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The baby babbles, but the sound no longer fills my chest with warmth. A chill snakes down my spine when I see the tension around Penelope’s eyes. Heart stuttering uncomfortably, I put my hand on her lower back and turn to face the other couple in the room.
Sensing our need for privacy, they say a few words and slip out of the room. Penelope pulls away from me, wrapping her arms around her chest. She drifts to the wall of windows, standing exactly where I was a few minutes ago, staring at the mountain peaks that surround us.
Then, with a breath, she turns her head and drags her gaze to mine. Time pauses, and my whole world hangs on what she’s about to say. Somewhere deep in my heart, I know she’s about to change the course of my life. Whatever she’s going to say will rock me to my core. I do my best to keep my face steady.
No matter what I do to prepare myself, though, I’m not ready. Nothing in my life could have prepared me for the five words that come out of her mouth next.
“I’m pregnant, Asher. It’s yours.”
21
Penelope
I brace myself for Asher’s reaction. I don’t know what I expect. Shock, maybe? Panic? Anger?
What happens to Asher’s face is not what I imagine. There’s shock, of course. His eyes widen and his jaw drops, but his gaze drifts down to my stomach. Then something changes. His shock turns to awe, and a beautiful kind of softness fills his eyes.
“You’re pregnant?” he whispers, taking a hesitant step toward me.
I nod. “The doctor confirmed.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“I thought…”
“Me too.” My throat is tight. My voice is nothing more than a croak, but a balloon starts to inflate in my chest. I think Asher’s happy. More than happy. I think…I think he might want this as much as I do.
Erasing the distance between us, Asher wraps his arms around me and crushes his lips to mine. His hand splays over my cheek and his lips devour me, leaving sloppy kisses over my lips, my jaw, my neck. He holds me close, clutching me tight as his whole body trembles.
“Is it healthy? Is everything okay?”
I laugh, pulling away. My vision is blurry and I try to blink away my unshed tears. “I don’t know yet. You’re happy about this?”
“I…” Asher’s mouth closes. He opens it again, concern drawing his brows together. “You’re not?”
“I didn’t know what you’d say.”
Asher drops to his knees, running his hands over my stomach. Warmth tugs at my lower belly, unfurling and sending tendrils of fire spreading between my legs. I thread my fingers through his silky, dark hair, closing my eyes.
He wants this. He’s happy.
My steps trembled when I walked from my room to here, and when I saw him standing there, I thought I wouldn’t have the courage to say the words out loud. But I did, and his reaction is better than anything I could have ever imagined.
Asher wants this baby with me. I could…I could have a child. I could have love. Everything I thought I lost—everything that’s been buried under an arctic layer of ice—it could be mine again a hundred times over.
My heart feels so big, I think my ribs might crack. It expands in my chest, filling me up until I feel like I’m going to float up to the ceiling. A smile stretches my lips, and I let out a sigh I didn’t know I was holding.
“Penelope,” Asher whispers, rising to his feet. He slides the back of his hand over my cheek and rests his forehead against mine. “I never thought I’d be as happy as I’ve been with you. Tell me you want this. Me. The baby. All of it.”
“I want it,” I whisper in a rush. “I want it so bad.”
My thoughts flick to Xavier, but the image of him is fuzzy. I still feel a tug of pain when I think about his death, but it’s not so overwhelming anymore. It doesn’t feel like I’m drowning in grief when I think of him. And, as cheesy as it sounds, I know he’d want me to be happy.
Asher holds me tight, and I soak his shirt with tears. He swipes his thumb over my cheek to wipe the tears away as I giggle-snort, shaking my head. “I didn’t know how you’d react.”
“I wasn’t expecting this, but…I don’t know, Pen. It feels good. Ever since I’ve been with you, my whole life has felt different. I was focusing on all the wrong things and you came in and smashed that illusion to pieces. My reality was just the reflection of a broken mirror, and you’re finally showing me the truth. Happiness.”
