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After a table full of appetizers, three burgers, and a few drinks in funky cups, we decide to wander the mall to burn off the obscene number of calories we consumed.
In one of the department stores, we wander to the kid’s section and stare after Clementine as she scrutinizes every item on the racks. As we steer closer to where her sizes butt up against the baby clothes, I get lost in the soft gray and subtle green onesies, sleepers, and outfits. Before I stop myself, my hand reaches out and grazes the delicate cotton.
Jonas steps up behind me, snakes his arms around my waist and whispers in my ear. “Everything okay?” His voice riddled with questions. “You’ve been quiet the last few days.”
I drop my hand from the sleeper and spin to face him. “Yeah. Just been thinking.”
His fiery hazels lock on to my goldens and study me with great intensity. “About?”
Clementine bounces over toward us with a rock band shirt in her hand. “Can we get this? Pleeeease.”
I nod. “Sure, pumpkin. But that’s it.” As she skips away from us, I peer up at Jonas. “When we get home.”
After we pay for Clementine’s new “Girl bands rock!” shirt, we walk back to the Jeep. The ride home is quiet and heavy with questions. Out of the corner of my eye, Jonas peeks my way every opportunity he gets. I keep my eyes forward and my fingers curled with his.
At home, Clementine and Spartan lock themselves away in her room, leaving Jonas and I alone.
It’s now or never, Autumn. Just tell him. No need to worry yourself sick. Everything will be fine.
Jonas guides me to the couch and we cuddle the moment we plop down. He strokes my hair and I close my eyes to focus solely on his touch. The heat of his skin on mine. His jagged breath as he hugs me closer to him.
“You can talk to me, scarlet. About anything,” he croaks against the crown of my head.
No doubt my silence has him worried. Roles reversed, I would feel the exact same.
I tuck my lips between my teeth and take a deep breath before releasing them. “I’m late.” Jonas goes still beneath me. Too still. I close my eyes and pray this won’t be an issue. “And I took a pregnancy test a few days ago.”
After a yearlong minute, Jonas scoots away an inch. I pinch my eyes until the corners hurt, until the warmth of his palms rest on my cheeks. Slowly, he tilts my head back until his eyes meet mine.
“Autumn…” he breathes my name as if it is his last breath. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
Tears sting the backs of my eyes and I question myself as to why I waited so long. Who the hell knows? I shrug and swallow the emotion swirling at the back of my throat. “Don’t know. Guess I was worried how you’d react.”
“Autumn, I love you. No matter what.” He leans in and kisses me soft and sweet. “What did the test say?”
A tear spills down one cheek, then the other. “That you’re going to be a daddy.” I smile as his eyes dart between mine.
“Really?” he questions with wonderment in his voice. I nod with my eyes on his. He kisses me again, this time greedier. “I-I don’t even know what to say.”
I grip his forearms and study his ear-to-ear smile. “Tell me that you’re happy and you want this. A baby.”
“Hell yes, I’m happy. And damn right I want this.” He crashes his lips to mine and makes me breathless. When he breaks the kiss, he glances around the open floor plan before coming back to me. “Guess we will need more space after all.”
I trace from his temple to the angle of his jaw before cupping his cheek. “I love you, Jonas.”
His thumbs stroke my cheeks a moment before he drops his palm to rest over my lower abdomen. “Love you, too.” His glassy eyes meet mine. “Thank you,” he whispers.
“For what?”
My favorite dimple makes an appearance. “For loving me.” He presses my hand to his sternum and covers it with his own. “And for giving me something I never thought I’d have.” I scrunch my brow. “A family of my own.”
