“Jess, are you home?” Alistair pushed into the apartment, the cozy little nest Jess had created for herself. He’d long since sold the penthouse and relocated most of his things to storage. This place, for now, was the perfect home to welcome their little one. Once the baby was a few months old, they’d start looking at an upgrade.

“In here.” She came out of the bedroom, her big belly jutting out from underneath her T-shirt. This was his favorite part of every day: getting to greet that big belly with kisses and rubs after any amount of time apart.

“There are my two loves,” Alistair cooed, pressing his lips to Jess’s, and then against her belly. “I have some news, darling.”

“What’s that?” She wiped some hair away from her face, fanning herself despite the fact that the air was on. Summer had crested unseasonably warm, and with just days until she hit her due date, Jess was feeling every degree of the temperature.

“The college hired me.” He squeezed her sides when she squealed. They hugged tightly, her encouraging words lifting him even higher into the stratosphere.

“I’ll start fall semester,” he said. “Alistair Beaumont, Professor of Innovative Design. Bloody hell, that has a ring to it, don’t you think?”

“Such a good ring I thought you were a bell,” she teased, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I’m so proud of you!”

“Now that I’ll be a professor and you’ll be enrolled as a student, we can enact all those dirty schoolgirl fantasies you told me you had.” He cackled, squeezing one of her butt cheeks.

“Meet me in the library for a blowjob,” she cracked.

“Maybe I can grab lunch in the food court and dessert between your legs?”

They both laughed, which dissolved into more kisses. This change of lifestyle he’d enacted had been a serious one-eighty, but every step of the way felt perfectly right.

“I’m so happy for you, but I need to go sit down and be happy for you now,” Jess said, waddling toward the couch. “Five minutes on my feet was enough.”

“Don’t overdo it, darling,” Alistair said, helping her ease down onto the couch. She winced as she lowered onto the couch, her hand going to her belly.

“I’m just happy spring semester is over,” she said, “because now we’ll both have the summer for maternity and paternity leave. Maybe we can even explore some more state parks once I’m recovered from the delivery.”

“When you’re ready, love.” He eased onto the couch next to her, stroking the back of her neck lazily. “Don’t want to push it just to keep up with our bucket list.”

“I think this baby is coming soon,” she said, her voice sounding oddly tight. She paused, squinting at something in the distance. “Like…maybe really soon.”

“Jess?”

She blinked a few times, a strange expression crossing her face, one he’d never seen before. And then she said, “Holy shit, Alistair. I just started having contractions.”

His eyes widened, his gaze falling to her big belly. They’d prepared for this moment what felt like a hundred times. The bags were packed; the doctor was on speed dial. But more than that, he was at his love’s side, ready to help her welcome in the most important and exciting part of their lives.

Tears pricked his eyes, and he kissed Jess’s face over and over. “It’s time to meet little Marigold. Our greatest adventure yet.