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“Yeah, Adam,” Will confirmed, “by way of your parents—and Dawn.”
I whipped around to get a look at the woman herself, and Dawn waved at me. “I only told one or two people, darling. I promise. Your secret’s safe with me.”
“Good to know, Dawn,” I replied with affectionate sarcasm. I should have been upset that people were talking about me, but all I felt was relief about giving up one more charade. “Thanks.”
Will watched me with hope in his eyes, then flashed me his get-out-of-trouble-free smile. “So, what do you say? Can you give us another chance?”
Something of my old fire rekindled deep inside. The heat of loving him so fiercely and the excitement of loving who I was when I was with him.
But also the burn of fear when I thought I’d lost everything. Fear that bubbled up as irritation.
I poked him in the chest. “Don’t be cute, and don’t give me the dimple, Kidd. That thing’s not going to save you now.”
He grinned because he’d won me over. We both knew it because this was the kind of banter we’d built our relationship on. “Okay.”
“I’ve been thinking too, you know, and I’ve got some things I want to say.”
“Can’t wait to hear them.”
“The first? Grow up.”
Those eyebrows, arched with amusement, flew up to his hairline.
I narrowed my eyes because although I didn’t want to fight anymore, I did want him to know that I was serious. “That’s right, you heard me. Grow up. If I give you another crack at this, you arenotgoing to do this to me again. You’re not going to do this tous.”
Will’s humour dissolved under his solemn brow. “I know.”
I nodded with satisfaction as the hurt and the fear of the last few hours sparked again.
“At first, I was going to go along with it, you know? I was going to let you flake out on me because I love you. I’ve always loved you, and I thought I could go back to loving you like I used to, but here’s another truth.”
I paused, glaring up at him, suddenly irrationally angry that Will didn’t have as much faith in himself as I did. A warm flush spread across my chest, and I knew if I looked, the skin would be mottled pink.
“Uh, yeah?” he asked with trepidation in his voice and confusion around his mouth.
“Everyone fails sometimes! We all take risks that don’t work out, and we all deal with shame at some point in our lives. That doesn’t mean you’re not worth something. It doesn’t mean you give up. You fix it, Will. And if you can’t, you learn your lesson and start again.”
“Babe, I know. I’m sorry—”
“And what about what I’ve risked to be here?” I was on a roll now, and something I can only describe as Mama Bear Energy whooshed through my body. “What about the life I’ve been building? I love this little boy. I love him so damn much.”
“I know you—”
“No more feeling sorry for yourself, Will. And no more shutting me out. It’s time to—”
“I get it, babe, and if we can just—”
“And I’m not saying I’m perfect—”
“Maybe if we—”
“But we don’t have to be perfect—”
“I know, that’s what I’m—”
“We just have to be there for—”
Will slid his warm hand around my neck and slammed his mouth against mine. He kissed me, opening my lips with his own and tempting me with the tip of his tongue. I melted against him as someone carefully took Seb from my hip.
