My heart was fluttering in my chest, like a baby bird trying out its wings for the first time.

Everything Jed was saying sounded perfect, I just couldn’t believe he was actually saying it … to me.

I listened with an open mind and an open heart, and once he paused, obviously ready for my response, I blurted out, “God, yes, I do. I want that … with you.”

I cringed, playing that back in my head and realizing that could have come out more elegantly, but Jed’s answering grin told me he didn’t care about my delivery, all he heard was the word yes.

“Great,” he replied, squeezing my hand once before letting it go so the waiter could pour our wine, then take our food orders.

“So,” I began after the waiter left. I played with the stem of my wine glass and said, “We’ve already talked about our pasts, what about the future? Do you want to continue with your wood working? Do more construction?”

“I’d eventually like to focus solely on my own creations. Construction has been great, and I’ve been able to save a lot of money doing it, but you can only do work like that for so long, before your body starts breaking down. I have no desire to be a foreman or run my own construction company. Things have already been better than I imagined when I started my Instagram page and started offering my pieces for sale.” Jed’s face was animated as he spoke and I loved that he was so passionate about his work. I could totally relate. “If things keep going in the direction they are, I’d say within the next five years I can quit construction all together.”

“That’s really great. I think it’s important to do what you love, what really fills you up inside.”

“How about you?” Jed asked. “Do you have a five-year plan?”

“Well, I hope to still be managing the gallery, and that it’s a great success,” I replied with a chuckle.

“And, your own art?”

I shrugged one shoulder and admitted, “I’m not sure. I’d like to say I’ll have had my own showing by then, but I’m still not sure that’s something I even want. For now, I’m happy keeping my art to myself.”

“What about marriage? Kids?” Jed asked, and my stomach got a little tingly at the thought of having those things with him.

“I definitely want to get married,” I replied, picking up my glass and taking a sip. “And, I always thought I’d have kids, that is, until Chloe told Jasmine and I horror stories about having babies.”

Jed chuckled.

“What about you?” I asked, then held my breath as I waited for his answer.

“Yeah, for sure. I want marriage, kids, a dog, the whole deal.”

“Yeah?” I asked with a grin.

“Absolutely,” Jed said, smiling back at me.

“Good.”

“Good,” he repeated softly, his eyes darkening as they roamed my face, then lower, until I could feel the heat of his gaze on my chest, as palpable as if he were touching me with his hands.

Suddenly, it got really hot in the restaurant, and I found myself shifting in my seat to try and get comfortable.

Jed’s knowing smirk only further fueled my desire, and I suddenly wished we were already on the dessert course.

Needing to change the subject before I did something embarrassing, like straddle him in the middle of the restaurant, I picked up my water glass and took a big gulp, then cleared my throat and asked, “So, how’d your meet and greet with little Ben go?”

The smolder left Jed’s face as he grinned at the thought of Reardon and Chloe’s baby, and I bit back a sigh of temporary reprieve.

“Really good. You know, babies are usually pretty hideous, but that little Viking was actually a cute kid.”

“Babies are not hideous,” I protested with a snort, my hand flying up to cover my face when I realized the sound I’d just made.

“They sure as hell can be,” Jed said, ignoring my snort like a gentleman. “I stopped by after one of the guys on my crew’s wife had their kid, and that baby looked like that alien from the movie that popped out of Sigourney Weaver’s belly. It was not the baby you’d want for the next Gerber commercial.”

“You’re terrible,” I said with a laugh.

“I speak the truth,” he replied with a chuckle. “But, I’m sure when it’s your baby, no matter how lopsided the head, wrinkled the skin, or scrunchy the face, it’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.”

I nodded in agreement, though still giggling at the picture he’d put in my mind.

“And, even the weirdest-looking baby seems to grow out of it and turn into a cute kid. Unless it’s an asshole, then it doesn’t matter what it looks like.”

I almost spit out my wine.

“Oh my God, you really can’t call a baby an asshole.”

“Just call them like I see ‘em,” Jed said with a wink, and I knew he was messing with me.

The entire dinner went that way, with teasing and laughter, jokes and more laughter. By the time we left, I think I’d laughed more during that dinner than the entire past year, which on one hand, was really sad, but on the other, was great.

I was so comfortable and at ease that I forgot to be nervous about what would happen next, and before I knew it we were pulling into Jed’s driveway, he was opening my door, and we’d reached the end of the evening.

“Do you want to come inside?” Jed asked, leaving the decision up to me.

That’s when I decided, it wasn’t the end of the evening, it was only the beginning.