Christmas Baby for the Billionaire (South Shore Billionaires 1)

“You had good reason. But, sweetheart...” His breath was warm against her ear. “I made a mistake. I didn’t stop loving you. I just was too afraid to say it. Loving people has always made me weak, so I told myself I was incapable of it.” He pushed back a little so he could look into her eyes. “Until now.”

And then he kissed her, a wild welcoming that seemed to put everything right that had gone wrong. It wasn’t the kiss of a coward or a pretender; it was the kiss of a man claiming the woman he loved. And when his hand cradled her baby bump, she closed her eyes and let the bit of gratitude that had been missing this morning trickle in.

“I hate to break up this happy reunion, but I have ham and cheese omelets and home fries for anyone who’s hungry. That includes you, Jeremy.”

He looked into Tori’s eyes. “I don’t deserve that kind of welcome,” he whispered.

“Don’t be silly. This is how family works.” She clasped his hand. “We mess up and we forgive each other. I was awfully lonely this morning, Jeremy. Wishing you were here. Wondering if I should call you and what I should say. I’d forgiven you for what happened at the party, but I was still afraid, you see.”

“You were gone about ten minutes before I started missing you,” he murmured, kissing her forehead. “And my real brothers—Cole and Bran—told me I was an idiot for blowing it. It has to be love,” he continued, squeezing her fingers. “Nothing else could ever hurt me this much.”

Considering the pain he’d been through as a boy, that was saying something. And what was more, she believed him. Because the Jeremy at the party wasn’t the real Jeremy. She’d had time to think about that and realize that she’d let one five-minute conversation negate everything else between them. The Jeremy in all the other moments was the real man. And he was something special.

“Let’s have breakfast, then.”

“Okay. And then I want you to get dressed, because I have something to show you.”

“You do?”

“A surprise.”

“You and your surprises,” she said, making a tsk sound. But as they walked to the kitchen, Christmas was suddenly very merry indeed.

* * *

While Tori was having a quick shower and getting dressed, Jeremy grabbed a dish towel and started drying dishes for Shelley.

“Mrs. Sharpe?”

She looked up at him, her hands in the dishwater. “You’d better call me Shelley, don’t you think?”

“Maybe another time. Right now... Well, since Tori’s dad isn’t here, I’m going to ask you.”

She reached for the dish towel in his hands and dried hers off, then looked up at him. “Ask me what?”

His stomach quivered. This emotional nakedness was all new to him, and he was terrified he was going to get a lecture once he said what he needed to say. But it was the right thing to do.

“Ask you for permission to marry your daughter.”

Her gaze bored into him, and he couldn’t tell what she was thinking. After what had happened, he rather expected he was being measured and coming up short.

“My girl can make up her own mind.”

He nodded. “Yes, she can. But your family is different from mine, and your approval means a lot. So I’m asking anyway.”

Her expression softened. “If Tori says yes, I certainly won’t stand in her way.”

He sagged with relief. “Okay. Phew. Thanks for not giving me the third degree.”

She touched his arm. “Look. Clearly I don’t have to worry about her materially, her or the baby. My biggest concern is for her heart. I saw her face when she realized it was you at the door, and I saw yours, too. There’s far more between you than just a baby. So I’ll leave you two to work out whatever future fits.”

“Even if I take her away?”

She nodded. “Even then.”

“Mrs. Sharpe?”

“Shelley. And yes?”