maybe I should talk to Elodie, she has experience with this.”

“You should,” he encourages. The way his eyes narrow in on me, it’s apparent he is thinking about something. “Listen…” There it is. “I can see that you have been struggling with this surprise.”

“Understatement,” I say flippantly.

“But you’ll come around, and this will be the best news of your life.”

Gosh, he really is excited. No qualms. Ready to jump in headfirst.

Licking my lips, I glance down at the middle console, reminding myself that even if I’m not the world’s biggest fan of kids, this baby is mine, and that is one child I can be excited about. A bond that makes me want to be a fan of her or him… they’re ours.

“Maybe once we start buying things, or when I feel the baby kick. I am excited—it’s just a kind of excitement I’ve never felt before, and that’s both new and scary.”

“It’s okay. You can take your time, Sutton.”

I pick up my phone from my lap and swipe to the ultrasound video. As it plays, I instantly soften, a smile tugging at my lips.

“Pretty amazing, huh? We did that. I’m not sure what position we were in when it happened. We’re free to do whatever now without worry.”

His fingertips touch my cheek to guide my gaze to him. “We don’t need to worry. Everything. We have it. The baby will have whatever he needs for the rest of his life. So will you. I’m going to be your husband, remember?” He smirks.

He is right about it all.

That’s why I lean in and kiss him.

It’s not because I’m thankful for his assurance. It’s because he is a man that I’m attached to emotionally. I can’t hide from him. Foster sees through me.

A diamond in the rough. I’m the lucky one who stumbled upon real treasure.

Every day, I believe it more and more.

But that can also blind you from the truth.

13

FOSTER

It’s two weeks later, and Sutton glides her fingers along the marble counter of the empty kitchen. Her eyes track me peculiarly, her wry smile set.

“Business connections, right?” she comments.

I chuff a sound. “Something like that.”

We are in an immaculate, refurbished house north of the city, with the lake as a backyard view and the city a solid half-hour away if traffic behaves. This spacious estate, with multiple bedrooms, is on sale at a hefty price, as evaluated by my family’s company.

Inside, the thought of what my mother would expect keeps nudging me. I’m positive she would envision that my family has space, everything they could possibly need. I can provide that, so might as well offer.

I watch her move, unintentionally sultry, circling the kitchen island crowned by a La Cornue oven and stove. For the first time, I really see her, not the house I’ve been rattling off facts about for the past twenty minutes.

With my hands in my pockets, I lean against the opening of the kitchen with a butler’s pantry to my side. “It’s yours, I mean ours, if we want it.”