Page 120 of Have To Be Mine

The table went quiet. Bernadette was blushing. Sebastian’s grin was so wide I thought his face might split in half. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to guess what they had to say.

“We’re pregnant,” Bernadette said softly.

The table erupted. Mom started crying immediately, rushing around to hug Bernadette. Elizabeth was squealing. Adrian was clapping Sebastian on the back. Buck seemed confused by all the noise but joined in the excitement anyway, shrieking and clapping.

I got up and pulled Sebastian into a hug. “Congratulations, man. You’re going to be a great dad.”

“Thanks. I’m terrified and excited.”

When I sat back down, Briggs was grinning at me across the table. “So it’s a race then. Me and Mandy versus you and Krista. See who gives Mom her next grandkid first.”

I felt Krista tense slightly beside me. I brought her hand to my lips and kissed her knuckles.

“I’m in no rush,” I said, meeting Briggs’s eyes. “I want to take my time for once. Slow down. Savor the moment.” I turned to look at Krista. “We have time. And for once in my life, I’m going to do things the right way.”

She smiled at me. “The right way sounds perfect.”

“Besides,” I added, turning back to Briggs with a grin. “Someone has to be the cool uncle. Can’t do that if I’m changing diapers at the same time as everyone else.”

“You’re just scared,” Briggs shot back.

“Terrified,” I agreed. “But I’m okay with that.”

Mom raised her glass. “To family.”

We all raised our glasses. I looked around the table at the faces I’d known my whole life and the new faces that had become just as important. My brothers with their wives. My nephew. My mom. And Krista, fitting into this chaos like she’d always been meant to be here.

I thought about Dad. He would have loved this. And I had a feeling he would have probably fallen at Krista’s feet thanking her for putting me back on the right path. I think he would have been proud of the man I was becoming. I had finally figured out what mattered.

I turned and pressed a kiss to Krista’s temple. “I love you,” I whispered.

“I love you too.”

This was home. This was everything I’d been running from and everything I’d been running toward. And I was finally ready to stop running and just be here.

EPILOGUE

KRISTA

Istood in the doorway of my new office and tried to process what I was seeing. This wasn’t a cubicle or a shared workspace. This was a corner office with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Manhattan skyline. The desk was sleek and modern, the chairs looked expensive and comfortable. There was enough space for all the filing cabinets and organizational systems a girl could dream of.

“This can’t be right,” I muttered, walking in slowly.

It had to be a mistake. I was expecting a basic office maybe slightly bigger than a closet. But my name was on the door. Krista Hedley, Director of Operations.

I dropped my bag on the desk and immediately pulled out my phone and called my dad. He was going to lose his mind when he saw this.

“Sweetheart! How’s the first day?”

“Dad, you have to see this.” I switched to video and panned the phone around the office. “This is where I’m working. Can you believe this?”

His face filled the screen, his expression a mix of pride and wonder. “Krista, that’s incredible. Look at that view!”

I walked to the windows, showing him the cityscape. “I know, right? I keep thinking someone’s going to come in and tell me there’s been a mistake.”

“No mistake. You earned this.” His voice got thick. “Your mother would be so proud of you, sweetheart. I wish she could see you now.”

My throat tightened. “Me too, Dad.”