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“You’re happy?” he asks, the uncertainty in his voice making my chest ache.

I look at the man who cried when I told him we were having a baby. The man who looked terrified when he asked if I was staying. The man lying beside me now, scared to touch me in case it hurts.

“So fucking happy.”

His eyes close briefly. “Good.”

I move closer and press a kiss to his chest. For once, the hospital, Ben and everything that happened yesterday don’t get to follow me into this moment.

There’s only Dean, his hand over our baby and the quiet way he keeps checking my face to make sure I’m okay.

Neither of us speaks for a while.

Then I break the silence.

“We should tell Aspen.”

Dean looks down at me. “Tonight?”

I laugh. “No, not tonight. She’s asleep. But soon, unless you want her finding out when I start looking like I swallowed a watermelon.”

He snorts. “She’s going to lose her shit.”

“Absolutely.”

“And then tell everyone.”

“Also absolutely.” I rest my chin on his shoulder. “We’ll make her promise not to.”

Dean gives me a look. “You’ve met my daughter, right?”

“Have some faith.”

“I have plenty of faith. None of it is in Aspen keeping a secret.”

“She might surprise you.”

His hand settles over my stomach again.

“Yeah.” He smiles. “Seems like that’s happening a lot lately.”

* * *

The following night, the three of us are sitting in the living room with Finding Nemo playing on the television and the fireplace roaring. Aspen and I are drinking hot chocolate while Dean sips a glass of whiskey.

He catches my eye over the rim of his glass.

I nod.

“Hey, Pen?” Dean places his whiskey on the coffee table.

“Yeah?” Aspen looks away from the television.

“Come sit with us. We have something to tell you.”

Aspen climbs between us on the couch, her eyes darting suspiciously from me to Dean.

“Are we going on vacation?”