“What’s wrong with you, man?” Chase asked as Connor scratched yet again at the billiards table.

“Who are you, my mother?” Connor snarled. Chase looked at him in surprise. “Sorry, just off my game today.”

“Testy, testy,” Jay said.

Connor took a deep breath and avoided the bait. It had been a month since the shitshow at The Cottage, and he hadn’t heard a word from Sam. Not for his lack of trying, and not that he blamed her. He couldn’t believe how his father had acted—actually, that was wrong. His father had been his usual self. What Connor couldn’t believe was how he’d reacted.

He kept going over their last conversation in his head. She’d confided in him, that was all. She wasn’t Sandra. He didn’t know why that realization was so hard to sink in. Instead of just protecting her, like he should have done, he took the opportunity to rail at his father and then turned around and blamed her, too.

He was so goddamned blinded by his past, he didn’t stop for even a second to think about her. She never would have done that to him. It was no surprise that his father had propositioned her. Actually, Connor was surprised it had taken his father so long.

Connor knew that Sam would never take his father up on anything. But in that moment, all he’d seen was red.

It had taken him an hour to cool down in the woods. At first, he’d stomped around like mad. Scared rabbits had darted out of bushes. But slowly, he’d calmed down. Nature had hugged him close, and it had soothed him. The crunch of his shoes on the ground and the twittering of birds had eventually had a calming effect on him.

By the time he’d circled back around to The Cottage, he’d made up his mind. He’d make an apology, a genuine one, and smooth everything over. He was madly in love with her. He’d known it for quite some time. Why had he been so stubborn about it?

Connor had broken out into a smile when he saw the stately white resort come into view. He’d bounded up the steps and raced to their suite. The first thing he’d noticed was all her belongings were gone. Then he’d seen the ring on the dresser with a blank piece of paper beside it.

It was a small gesture, but it had gutted him to the core. He knew it was over for good. Of course he’d have James get all the money to her, but he didn’t give a damn about any of that. He just wanted her.

He’d stopped trying to reach her after six voicemails and countless texts. Connor could tell she’d read none of them. She probably deleted them as soon as they came in.

“Fuck,” he said loudly as one of the solids, for the other team, went neatly into a pocket.

He stood up and saw Jay and Chase give each other a look. “Why don’t you just call her?” Chase asked.

Connor was startled. Was he that obvious? Why didn’t they assume it was about work or something? It’s not like he’d told them his father had fired him from his lofty figurehead position.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said as he chalked his cue stick. There was already a thick layer of blue on the tip.

“Dude, come on,” Jay said. “We’re tired of your moody ass. It’s been a month and you’re not letting up.”

“Can we just get back to the game?” he asked.

“We’d love to! If you could remember how to play,” Chase said.

Connor sighed. They were right. He’d thought of nothing else for the past month but Sam. She’d been right all along. That line he’d given her about not wanting to be tied down was childish. It was immature and needlessly hurtful. Besides, he’d been engaged before—to her, it must have looked like an obvious jab.

He wandered to the bar and pulled out his phone. It went directly to her voicemail. Damn. Connor downed the last of his lukewarm beer. “Hey, guys,” he said as he walked back to the billiards table, “I’m gonna head out.”

“Yeah?” Chase asked. “Early day tomorrow?”

“Something like that,” he said.

He was almost home when his phone lit up with a text from her. I need to see you. Your place, she said. His heart started to pound.

Finally. He’d get a chance to apologize and everything could be made right. It was all he wanted. Her, that was all he wanted. Be there in ten, he replied.

When he pulled up, she was on the porch steps. His headlights hit her, and his heart lifted. She looked amazing in tight jeans and a flowy peasant blouse. Without having to try, she always looked perfect. But there was a look of worry on her face.

“Sam,” he said, and bolted out of his car. “I’m sorry, I—”

“Don’t,” she said as she held up a hand. “I need to get this out.” She took a deep breath. “I want you to know, I don’t expect anything from you. Financially, emotionally or otherwise. But I still think you deserve to know.”

It was obviously a pre-planned speech, and he forced himself to be quiet. It was the least he could do for her.

“You and I, I know it was just a business arrangement. And I don’t blame you any more than I do myself for this. But telling you is the right thing to do—”

He went rigid. “What are you trying to say?” he asked. Though he knew, deep down. He just needed to hear her say the words.

The color drained out of her face. “I’m pregnant.”

He was stunned. Just two words to change your life forever. “You’re… I’m…”

“If you’re going to ask if it’s yours, yes,” she said.

He nearly laughed. “I know that,” he said. “I don’t doubt it—”

“I just, I thought you should know. And I’m going to have it, so don’t try to talk me out of it. Or buy me off or whatever. And if you want to be involved in some way, that’s totally your call, but if not that’s okay, too—”

He kissed her into silence. God, she tasted good. It felt like home, natural and easy. He got hints of those multi-layered fruity gum pieces she loved, and her own sweet scent.

When they broke apart, he pressed his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I wish I could say more, but that’s the heart of it. I’m sorry for all the things I’ve done wrong, for all the assumptions I made. You didn’t deserve any of it.”

She looked at him with tears in her eyes.

“Do you, do you think you can forgive me?”

“Forgive you, yes,” she said. “But I… I don’t know if I want you back.”

His breath hitched. Connor’s head hung heavy. “I know I was wrong,” he said. “About so many things, countless things. And this isn’t an excuse, but—your past gets you. You know? My father, growing up in his shadow. There were times, with you, where I saw parts of him come out in me and I hated it.”

“You’re not like your father,” she said.

“And then there was Sandra. My ex. She—God, I guess she fucked me up worse than I thought. It didn’t help that I tried to make you just slide neatly into her place. And my dad, he bought her and then tried to pull the same stunt with you—”

“None of that matters,” she said simply. He realized she was right.

“I know,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

“Connor,” she said as she put her hands on his shoulders. “I… look, if you ever so much as think about treating me like that again, even a whiff of it, I’m gone. Do you understand?”

A smile stretched across his face. She would take him back. He’d get one last chance. “I get it,” he said.

“This isn’t a game anymore,” she said. “Game’s over.”

He held her chin in his hands and looked into her eyes. “I know,” he said. “You know, I’ve… I’ve never even thought about being a father.”

She bit her lip and looked down. He traced a hand along her stomach. It felt just as smooth and taut as ever, but he swore he could feel the baby just centimeters from his fingers. A miracle had happened.

“Well, I never thought about being a mother,” she said. “Not anytime soon, anyway.”

“Plans are for suckers,” he said, and she laughed.

“I, you know, I think I know when it happened,” she said.

“Really? How could you possibly narrow it down?” he teased her.

“Call it a mother’s instinct,” she said. “But I know. Just like I knew I was pregnant without having to see the test. Monaco.”

“Really?” he asked. “I mean, that makes sense. We didn’t really do anything else during that time—”

She punched him lightly on the arm. Connor pulled her into his arms and carried her inside. She giggled and batted at his back. “Put me down!” she said. “You’re carrying precious cargo.”

“You’ve always been precious cargo,” he told her as he set her gently on his bed. “It’s just that it’s been doubled now.”

“So you’re not mad?” she asked. He was shocked, but saw the honesty in her eyes. How could she possibly think he’d be mad?

“Of course not!” he said. “I’m surprised, but happy. Isn’t that funny? I’m happy.”

She took his hand. “That’s not funny at all,” she said. “I’m glad. I’m happy, too.”

He kissed her and they stretched out on his bed. When he kissed her from her ripe lips to down past her throat, he lingered at her stomach and held his head against her warm skin. “What do you hear?” she asked quietly.

“Your heartbeat,” he told her. “It’s fast.”

She giggled. “Can you blame me?”

As he pressed his ear softly against her stomach, he tried to imagine all the magic that had happened below the surface. They’d done this. They’d made this. I promise, I’ll be a good father to you, he said to himself. Connor was certain the baby could read his mind. You won’t know anything like what I did.

“Hey,” Sam said softly. “Are you falling asleep down there?”

“Sorry,” he said, and kissed his way back up. “Just having a moment.”