I opened the door, and before I could step back to let Tim in, he had me in his arms, spinning me around. “Down. Put me down.”

I ran to the bathroom for fear of getting sick, but the feeling faded once I stopped spinning. I closed my eyes and blew out a breath before walking back out to the living room. I smiled at Tim. “False alarm.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I just got a little nauseated with that spinning motion. Maybe I have an ear infection starting or something.”

He walked over to me and smiled. “I promise not to spin you anymore.” He kissed me. “Hi.”

I smiled. “Hi. I take it things went well with your dad?”

“Not at first.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the sofa. “I think after a few more honest conversations with each other, we’ll be able to put the past behind us.” He sat down and pulled me onto his lap. “I think the same can be true with us. Let’s get those misunderstandings out of the way and move on.”

I stroked his face. “I would love nothing more, but do you think it’s too much all at once?”

“No, I want it all out and in the open so we can heal and not have two separate mortgages anymore.”

I laughed. “So, it’s a business relationship then. You just want to save money.”

“We need to save money. I want a bigger wedding than what Brody and Maggie had, and we need to have more children than them. They’ve got a head start on that, but we’ll catch up.”

I looked at his chest and played with the buttons on his shirt. I needed to play it cool, but it was getting harder to keep it from him. Hearing him talk about marrying me before finding out I was pregnant gave me hope. “Are you guys going to always be competitive?”

“Yeah, Maggie said I can’t kick his ass anymore, so I have to beat him in other ways. I already know my dick is bigger.” He smiled.

I smiled even though I didn’t want to. “Every guy thinks his dick is bigger.”

“This is true, but I’ve seen him naked.” He kissed my neck.

“I’ll take your word for it.”

He looked at me. “You’d better take my word for it.” He cupped my face and stroked my cheek with his thumb. “One thing I’ll never be able to do is stop being jealous. I don’t ever want to lose you, and I know there are better men than me out there.”

“I don’t want you to stop being jealous, but you have to know you are the best man for me. I don’t want anyone else.”

“You like it when I’m jealous?” He smiled and looked at my lips. “I thought you hated it, but the truth comes out now. You’re probably flirting with guys just to make me jealous.”

“I don’t like the violence.” I didn’t want to bring his mood down, but he had to know what I wouldn’t tolerate. I held his face so he would look at me when he looked down. I needed him to see how serious I was. “I’m yours. I’ve always been yours, but save that energy for bed.”

He smiled and took my left hand. He rubbed the ring finger where his engagement ring used to be. “What’s it going to take for you to put the ring back on so everyone knows you’re taken?”

“Time.” I put my forehead to his. “We still need to work through some things, and if I put it back on too fast, we won’t work through anything.”

“How did Hank know about Emerson Bishop?”

I hadn’t expected the question. Apparently, he had a few things on his mind already. I looked at him. “I didn’t tell him. After the night I thought you told me you hated me and stormed out of the office, I couldn’t stop crying. I didn’t plan on going back home, but I couldn’t pull myself together enough to find a place to stay.”

“I’m so sorry.” He kissed my fingers.

“I’m not telling you this to make you feel bad. We both were terrible at communicating. Hank found me when he was turning in some reports. He knew we were going through a rough patch.”

“Sometimes that man is too observant.”

I laughed. “I agree. He offered to let me stay in his guest room because his boyfriend was with his parents. I hadn’t told anyone about the baby. It was hard to hide anything from him, so I knew if I had gone with him he would’ve pulled it out of me. I couldn’t talk about it.

“I told him no, but he already knew. Seth was a nurse at the hospital he used to work at. He had gone there to spend time with him while Seth was on break. The fact Dr. Bishop couldn’t do anything to help our baby and the body language we put off toward each other was too much for her. She broke down after she signed the release papers. Hank was there to help her.

“He said she never said our names, but he saw us walk out. It didn’t take much for him to piece it together. I wasn’t at work for a few days after that, and our fighting only got worse.”

He wrapped his arms around me. “I’m so sorry for everything I put you through. I know it doesn’t make it right or excuse anything I did, but I was losing everything and thought you were next. I couldn’t handle it, but it ended up pushing you away.”

I rubbed his back. “I didn’t know how to hang on to you. I felt like I was hanging on too tight and smothering you, but when I loosened up, I felt you slipping from me.”

“I’m never slipping away again.”

* * *

I blew out a breath as I smoothed out my dress. There wasn’t anything wrong with it, but it made me feel better to think I was fixing something. I had too much nervous energy to just stand there.

Tim and I had made great progress. Better than I ever thought we would’ve. We stayed up all night and talked the night he asked what it was going to take to get his ring back on my finger. He welcomed the discussion to put the past behind us and move forward. I fell in love with him all over again.

Hank didn’t stay away as much as Tim would’ve liked him to, but Tim was getting better about not showing his jealousy. At least not until he got home and used the energy how I told him to—in bed. I smiled as I looked in the mirror. We were always good at the sex. I was happy we were finally good at the rest of it.

Tim knocked on the bathroom door. “Hey, is everything okay in there?”

I looked down to my hand and let the light reflect off my engagement ring. I wondered how long it was going to take for him to notice. I rested my hand on my belly. It wouldn’t be too long before he started to notice something else. I had to tell him soon.

I opened the door and smiled. “I want to look my best.”

“You could wear a garbage bag and still look better than everyone else.” He pulled me close and kissed my neck. “I’ll kiss you later when it won’t matter if I screw up your lipstick.”

I wanted to tell him he couldn’t screw it up, but I’d let him think about kissing me all night. He usually attacked me when we got home if he was restricted in how he could touch me. “Thank you for that. I don’t want to touch it up again so soon.”

“You look amazing. If you’re trying to get me jealous and worked up for later, it’s working.”

I smiled and patted his face. “Good.” I walked out to the living room and grabbed my handbag that was on the back of the sofa. “Ready when you are.”

“Oh, the things I’m ready for.” His smirk told me those things involved a bed. I wasn’t sure we’d make it much past the front door when we got home. There were a few things we needed to do first.

“Come on. Your family is waiting.”

He came up behind me when I turned to the door and nipped my neck. “You drive me crazy when you wear your hair up, but you know that, don’t you?”

I smiled but didn’t say anything as I walked out. We had a dinner to get to, and he had a ring he needed to notice.

We were meeting his entire family for dinner. Even Brody and Maggie came to spend the weekend with us. We all would’ve gone out to his dad’s, but Victor wanted to see what Tim and Brody had done with the center. Brody stepped back and gave all the credit to Tim. Brody wanted to celebrate Tim’s success. He thought it was time the family acknowledged everything he’d done.

I thought it was time, too. He’d put everyone first for so long, he forgot how to put himself first. He was learning. I put my hand on his thigh when he gripped the steering wheel tighter. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”

“I know. I’m not used to this. I don’t want anyone to get angry. I don’t want to get angry.”

“Any time you feel anxious or if you feel you’re about to get upset, just hold my hand. I’ll be right next to you.” I rubbed his thigh.

“Right now you’re next to my dick and I’d rather not go in there with a woody.” He lifted my hand from his thigh and kissed it.

I laughed. “If we had time, I’d take care of it for you.” I’d forgotten I was wearing the ring when I placed my hand on his lap.

He held my hand up a little higher so he could see it. I looked to see what he was doing when he moved my hand away from his lips. Both of our eyes were fixated on the ring.

He rubbed his thumb over it as his eyes went back to the road. I watched him for a reaction, but I didn’t get one other than his thumb continuing to feel it. We were quiet the rest of the way to the restaurant.

Once we parked, I turned to him. “Please, say something.”

“I don’t deserve you, but I’m going to be selfish like you tell me to every day and take you.” He turned to me. “I promise you I won’t screw it up this time. I know what I have, what we have, and I will fight for it every day instead of against it. Please,” he picked up my hand, laced his fingers with mine, and kissed the back, “know that. Please believe me.”

“I do believe you. I wouldn’t be in this car with you right now if I didn’t.”

Brody and Maggie pulled up next to us and honked. Tim kissed the back of my hand again and looked at the ring. “This is going to sound horrible, but could we take the ring off until after dinner? I don’t want to be bombarded with questions about the engagement.”

I slipped my hand out of his and tried to smile. “Sure.” I put the ring in my handbag and felt a little sting when I snapped it shut.

I did understand, but a part of me was surprised he didn’t want to shout it that we were engaged again. I thought we were. Maybe he didn’t understand that was what I meant. I turned to say something to him, but he’d gotten out and was walking to my door. I stayed in my seat and looked at my handbag while I waited for him to open the door.

Maggie’s bump grew considerably since I had seen her last. As soon as Tim had helped me out of the car, I ignored his hand and went to Maggie. I was happy for a reason to ignore him.

“Oh, look at you.” I rubbed her belly. I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed her tight.

Maggie was the closest friend I’d ever had even though we were hundreds of miles apart. She knew me better than anyone. “We’ll talk after dinner.” She pulled back a little and looked at me. “Okay?”

I nodded, unable to say anything. Lila walked up with Kennedy in her arms. I wasn’t as close to her as Maggie was, but I’d hoped to change that. I’d wanted to make sure Tim and I were going to make it before I got more involved with his family. I glanced back down to my handbag and wondered if I should’ve still waited a little.

“Good evening, ladies.” Lila set Kennedy down so she could play with Brody. Her husband was walking with her father behind them.

Tim walked up to all of us and put his hand on the small of my back. “Our reservations are waiting.”

Brody and Kennedy played until they hit the door, but she was seated between Brody and Maggie during dinner. He could keep her entertained better than anyone and she stayed quiet most of the evening.

It was such a dramatic change seeing their family interact after such hurt and anger had torn through them. They vowed to only look at the future and left the past behind. It wasn’t as if they buried the past. They accepted it. They accepted all the mistakes they each made and moved on.

Tim had fidgeted during the first few moments of the dinner until everyone eased into the conversation. By the time the appetizers or salads had arrived, he was much more relaxed. He had also grown a little more affectionate. I was wondering if he was feeling guilt for asking me to take off the ring or if he was just anxious to get back to my place for sex. We were going to talk about that ring before we slept together again.

Tim’s knee bounced and he leaned forward on the table. I placed my hand on his back and rubbed. I wasn’t sure what had made him anxious again, but I was happy to see he was trying to stay in the conversation. The old Tim would’ve thrown money onto the table and left. I had to give him credit for pushing through, but I would get to the bottom of what triggered him again.

Two waiters came from behind me. One carried a tray of champagne glasses and the other had a sundae with two champagne glasses. The sundae was set in front of Kennedy and her eyes lit up. The two glasses from that tray were set in front of Maggie and Brody.

The rest of us received glasses from the other tray. I froze. I couldn’t drink, but no one knew that yet. Tim stood and raised his glass. Maybe that was why he was nervous. When had he decided to speak?

“I’m the first to admit I never thought this night was possible. I had dreams of it, but I never thought they’d be fulfilled. I’m not finished with my list of dreams. I hope tonight is just the beginning of our family.” He looked at me and smiled. “This is to our future.”

I lifted my glass with everyone else and pretended to sip when they did. I set the glass back down and wiped my lips with the napkin. Tim looked at the glass and back to me. “Don’t you want to drink it?”

I placed my hand on my belly. “I’m kind of full.” It wasn’t a complete lie. I was full, but not from food.

“But, it’s your favorite kind.” He picked it up and tried to hand it to me. “Just one glass.”

I looked across the table to Maggie and her smile told me she knew I was pregnant, but she nodded toward the glass. When I looked again, there was a ring in the bottom of it. I brought my hands up to my face. “Oh, my God.”

Tim dropped to one knee while he held the glass out to me. “If we’re starting over, we need a new ring. Will you marry me?”

“Yes, yes.” I wrapped my arms around his neck as he held the glass up so I didn’t spill it. “Hurry up and drink it so I can try it on.”

He pulled back and looked at me. “Are you really that full?”

I leaned in and whispered as I held his face, “No, I’m pregnant.”

His eyes grew wide and he looked at my belly before looking at me again. “What?”

“It’s why I’ve been tired.” I continued to hold his face. “Please don’t be mad. I wanted to wait until I knew we were better before I told you. I wanted us to be together because we wanted to be, not because I got pregnant.”

He drank the champagne and sucked the ring as he pulled it out of his mouth before putting it in a napkin to dry it off. His hands shook as he slid the ring onto my finger. His eyes closed before he placed his forehead to mine. “I’m going to be a dad.” He placed his hand on my belly. “I’m going to take care of both of you. I promise.”

Everyone stopped when Victor signaled the waiter over. “I don’t want this.” He handed back his drink. “Bring me some of that sparkly water and bring one for the lady, too.” He signaled to me.

Tim kissed me once more before taking his seat again. We all sat and glanced around the table as Victor tapped his fingers on the table. He was growing impatient for the water. He stood when the waiter was a few feet away and hurried him over. “I’m not getting any younger here.”

The waiter glanced around and scurried away after setting my water in front of me. I just managed to thank him before he took off, but I wasn’t sure he heard me.

Victor waved off Lila’s hand when she tried to get him to sit again. “I have something to say.” He held up his drink. “I’d like to make a toast.” He waited until we all had our drinks up. “I’d like to thank my youngest,” he turned to Lila, “for sticking with her stubborn old dad when she should’ve run the farthest away from me. You’ve been too good to me, kid.”

Tim sighed beside me when his father made the night about Lila again. I placed my hand on his knee and squeezed. I knew everyone around us was happy for us with their smiles and congratulations as soon as I said yes. They all clapped and squealed when I said I was pregnant. All but Victor. We’d continue to try, but if he never warmed up to us it was okay. We’d make our own happy family.

Tim looked at Victor when he turned his glass toward us and spoke. “To my middle child. You tried your best to hold the family together when everyone else gave up. You’ll be an amazing husband and father.”

Tim nodded his thanks and everyone held their breath while waiting to see if he’d address Brody. It didn’t take long.

Victor looked into his glass and swirled it around. “To my oldest. I’m proud of the man you’ve become.” He held his glass up higher. “I did nothing to teach you how to be the man you are today.” He glanced at Tim. “Neither of you.” He looked back to Brody. “But, I support your strength and your sobriety.”

He looked around the table and winked at Kennedy. “To my family. May it keep growing and making me proud.”