Home to You

“Hey, Chloe, can you do me a favor?” I ask her. She bobs her head up and down, the sadness still lingering in her eyes. “Can you turn around for me?”

“You’re silly, Miss Haven.” She giggles but does as I ask. “Mommy! Dave! You made it. Did you see me dance? Did you?” she asks, jumping into Dave’s arms. “Look, Daddy gots me flowers.”

“I see that.” Dave bops her on the nose with his index finger.

“Hey, glad you could make it.” Sebastian holds his hand out for Dave.

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Mommy, did you take care of the sick people?” Chloe asks.

“I sure did, and I was still able to make your show. You need to teach me your moves,” Trina says, making her daughter laugh.

“Am I at your house tonight?” she asks her mom. “I can show you when we get home.”

Trina looks up at Sebastian, and he nods. “Yeah, sweetie, you can show me your moves when we get home.”

“Daddy, I love my flowers.” She holds them tight to her chest.

“And I love you. I’m going to help Haven lock up. You be a good girl for Mommy and Dave.”

“I will. Love you, Daddy, love you, Haven.”

My heart explodes with love for this little girl. “I love you too. You were great tonight, Chloe,” I tell her. After a round of hugs, the three of them disappear into the now thinning crowd.

“Well, it’s just the two of us. Whatever will we do with ourselves?” Sebastian asks, wrapping his arms around me and holding me close.

“I was hoping we could talk.”

“Talk? Babe, you have to know that anytime a woman tells a man they need to talk, it’s usually not a happy ending.”

“Oh, were you hoping for a happy ending tonight, Bash” I sass back at him.

“Every night with you is a happy ending.” He winks, and I throw my head back in laughter.

“Come on. I need to lock up. I arranged for us to come by tomorrow and pick everything up, and the cleaning crew I hired will be here first thing.”

“Let’s get you home then.”

Home. His home, the one he shares with his daughter. I want nothing more than for it to be my home as well. Maybe once we talk, it will be. He insists that he follow me as we drive to his place. My nerves hit an all-time high for the day as I pull into the attached garage, in the space he claims is mine. Wiping my hands on my leggings, I grab my purse and climb out of the car. Sebastian is there waiting for me, sliding his arm around my waist and leading me inside.

“You hungry? Want something to drink?” he asks.

No way could I eat right now. “Not right now. Maybe a bottle of water, though?” I’m suddenly parched at the thought of the conversation we’re about to have.

He grabs two bottles of water from the fridge, and laces his fingers through mine, pulling me into the living room. After placing the bottles on the table, he sits on the couch and pulls me into his lap. I’m sitting sideways so that he can see my face. “Talk.”

Here goes nothing. “I’m pregnant.”

He stills. “Can you repeat that one more time?” he asks. His voice is gravelly.

“I’m pregnant.” I let the words hang in the air between us. His arms tighten around my waist, and I feel his stare, but I don’t lift my gaze. Instead, I pretend that the pattern on his button-down shirt is the most exciting thing I’ve ever seen in my life.

“Have, baby, can you look at me?”

Knowing I can’t hide from this, I lift my head, and what I see steals the breath from my lungs. He’s smiling. Not just any smile. It lights up his face. “We’re having a baby,” he says reverently. His large hand slides over my still-flat belly. “This is what we wanted. All those years ago, we said we wanted kids.”

“We have Chloe.”

His eyes soften. “And now we’re giving her a little brother or sister to love. I’m thrilled, and Chloe, she’s going to be over the moon excited to be a big sister.”

“She will,” I say, tears welling in my eyes.

“How do you feel? Have you been to the doctor?”

“I’m feeling good. My breasts are a little tender, and no, I haven’t been to the doctor. I was late, so I took a test.”

“I want to be there. Every appointment, every milestone. We’re in this together, Haven.”

“I love you, Sebastian. I know it took us a little longer to get here, but there is nowhere else I’d rather be.”

“I’m glad you came home,” he says, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.

“I’ll always come home to you,” I assure him.

“You’re damn right you will. After all, I’ll be changing your last name.”