After an hour flight, we land in Houston at Hobby Airport. It’s been three weeks since we planned this trip and even though I’m excited to see my family again, I’m also very anxious to see my mom again.

As we wait to deplane, Evan grabs my hand and kisses my knuckles, which still gives me butterflies. Raindrops stream down the window, and I hate that it’s raining, but at least we aren’t in the air anymore.

Once we exit the plane and grab our luggage, Evan and I pick up the rental car and head to my parents’ house.

“I’m a little nervous,” he admits, pulling onto the highway.

“But you’ve already met my dad,” I say because my father is the one who usually freaks people out, especially those in the medical profession.

“Well, yeah, I’ve met your dad, but not the rest of your family. It’s a big deal. Bringing me home for the first time. What if they don’t like me?”

I burst out into laughter. “Trust me, they’re going to love you! Either way, they all know they don’t have a choice, considering we’re having a baby. But honestly, you have nothing to worry about. Meeting my dad was the hard part, and you’ve already passed that barrier with flying colors. Plus, it can’t be as bad as meeting your family after a one-night stand where I stole your clothes and left you high and dry. Let’s also mention the majority of them knew about what happened. So yeah, you’ll be fine.” I pat his cheek playfully.

We pull up to the gate that secures my parents’ property, and after inputting the code, it opens immediately.

“Fancy,” he jokes. “Might need to get one of these for our house on the ranch. It’ll keep Jackson out at least. But then again, he’s not afraid to hop fences, so probably not.”

His words cause me to chuckle, and my stomach bobs up and down.

Evan places the car in park and just stares at the house.

“Welcome to River Oaks.” I introduce him to the luxurious neighborhood I grew up in. “My parents have expensive taste but just try to ignore it, please. That’s what I do.”

We both get out of the car and walk up the grand staircase. Glancing over at Evan, I smile before opening the front door and walking in. His eyes nearly bulge out of his head when he sees the marble flooring and Tiffany glass chandeliers, not to mention everything is stark white just like the hospital. “It’s a lot. I know.”

There were many times I’d screamed through the hallways only to hear my voice echo off the walls. As a kid, I felt so insignificant here, which makes me even happier when I think about the house we’re building on the ranch. It’s perfect and not so big it will swallow a kid whole.

“Just wait until I show you the opulent formal room, flower garden, and terraces.” I roll my eyes, repeating the amenities that were repeated during the extravagant parties my father would host for his elite friends.

“Hello?” I call out, leading us farther down the hallway, the aromas of the food the chefs are busy preparing fill the house. My mom stopped cooking after the accident, and my dad was always too busy working. So on top of growing up with nannies, I grew up with chefs who taught me how to cook instead of my own mother.

“In here,” my father hollers from his office at the end of the hallway. Our shoes click against the floor, and I squeeze Evan’s hand, offering him a tad bit of courage, but the closer we get, the more nervous I become. I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t been home in a while or if it’s pregnancy hormones, but either way, my heart rate increases.

As soon as we step into his office, my father takes off his glasses and walks toward me with open arms. “There you are,” he says, pulling me into a hug. He turns to Evan and shakes his hand. “Good to see you again and doing well I hear,” he says to Evan.

“Yes, sir. Much better,” Evan replies.

“How was the flight?” my father asks. “Good, I hope.”

Evan nods with a grin.

“You know first class is always good,” I tell him. He insisted on purchasing the tickets and upgraded our seats.

Evan glances at the desk, and so do I, and we both see he was reading current medical journals. Even when he’s supposed to be taking a vacation, he’s still researching and working. I hope after years of practicing, I’m still as passionate and interested in my work as he is, but I also hope I can turn it off at times, too.

“Your brother and sister are on their way. Your mother is in the den watching TV,” he tells me. “I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you. And to finally meet your boyfriend.” The smile hits his eyes, but I’m not sure I believe his words. My mother hasn’t shown an interest in my life in years.

Dad places his hand on my shoulder and asks me about the pregnancy on the way to see my mother.

“It’s going as planned. No complications. No issues,” I tell him. “Going great.”

“And you’ve found a highly qualified doctor to see you?”

“Yes, Dad. The very best.” I have to hold back an eye roll because considering he specializes in infertility, I’m not sure any doctor that’s not in Houston would be good enough for me in his eyes.

We walk into the den, and my nerves take over when I see the back of my mother’s head.

“Sally,” my father says. “Emily’s arrived.” She turns down the TV and looks over at me with a smile.

“Hi, Mom.” I grab Evan’s hand and walk toward her. She seems as if she’s in good spirits today, which helps calm my nerves. It would’ve made things real awkward otherwise. Though Evan knows our history, I was hoping the first time they met would be a positive experience.

“This must be Evan Bishop,” she says. “The man who’s stolen my little girl’s heart.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Evan confirms, smiling.

“And he’s polite too.” She glances over at me. “Come here.” She pats the seat next to her on the couch.

I go to her and sit. Looking at my stomach, she smiles. “How far along are you now?”

“Almost eighteen weeks,” I say.

“When are you due?” she asks.

“End of March.”

This all feels really awkward until she pulls me into a hug. “I’ve missed you, Emily,” she whispers, and I feel my emotions begin to take over.

“I’ve missed you too, Mom.”

Just as we’re releasing our embrace, Annie and Daniel come barreling in, laughing. When they see me, they rush through the den and almost tackle me, but I stop them before they can.

“Whoa, whoa baby on board.” I point down at my stomach.

“Oh yeah,” Daniel says, chuckling.

I stand and give them each a big hug. “Meet my boyfriend.” Turning to Evan, I give the formal introductions, and my brother and sister exchange hugs with him, though he’s as stiff as a board. I laugh to myself because Evan should be used to a family of huggers, considering his own family.

“I’m starving,” Annie finally says. “Food almost ready? I’ve been waiting for this Tetrazzini casserole all day.”

“It’s ready whenever we are,” Dad says.

“Then let’s eat,” Mom adds, patting my hand before I stand. I reach for her wheelchair and bring it to the edge of the couch so she can pivot her body into the seat. Dad then takes over and pushes her through the den and hallway.

Annie leans over and whispers, “Your boyfriend is really hot.” She snickers.

“I know, right?” I whisper back like we’re teenagers again. “Seriously, the hottest.”

“The doctors don’t look like that down here,” she complains.

“That’s because they never had to do manual labor on a ranch,” I remind her, and she nods with a smile in agreement.

Once we’re in the dining room, we sit around the table, and moments later, our plates are served. Evan sits next to me, and I grab his hand and hold it. He’s smiling, continuing his conversation with Daniel.

“So you really grew up riding horses?” Daniel asks, breaking a piece of bread in two.

“Sure did.” Evan grins. “Horses, roping cattle, cleaning barns. My childhood was a real-life Texas cliché.” Evan makes jokes, and the room bursts out into laughter, and they keep the questions coming. I feel bad that he’s talking instead of eating, but I love listening to him chat about the ranch with that hint of Southern twang he has. Most people can barely tell I’m from Texas when I travel, but with Evan, there’s no doubt about it.

As we continue eating, I think about all the little things I love about him. How the corner of his eyes crinkle when he laughs, the way he looks at me like I’m his whole world, and how he manages to put everyone around him at ease. He loves fully, with everything that he is, and there is not a doubtful bone in my body that what we have is special. Though everyone is chatting, I don’t pay attention to the conversation; I just watch as Evan entertains and fits right in with my family. Not that I was worried, but I can tell they genuinely adore him already, which has me smiling from ear to ear with pride.

“So Emily, what’s the plan after the baby?” Annie asks, changing the conversation.

“I plan to take leave for a while, then eventually return back to work,” I tell her. It’s a discussion Evan and I have had several times. “My career is important to me, but so is this baby. I’m hoping I can have the best of both worlds of being a mom and a doctor. I don’t want to have to choose between the two because I’m not sure my career would win.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Daniel pipes in like a proud little brother. He’ll be graduating med school soon and understands the passion.

“Evan’s mother volunteered to babysit, too, so I know the baby will be in good hands,” I explain. “I was concerned about daycare and dealing with all of that, so I’m relieved we’ll have help.”

“Did you find out what you’re having yet?” Annie asks, between bites.

“Not yet,” Evan chimes in. “Hopefully during our next ultrasound appointment.” Evan gives me a wink. He’s so damn excited to find out the gender, but I don’t have a preference as long as he or she is healthy.

“You do plan to bring the baby to visit us, don’t you?” my mother asks with concern, looking directly at me.

“Of course. It’s a priority. And I’m hoping you all can come and visit me too. The plan is to move into the new house before the baby arrives, and we’ll have plenty of room. Plus, the Bishops’ bed and breakfast is on the property, too, if you prefer to stay there. It’s a beautiful drive, Mom. You’d love it in the fall.” I smile, hoping she really does consider traveling to visit us. I know how hard long distances can be on her.

“We’ll have to do that.” Mom looks at Dad who nods with a grin.

“We plan to visit after the baby is born, so you’ll have to keep us up-to-date with how things are going,” Dad says.

“You’ll be the first to know,” I say, finishing my food.

“I can’t wait to be an aunt,” Annie says. “I’m going to spoil that little booger.”

I laugh. “I’m sure you will. Might need an extra room in our house for all the spoiling of this kid.” Between my family and the Bishops, I have no doubt this baby will be extra loved and cared for, which is just the way it should be.

The conversation continues, and I make myself promise that I’ll keep them in the loop during the rest of my pregnancy. It’s my parents’ first grandbaby, and I know it’s a big deal for all of them.

After dinner, we make our way to the living room to finish our conversation. Annie gets paged and groans.

“I’ve got to go.” She sighs. “I’m on call this weekend and have a delivery.” She stands and walks over to me, giving me a big hug. “Please call me more. I miss you.”

“The phone works both ways,” I remind her.

“Doctor life,” we say at the same time with a laugh.

She walks over to Evan and gives him a big hug. “If you break my sister’s heart, I’ll kill you.”

Annie lets out a chuckle, but I don’t doubt her promise, and I don’t think Evan does either. Before she leaves, she hugs Mom, then rushes out.

Dad, Evan, and Daniel continue their detailed discussion about the new research he’s doing, and they decide to make their way to his office to check it out. I wave him on and shake my head smiling.

“Emily,” my mother says, pulling me away from my thoughts.

“Yes, Mom?”

“I can see how happy you are. You’re glowing. Makes me so pleased to see.”

I swallow down my emotions. “Thanks, Mom.” I smile. “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

“I’m also very proud of you. Even if I don’t say it enough, I really am. I’ve also had a lot of time to think about things, especially since you moved away. I finally agreed to go to therapy after all these years, and it’s really helped me to see how self-destructive I became after the accident and the way I took it out on you. It wasn’t fair to you or anyone, and I knew that, but at the time, I was so emotionally numb that I didn’t care about anything. I don’t expect you to forgive me or forget, but I’m hoping you’ll accept my apology at least. I’m truly sorry, Emily. For everything.”

I hug her, trying to push my emotions to the side, but it’s been so long since we’ve been able to talk like this. “Thank you for saying that, Mom. I’m so happy to hear you’re getting some help. I love you, and I always have.” A few tears stream down my face, and I try to wipe them away.

She tilts her head at me. “Don’t cry, sweetie.”

“It’s the hormones, Mom. I’m an emotional mess lately.”

She lets out a chuckle. “You know, when I was pregnant with you, all I wanted to do was eat pickles dipped in mustard. It was the grossest thing I’ve ever eaten, but I wasn’t satisfied until I had them.”

“Oh my God. Yes, pickles for me too, but not mustard. What kind of monster was I in the womb?” We both laugh, and the only thing that pulls my attention away is Evan. He’s smiling from ear to ear when they enter the room.

“What?” I ask, wanting to know.

“Your dad is a genius,” he says, my father smiling and patting him on the back.

“Don’t give him too many compliments. He’ll start believing them, and his ego is big enough,” I tease, glancing over at my dad with a smirk.

An hour later, the yawns start, and I feel the exhaustion from traveling begin to take over.

“You should get some rest,” Mom says, patting my leg. “I’m sure you’re tired.”

I nod and glance over at Evan, and he’s yawning too. “Ready?”

Evan looks over at my dad and my brother and grins. “Yeah, we’ll have to do this again sometime.”

“Definitely,” Daniel says, walking over to me and pulling me into a hug. “Don’t be a stranger, okay? I’ll drive to the middle of nowhere Texas to kick your ass after the baby is born if you ghost us.”

When he lets me go, I look straight into his eyes. Time has been good to him, but I can see the years of overworking himself on his face. He could use a good vacation in West Texas. “I won’t ever plan on ghosting you mainly because I know you’ll come knocking on my door, which you should. I want to show you around. Take you horseback riding or something.”

“You haven’t even been horseback riding yet,” Evan blurts out.

“So! If Jackson can teach a child, I’m sure he can teach the Bells.”

Evan lifts his hands. “Okay, okay. You’re the boss. But really, you should come and visit.”

“I might take you up on that offer.” Daniel nods.

I watch as Evan gives my mother a hug and tells her how happy he is to finally meet her.

“I like him, Emily,” she shouts, loud enough for Evan to hear.

Dad gives me a big hug bye and squeezes me tightly. “I love you, Emily.”

“Love you, too, Dad.”

By the time Evan and I finish saying our goodbyes and walk outside, I’m smiling ear to ear.

“Your family is awesome,” he declares, opening the door for me and kissing me before I climb in. He jogs to the other side and gets in.

“I’m so happy we came,” I say once we hit the main road. “I was worried about seeing my mom again, knowing it could’ve ended in a disaster, but it all went really well.” I’m shocked at the way my mother opened up but also really glad we can start working on our relationship again.

“They love you, Emily. I can tell they’d do anything for you. I know how your childhood was. I know what you went through, but tonight, I saw a family that really cares about you.” Evan glances over at me as we head back to the hotel.

“I think it’s the baby that’s softened them up.”

He shakes his head. “Maybe, but I’m willing to bet it’s their love for you. It was obvious to me how proud of you they are and happy to see you happy. They’re really trying to make an effort.” He squeezes my hand, reaffirming how much I love him.

The next day we decided to fly back to San Angelo so we could spend a day recovering from traveling. It was easy to exchange the tickets last minute, but that meant flying out at six in the morning. I was okay with it because I knew once we were home, I’d sleep for a few hours, then have the day to be with Evan.

After we make it home, we have nothing but a lazy day, which is exactly what we both needed.

The following morning comes early, though, especially considering our internal clock is still on our work schedule.

“Good morning, beautiful.” Evan nuzzles my neck.

“I want to go look at the house today,” I whisper.

“They started framing. I’ve been having Jackson send me pictures every few days.” Evan sits up. “I’m going to make you breakfast, then we can head over just as the roosters start crowing.”

I let out a small chuckle. “You’re not joking about the roosters, are you?”

“Not. At. All.”

After I eat the most delicious bacon and fresh farm eggs, Evan and I head over to the ranch. The sun is rising, and the sky is full of bright purples and pinks. Seeing the morning like this never gets old.

We turn down the old gravel road, pass Evan’s parents’ house, and tucked away at the end of the road is the dirt driveway that leads to our new house. My blood is pumping as I see the wooden skeleton standing tall. Once he parks, I can barely contain my excitement.

I lean over, and he plants a soft, sweet kiss on my lips. “Let’s go see our house,” I say, ready to bolt out of the vehicle.

We get out of the truck, and as I walk through what will soon be our front door, a warmth of happiness overwhelms me.

“I’ll give you the grand tour, my lady,” Evan says, holding out his arm. I lock my arm through his, and he leads us inside. Of course, I know the floor plan by heart, but it’s different now that the studs are placed.

“This is where the fireplace will be. Over here is the kitchen. This big window overlooks all of that.” He points out to the rolling hills, then pulls me around to another part of the house.

“Here’s where the magic will happen.” He wiggles his eyebrows, and I let out a big laugh.

“Your giant closet, our master bathroom. Over here is the baby’s room.” We stop at the door and look inside. I close my eyes, trying to imagine what it’ll be like once the sheetrock is placed and it’s painted. Soon, we’ll be living here together and starting over in a brand new house with a baby.

When my eyes flutter open, I see Evan staring at me. “You’re so damn beautiful,” he says, tucking loose strands of hair behind my ear. I shiver at the softness of his touch, and so much love streams between us when our lips collide. I lose myself in him, in us, and our little family, and that thought alone brings me so much joy.

“I love you, Evan Bishop. I love you with all my heart.”

“I love you too, Emily. More than you’ll ever know.”

Evan kisses me, and when we finally pull away, I search his face and look into his baby blue eyes. When our eyes lock, I know deep down that I’ve truly found my other half—the missing key to my heart. It took years to find him, and there’s no way in hell I’ll ever let him go.