Mitch slid his fingers under my chin and tipped my face upward to capture my gaze. The raw emotion glistening in his eyes wrenched my heart.

“Carly, that’s…amazing.”

“And terrifying. I was going to tell you. Eventually. It seemed like a much messier situation when I thought you were married.”

“It’s wonderful.” A euphoric grin stretched across his face.

“You think so?”

“Yes, Carly. Yes.” With both hands, he stroked up and down my arms. “I realize you might not feel as ready as I do. You’re probably overwhelmed by the idea. But for me…well, I’ve been ready to be a dad for a very long time. I didn’t realize how much I wanted a child until…” He let his words trail off.

“It didn’t work out for you and your ex,” I filled in.

“Look, I know the circumstances aren’t ideal, and I get that you’re scared, but to me it feels like a miracle.”

Though he was right about one thing—I was scared—his words bolstered me and lightened the heaviness in my chest. I wouldn’t have to do this alone after all. “So how do we work this out? It’ll be complicated, since we don’t live in the same city.”

“Not complicated at all. We’ll get married,” he said.

“Married?” I couldn’t help the snigger that slipped out. “Mitch, this isn’t the nineteen fifties. We don’t need to get married to co-parent this baby. Besides, we barely know each other. We spent one night together. That’s hardly the best foundation for a marriage.”

Enfolding my hand in both of his, Mitch let his gaze roam over my face. “Carly, I learned all I needed to know about you that summer eighteen years ago. You’ve blossomed into a beautiful, dynamic woman, but you’re still that bright, sweet girl I fell in love with. Our night together at Thanksgiving brought those feelings back as though we’d never been apart—but at the same time, I discovered exciting new dimensions to you.” His lips curved into a subtle smile. “It’s been ridiculously easy for me to fall in love with you again. I don’t need time to figure out what I want.”

His heartfelt words and the open affection in his face burned a path straight through my chest, warming my insides to the melting point.

I wavered for a moment before pulling my hand back. “Mitch, it’s a bad idea to make such a huge decision based on emotion.”

The edges of his mouth tightened but he held my gaze. “What else should we base it on?”

“Something rational. You might feel differently tomorrow.”

He wagged his head decisively. “I won’t.”

“Or next month,” I said. “Or a year from now. You may look back on this moment and realize it was the worst rash decision you ever made. And then what?”

Mitch didn’t so much as flinch. “I want to marry you, Carly. I want our child to grow up with both parents. But only if you want it just as much.”

I bit the edge of my lip, my chest quaking with the pounding of my heart. I wanted nothing more than to trust in his vision of our life together as a family. But his excitement about the baby had clouded his judgment. My parents had been in this same position when they met, forced into a commitment on the spur of the moment. Years later, even the most sincere promises could crumble to dust.

I caressed his cheek with all the tenderness I felt for him, my fingers coming to rest on his pulse throbbing at his throat. “I’m not saying no, but I just can’t say yes right now. Not yet.”

His hand closed over mine and he turned his face to kiss my palm. “Fair enough. I’ll leave so you can take your time thinking about it.”

When he stood, releasing my hand, I leapt to my feet.

“Where are you staying?” I asked.

“Grandma Elsie’s. My brother and his family didn’t come so there’s room for me.” Sliding his arm to the small of my back, he drew me against him. “I’ll be in touch. Merry Christmas.”

Settling against the length of him, I let the warmth and strength of his body seep through me. After a quick glance toward the kitchen to make sure my mother was still occupied, I rose to my tiptoes and touched my mouth to his. It was meant as a chaste parting kiss, but Mitch held me to him.

“I missed you so much,” he whispered against my lips.

“I missed you too,” I said, the longing I’d stifled the last two months quivering through my voice.

The kiss lingered, gradually deepening.

With his hand cradling my head, his lips shaping mine, I let myself sink into the pleasure of his kisses, until my nerves thrummed with awareness and I didn’t want to let him go at all.

---

I jerked awake and squinted at the digital clock beside my bed. 6:07 a.m. Lying still in the dark for a minute, I listened to the heavy silence. Mom wasn’t up yet, from the sounds of it.

I tossed off the bedcovers and sat up. Mitch and his crazy proposal last night flooded my thoughts. I’d told him he’d feel differently in the morning. Now that morning had come, my stomach tightened with anguish at the possibility that I might be right.

Christmas morning. I’d almost forgotten.

I grabbed my glasses, threw on my robe and crept into the hall, glancing at the door to my mother’s room—still closed. Leaving the lights off, I padded down the stairs and into the living room. In the shadows, I could make out the shape of the tree and the presents piled under it.

Next year was sure to be quite different with a baby. I smiled as I pictured it.

I froze when hushed voices from the kitchen startled me. Peering into the dark, I strained to hear. One of the voices sounded like my mother. The other had a distinctly male timbre.

The back door creaked open. I crept along the carpet toward the hall between the living room and kitchen. From there I caught a glimpse of two silhouettes in the doorway. I recognized my mother’s long, voluminous hair and Ed’s lean form looming over her. Their dark shapes drew close and melded into one another. I heard the soft sound of a kiss before they drew apart and Ed slipped out the door.

Pressing my hands to my mouth to keep quiet, I darted back into the living room and dropped onto the couch. A moment later Mom’s footfalls approached and she entered the room, pausing to switch on the lamp beside the couch. She jerked in surprise when she saw me.

“Merry Christmas!” she said, tugging at the belt of her robe to tighten it. “I didn’t know you were up.”

“I just got up.” I stood and hugged her. “Merry Christmas, Mom. Why didn’t you ask Ed to stay for breakfast?”

“Oh, um…he’s going to Vicky’s,” Mom mumbled as we drew apart, her cheeks colouring. “Don’t look at me like that. He came by for a drink after you went to bed. He was so tired, I couldn’t send him home.”

“I get it.” I bit the inside of my cheek to squelch a grin.

She folded her arms, observing me with a narrowed gaze. “I was surprised to see Mitch here last night. You seemed to be having an intense conversation. But don’t worry, I wasn’t listening. Coffee before we open presents?”

“That would be great.”

“Decaf okay?”

“Um…sure,” I said.

I switched another lamp on while Mom returned to the kitchen, and while I waited, I puzzled over why she’s suggested decaf when she knew I struggled to function without my morning shot of caffeine.

Several minutes later, she returned with two mugs of hot coffee and handed me one. “You haven’t been up so early on Christmas morning since you were a little girl,” she remarked, sitting beside me. “In my mind I can still see you bouncing on your toes, so excited to open your present.”

I crossed my legs, a small smile tugging at my lips. “You still see me that way a lot of the time, don’t you?”

“When you have kids of your own, you’ll understand.” She blew on the surface of her coffee before taking a careful sip.

“But I need to find a husband first, right?”

“That’s usually how it works.” She darted a glance at me. “Maybe you won’t have to look far.”

“I’m not looking, Mom,” I said, my mood taking a sharp tumble, though I wasn’t sure what I’d been hoping she’d say. “Do you really think I’m the marrying kind? I’ve only had one serious relationship in my life and it went down in flames.”

“Two, if you include Mitch.”

I gave her a stony look, my shoulders tightening. “Also came to a disastrous end. But that was a long time ago. We were just kids.”

“Yes, but your feelings were real.” She looked back at me with a blend of compassion and curiosity. “Weren’t they?”

I didn’t answer, but stared at a stray thread dangling off my sock. When I was seventeen, I’d known without question that I loved Mitch. And I believed that he loved me just as much.

“You know what happened,” I said. “You don’t hold it against him?”

Mom patted my leg. “I did—but people make mistakes, especially when they’re young, and hopefully they learn from them.” She lowered her gaze to her cup of coffee. “I trust your judgment.”

Resting my mug on my knee, I released a woeful sigh. “I wish I could trust my own judgment. I’ve made my share of mistakes.”

“And learned from them, I’m sure,” she added with a slight lift of her brows.

“I don’t know.” What had I learned? Not enough to keep me from fleeing from my problems instead of confronting them—and wasting two months of time I could have used to reacquaint myself with Mitch.

And Rob? I’d been viewing my breakup with him as a stupid mistake that had ruined my future.

But maybe letting go of Rob hadn’t been a mistake at all. That decision had led me back here to Eastport.

Back to where my heart belonged.

“Carly, I see something is bothering you,” my mother said, her tone soft. “You can talk to me about anything, you know.”

“Well, there is something on my mind.” I hesitated, staring at my sock again, considering whether now was the time to spill the truth. A straightforward approach would be best. Mom, I’m pregnant with Mitch Logan’s baby. I know it’s not ideal. Mitch and I have talked about it and we both want to raise this child. We both want…

How would I end that sentence? How did I want it to end?

“What is it?” my mother prompted.

Suddenly the answer flowed into my heart, filling me with certainty. I swung my foot to the floor, placed my mug on the coffee table and turned to her.

“Mom, can we wait on the present opening for a bit? I have to step out.”

“Now?”

“Sorry. I’ll be back soon. I just…have to take care of something.”