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“Our baby, Garrett. We’re having a baby.”
“You’re pregnant,” he said, as if in a daze.
She bit her lower lip, her eyes shining with wariness and excitement and concern.
He shook his head to clear it, but it was full of one thought. Baby. Father. Parents. She’ll give me a child.... She loves me.... She’ll give me a baby....
“Kate...when were you going to tell me this? When?”
“I’m telling you now.”
“And you were still going to Florida without me?”
Kate wiped away her tears.
“Were you?” he demanded.
“No,” she admitted. “I’m not going anywhere. This is my home.”
He was shocked. Suddenly he bent and kissed her stomach. “You’re not joking me?”
“No. Molly’s pregnant, too, but don’t say anything.”
He straightened again and seized her by the shoulders. “Holy hell, you have to say yes now.”
“It was yes before, Garrett. It’s...always yes. I’ve dreamed this. I’ve wanted it for so long.”
He was reeling.
He looked at her and felt that same hot punch to his solar plexus. Then he pulled her back against him, infinitely closer.
He raised a languid hand to stroke the shell of her ear with the back of one curled finger. “Kate...” he murmured adoringly.
She gave him a smile, her eyes glowing. “Yes, Garrett?”
Jamming his fingers into her hair, he tipped her head back so she held his gaze. “God, we’ve wasted so much time, Kate.”
“You said you weren’t afraid. To love somebody.” She cupped his jaw. “I am. I was. I won’t be anymore. I’m going to love you like crazy if you let me.”
“I’ll not only let you, I’ll encourage you. I’ll do anything possible to make it true.” He stroked her belly with one hand, and her scalp with the other. “Have you gone to the doctor?”
“I was going to. I kept hoping Beth and Molly were wrong. That you wouldn’t marry Cassandra. And maybe...I’d try one more time to make you love me. Be honest with you this time. No more sneaky tactics to get your attention.”
“Kate, you couldn’t be sneaky if you tried.”
“Garrett, I didn’t want to trap yo
u into marriage, please know that.”
“I know, Freckles. You don’t need to tell me this. But didn’t you know? You trapped me with these ages ago....” He stroked her seven freckles that he adored, then let his finger drift down to the flesh of her lips. “Trapped. Caught. I hardly ever got to chase you and I know you wanted me to.”
“I didn’t.”
“You did.”
“All right then, I did.” She started running across the gardens, and for a stunned moment, he didn’t realize she was heading back to the bedroom where he’d just proposed. Then everything in him burst to action and he chased after her.
Eleven
