AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She froze. “Aaron.” Now that they were face-to-face, her anger drained away as if it’d never been, leaving only the hurt and heartbreak behind. She stepped back and wrapped her arms around herself. “What are you doing here?” He shifted, and she zeroed in on the plastic containers in his free hand. They looked familiar... “Are those peanut butter and jelly wings?”
He slowly lowered his hand. “I figured my best chance of getting you to sit still long enough to hear me apologize was if I provided your favorite food.” He motioned to the containers. “And if it brought up some of the good memories to combat what an asshole I’ve been, I wouldn’t complain about that, either.”
It was right about then that she realized they still stood half in the hallway outside the apartment. “How did you get up here?”
Guilt flared in his blue eyes. “One of my old clients lives on the floor below. I asked him to buzz me up.”
Shady. He obviously didn’t want to project his arrival for fear of how she’d react, which was enough to tell her that Allie had no idea he was coming. Becka shot a glance over her shoulder, but if her friend was eavesdropping, she was being subtle about it. After a quick internal debate, she stepped back. “Why don’t you come in?” Allie had set her up in their spare bedroom, so she led Aaron there.
He didn’t speak as she shut the door behind him, but he did set the food on the dresser. Becka opened her mouth, but she didn’t know what to say. The fear rose again, the instinctive desire to retreat behind her shell to avoid being vulnerable. Letting Aaron in had hurt, and if he had showed up just to reject her...
Have a little faith.
She cleared her throat. “I overreacted. You startled me with the marriage thing, and instead of talking it out like a reasonable adult, I flipped my shit and unloaded a couple decades’ worth of issues on you. That wasn’t fair.” She pressed her lips together. “But I still think marriage isn’t the answer. Not like this—not in response to being pregnant.”
Aaron sank onto the bed and looked up at her. Her pain was reflected in his eyes, and it struck her that these two days apart hadn’t been any easier on him than they had been on her. He scrubbed a hand over his face. “After the doctor’s appointment... After that scare...” He shook his head. “All I could think about was that if we lost the baby for some reason, I could survive it. I’d be upset and sad because I’ve gotten used to the idea of being a father, but I’d survive. But losing the baby meant that I’d lose you in the process. You made it more than clear that the only reason you got back in contact with me again was because you were pregnant. The thought of losing you...”
He’d proposed because he wanted a way to link her to him, an assurance that she wouldn’t leave him.
Becka crossed the room to sit on the bed next to him. “You know, you could have just asked me if I planned on bolting if that happened.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she winced. “Then again, I probably could have been more forthcoming with the fact that I’m in love with you.”
“You’re in love with me.” He went so still next to her, she didn’t think he drew breath.
She stared hard at the door—anything was easier than looking at him in that moment. “Yeah, well, I don’t know if you noticed, but you’re kind of the greatest guy I’ve ever met and I’d have to be crazy not to fall for you.” The next part was harder to get out. “I have issues, Aaron. They aren’t going to magically disappear because of the love of a good man, but I’m trying to work on them. But you can’t leave like that. I sat in that penthouse for over twenty-four hours wondering if you’d left me, or if something had happened to you and... We’re going to fight. I don’t know a couple that doesn’t fight—even Lucy and Gideon—and I need to know that you aren’t going to hurt me like that again. I can deal with the arguing. I can’t deal with you disappearing on me.”
“I’m so fucking sorry.” He lifted her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. “I promise I’ll never do it again.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder. “Good. Because next time I’m liable to hunt your ass down and cause a scene.”
“That won’t be necessary.” He pressed a soft kiss to her temple. “Come home, minx. I promise not to throw you over my shoulder and sprint to the nearest courthouse.”
She laughed, though the sound faded almost as soon as she’d given it voice. “I don’t know where we go from here. I was kind of hoping you had a plan.”
“I don’t.” He cuddled her closer. “Turns out, plans don’t save you from fucking up from time to time. I love you. You love me. We’re going to have a baby together. Maybe we don’t have to have every little detail ironed out right now.”
God, she loved this man. But he wasn’t the only one who would be making compromises. Becka looked up at him. “I’m not ready to rush into marriage or anything but...maybe let’s not take it completely off the table?”
“If you’re sure.”
She laughed and, this time, it was downright joyous. “Oh, I’m sure. You’re stuck with me, Aaron Livingston.” She leaned up and kissed him. “But I’ll be honest—I’m going to go balls out when I propose to you. Think those crazy prom proposals, but just downright extra.”
He grinned against her mouth. “I can get onboard with this plan.”
Epilogue
“GET READY TO PUSH.”
Aaron braced himself behind Becka and tried not to wince as she clasped his fingers in a death grip. Her entire body went tense, little ripples making waves in the birthing pool they sat in. He couldn’t help her. He couldn’t step in and take away the pain radiating from every pore of her body as she tried to bring their daughter into the world. All he could do was hold her and let her crush his fingers and breathe the way they’d been taught in their birthing classes.
As the contraction passed, Becka slumped against him. “Ouch.”
“You’re doing wonderfully,” Lucy said as she mopped Becka’s brow. She had her dark hair tied back and a look of concentration on her face, as if she could will Becka to have an uncomplicated labor.
“You are,” the midwife confirmed. “The baby’s in position and engaged. A few more pushes and you’ll get to hold your daughter.”
Aaron smoothed back the damp hair from Becka’s forehead. “I love you. You’re amazing.”
Becka huffed out a strained laugh. “I’m thinking murderous thoughts about you right now.”
