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“Are you still going to tell him?” she asks.
“Of course,” I say firmly. “It’s making me crazy keeping it all bottled up. But I had to be sure, one hundred percent sure, you know? It means so much to him. To us. To our future.”
The elevator opens with a ding, right outside Madden’s – our – penthouse apartment.
“Anyway, I’m home now. Love you, Kelly. Speak soon.”
“Love you,” she says. “And let me know how it goes.”
I hang up and walk into the apartment, laughing when Boxcar comes barreling down the hallway. Kneeling down, I catch him and lift him into my arms, barely able to contain him as he kicks his legs in an effort to get to my face.
I giggle when he kiss-attacks me, lapping at my cheeks happily.
“Where’s Madden, huh, boy?” I ask as I stand up.
Boxcar trots at my feet as I walk into the apartment, my gaze scanning across the living room. It’s morning and I’m just returning from the store, a bag of breakfast goodies under my arm.
I lay the bag on the kitchen island when I spot Madden standing on the balcony, his back to me. He’s wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, his sculpted back is shiny with sweat, letting me know he’s just finished a workout in the home gym.
The muscles pulled tightly from one shoulder to the other, making me wonder if he’s thinking about it. Whatever it is that’s made him so distant and strange since yesterday morning.
I march toward the balcony door, telling myself it’s time to tell him, and then confront him about whatever’s been gnawing at him.
Before yesterday, everything was going so perfectly.
We’ve been writing and making love and going on dates and spending time with Boxcar, becoming closer and closer with every little breath. But now there’s this rift between us, this new distance, and I freaking hate it.
He turns at the sound of the balcony door opening, staring down at me with a wide smile. But there’s that same uncertainty glimmering in his eyes.
For a moment I forget about it all when he wraps his arms around me, hugging me close to him, his lips coming to rest against my forehead. I close my eyes and savor the feeling of his arms wrapped securely around me, letting me know he’ll always protect me, always protect us, our family.
“Madden,” I murmur, looking up at him, annoyed when tears rise unbidden to my eyes.
“Hmm?” he says gruffly.
“I’m pregnant.” I blurt it out, toss it out there, despite that quavering quality in his expression. “I did a test yesterday morning, but I wanted to make sure so I went to the doctor and… Yes, I’m pregnant. We’re going to have a baby.”
He lets out a long breath, a smile spreading wide across his face.
“I’m so, so, so happy. You don’t know how happy I am. Goddamn, a baby, a little baby. I can’t wait to see what an amazing mother you’re going to be. Come here.”
He pulls me closer, squeezing me tightly.
I clasp onto his side, digging my nails into him.
As we hug, I think about his response. The smile. As though there was relief in it. And he didn’t sound surprised.
“You knew,” I say, leaning back in his arms, staring up at him.
His smile is wide and genuine, so much happiness beaming from him.
He nods. “Yeah, I knew. I saw the test in the trash yesterday. But I wouldn’t let myself steal this moment from you. I couldn’t let that happen.”
“Is that why you’ve been acting so weird?”
“Yeah. All I’ve wanted to do is yell it from the rooftop and run around punching the air. But I couldn’t. Not until you told me in your own time.”
“Oh, Madden.” I burrow into his chest, my heart beating with all the joy in the world. “You’re so amazing. You didn’t have to do that. You could’ve told me you knew.”
“It was your right to tell me in your own time.”
He leans down, brushing his lips against mine, as we stare at each other, into each other.
His hand slips over my belly, between our bodies, stroking softly.
“I love you both so much. I already love our baby. Does that make me crazy?”
I giggle, reaching up and clasping onto his face. “No crazier then falling in love with me through a letter.”
He smiles and kisses me passionately, as Boxcar nuzzles around our legs, and relief and love and contentment wash over me.
Extended Epilogue
One Year Later
Madden
I cradle Anna-Louise to my chest as I walk down the hallway of our five bedroom home.
Photos hang on the walls, snapshots of the past year we’ve spent together.
My smile couldn’t be wider, more love-filled as I spy Maddie sitting in the hospital bed, tears of joy glimmering on her cheeks as she holds Anna-Louise for the first time in her arms. Or when I see her in her wedding dress, a small bump showing beneath the fabric, hinting at all the happiness to come.
