“Are you sure?” I asked, smiling at the woman on the bed with me.

She nodded, smiling back. “I’m sure. She’ll definitely want the purple.”

“I thought she loved pink,” I teased, holding up the tiny baby hat and staring at it as if I was uncertain.

Mrs. Lopez shook her head at me, clearly dismissing me for a lost cause. “She does, but every girl likes a little bit of variety in her life now and then.”

“Truth,” I said, still smiling. I checked the time and stood, knowing I needed to get out in the living room with Sarah, or we’d be late for work. “All right, I’ll give it to her before I go, okay?”

She pouted. “Do you have to leave?”

“Yes, but start another hat. I’ll be back later, and it’s getting cold outside at night.”

She picked up the ball of red yarn. “All right.”

I bent, kissed her head, and left the room, passing Grace as I went. We nodded at one another, and I came into the living room, scanning the room for the love of my life. She stood there, waiting by the door, two cups of coffee in her hand. Her left hand glinted in the sunlight where the engagement ring I’d put on her finger a week ago caught the sunlight.

I still couldn’t believe she was going to be my wife.

There was no doubt that I was the luckiest guy alive.

“Is she good?” she asked softly.

“Yeah, she’s good.” I smiled at her and kissed her, the baby hat still in my hands. “How was she with you this morning?”

We took turns sitting with her every morning while the other showered and got ready for work. Then, when we were both ready, we met in the living room, and Grace took over. On weekends, we had lazy mornings where I knitted and sang to her mother, and she joined us, sometimes singing with me. I’d never been happier than I’d been these past six months, living with Sarah, in love and not afraid to show it.

Everyone teased us at the precinct, and made gagging noises when we sometimes forgot we had an audience and kissed, but we didn’t give a damn.

We’d lost too much time with one another.

There wouldn’t be another second wasted ever again.

“She looked like she remembered who I was for a second…” She stared off into the distance. “But then the light in her eyes went away, so I guess it was my imagination.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” I hugged her, despite her full hands. “I think she gets moments of clarity, here and there.”

“Yeah…” She pursed her lips. “Maybe.”

“We should get going.” I faked a scowl. “Your partner is waiting for you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Stop being jealous.”

“I can’t help it. I was supposed to get him, not you.”

She shrugged. “Well, he’s mine, deal with it.”

“Whatever.” I teased her, but I was happy Hernandez was her partner now. At least I didn’t have to worry about whether her new partner would have her back. Hernandez would die to keep her safe. “I guess I’m okay with Michaels.”

“He’s a good guy.”

He was. I liked him. But he wasn’t Sarah, or Hernandez. “I know.” I glanced down at my hand. “Oh, yeah. We have another baby hat to donate. Purple, this time.”

She stared at it, opening her mouth, then closing it.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing…it’s just…” She licked her lips. “I like purple.”

“I know,” I said, holding it up. “But I think it’s too small for you.”

“I know…”

“I’ll make you your own.” I kissed her again. “With those fancy cables you like.”

“Ben…” She set the coffees down and caught my hands. “I think we should keep it.”

I frowned. “Keep it? Why?”

“Because.” She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Because I’m late, dummy.”

I stared at her for a second, completely confused.

“Jesus, Ben.” She stomped her foot playfully. “Sometimes you’re really obtuse.”

“But it’s only eight thirty—oh shit. You’re late?”

She nodded, a smile breaking out on her face. “Yes.”

I picked her up and swung her in my arms, kissing her as we whirled in a circle. She clung to me, and laughed against my mouth as I showed her just how happy that news made me. We hadn’t been trying for a baby, but we hadn’t exactly been not trying, either.

As her feet hit the floor, I hugged her even tighter, laughing. “I swear to God, woman, every time I think it’s impossible to be happier than I am, you go and prove me wrong.”

“I know.”

She rested her hands on my chest, smiling up at me with the most beautifully perfect smile I’d ever seen in my life. I hoped our child got her smile. And her hair. And her eyes. And her passion for success. And her sense of—

“You do the same thing to me,” she whispered.

“And I’ll never stop.” I rested my forehead on hers. “I love you, Sarah.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered back.

We kissed, and despite knowing she’d prove me wrong, repeatedly, I went ahead and thought it anyway: There was no way in hell I’d ever be happier than right here, right now.

I couldn’t wait to be wrong again.