Mia

I pick up my phone from the coffee table and check it again, even though I know nothing has changed since the last time I looked at it, which was five minutes ago. Or the time five minutes before that. Or any of the other hundred times I’ve checked it in the day that’s passed since the incident at the restaurant.

At least it’s the weekend, so I don’t have to deal with any work stress on top of worrying about what my dad is thinking and doing and planning without me.

He’s probably in that awful woman’s arms right now as she poisons his thoughts against me.

“Your dad still hasn’t called?” Sawyer asks, nodding at the phone in my hand as he walks over from the kitchen carrying two plates of food.

I shake my head, frowning down at the dark screen. “No, and I don’t understand why. I mean… obviously, I know why. But it’s not like him to give me the silent treatment for this long. Of course, I knew he’d be upset, but I wasn’t this worried it would last forever. Maybe I should be.”

My eyes begin to fill with tears, and I blink them back. I’m not going to cry again. Not right now, at least. It seems like that’s the only thing I’ve done in the past forty-eight hours, and I’m sure Sawyer is tired of seeing the tears.

I set my phone aside and look up at him as he hands me a plate. If he is tired of my crying, or of having me in his apartment, he certainly isn’t showing it. He’s been perfect—more than perfect—ever since… well, always. But especially since he’s found out about the baby. It’s like a switch has flipped inside him, and he’s allowed himself to open up a little, to feel. To love.

“Maybe after we finish lunch,” he nods toward the plate I still haven’t started eating, “I can drive you over to his house—to your house—and we can talk things over with him.”

“You’ll come with me?” I ask, feeling my heart beat faster at the idea. The thought of facing my dad alone isn’t something I want to think about, but… I’m not sure if the thought of having him in the same room as Sawyer again so soon is the best idea, either.

Still, knowing that Sawyer will be by my side does make me feel stronger and more confident like it might not be such an impossible task. Actually, since being with Sawyer, I feel stronger in general, like I’m finally growing up. Which is good timing, since I’m going to be a mother.

“Of course,” he answers. “I told you, baby, I’m in this with you. I love you, and I’m here for you every step of the way. And this is a pretty big step, don’t you think?”

I laugh, even though it’s really not funny. But it is a big step, and the more I’m warming up to it, the more it’s making me feel a little giddy to know that Sawyer is so into the idea of being with me.

It almost feels like I’m dreaming, like it can’t possibly be happening. It’s all just… perfect.

Well, except for the part about my dad still refusing to speak to me. That’s not perfect at all.

The thought is enough to wipe the smile off my face and bring me back to reality. Talking to my dad probably isn’t going to go well. He might not even answer the door when we show up.

“It is a big step,” I agree, nodding. “And I’m really glad you’ll be there with me. I mean… I could do it without you, but—”

“But you’re never going to have to worry about that because I’m not going to put you in that position,” he finishes for me. “Now, let’s eat so you can build up your strength. You’re gonna need it for later.”

I sigh but dutifully take a bite. He’s right, of course. It’s going to be a long day.

All I can do is hope that by the time it’s all said and done, my dad will at least accept the reality of the situation.

I’m with Sawyer and he’s not going anywhere. We’re having this baby.

Together.

Sawyer takes my hand as we make the seemingly endless walk from my dad’s driveway up to his front door. This house used to feel like a space my dad and I shared, but even though all of my belongings are still in there—still in my room—I’m suddenly very much aware of the fact that it’s his house now.

“Try not to be too nervous,” Sawyer says, giving my hand a little squeeze. “It might not be so bad.”

I nearly laugh out loud. “If only I had your optimism. I think it’s gonna be worse than just bad.”

“Whatever it’s gonna be, we’ll get through it together.” He smiles at me, and I’m reminded all over again why I love him, why I’m glad he’s here with me, and why he’s transformed into someone absolutely perfect for me.

His words give me a little bit of strength. I’m hopeful that it’ll be enough to withstand whatever the next few minutes bring.

“I don’t know how I got lucky enough to be with you,” I say, but he shakes his head and grins before I’ve even completed the sentence.

“I’m the lucky one here, Mia. You’ve made me feel like a new man. Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

I move closer to him and pause to stand on my toes and give him a kiss. Maybe it’s not too late to just turn around and go back to his apartment. Spending the day in bed naked together seems like a much better alternative to what we’re about to do here.

But we’re already at the door, and the steely look of determination that washes over Sawyer’s face tells me that this is really about to happen. At least it seems like he’s ready for it.

Well, I guess that makes one of us.

He reaches up and knocks on the door, his other hand still holding onto mine—which is good, since the urge to run is nearly strong enough to overtake me this time.

A few seconds pass, but it feels like an eternity. I exhale as soon as I hear the doorknob start to turn, unaware that I’ve even been holding my breath all this time. And then my dad is standing in front of us, his face still a mask of anger and confusion and hurt feelings.

Yeah, maybe this is a mistake.

Nobody is speaking, and it’s making me even more nervous than I already was. We can’t just all stand here staring each other down all afternoon, though. I’ll be the one to break the ice, and then I’ll just hope for the best.

“Hi, Dad,” I say, finally. “We’re, um, here to talk… if you have a minute?”

“I’m not sure if I’m ready to have this conversation,” Dad says, pretty much echoing my thoughts. Then he sighs and steps aside as he holds the door open. “But fine. Come inside if you’d like. Both of you.”

Sawyer and I exchange a quick glance. It’s not exactly the warmest welcome, but at least he didn’t slam the door in our faces.

And at least none of us were yelling.

For now.

I get a strange, uneasy feeling as we walk through to the living room. My bedroom—my clothes and all of my things—are just upstairs from where we’re standing. But this weird feeling? This uneasiness confirms that I’m just a guest here, now.

Dad seems to be feeling the same awkward vibe as he turns and looks at me. I see a new sadness flash across his face before he gets control of himself again and fixes me with another look that’s more stern.

“Have a seat,” he motions for us to sit on the sofa, while he takes the opposite armchair. “I think you both owe me an explanation.”

I feel Sawyer tense next to me. He’s not used to explaining himself to anyone, and I’m pretty sure his first instinct is to come out swinging, but… he doesn’t. He just exhales slowly and nods.

“We’ve been friends for a long time, David,” Sawyer says, quietly. “I hope you believe me when I say that I never meant for this to happen.”

Ouch.

I nibble at my lip. Was Sawyer having second thoughts? I close my eyes for a moment as I will myself to hold it together. I will not cry. I will not cry.

“Then how did it happen, Sawyer?” My dad’s voice isn’t as quiet or as reserved, and it cuts through the tension like a knife. “At what point did you decide that my little girl was ready to go from being your intern to your… your…”

“Stop,” Sawyer cuts him off before he can finish his sentence. My mouth is open, and I wonder exactly which word my dad would have chosen, had Sawyer not interrupted him. “Like I was going to say, David, I’m sorry if this upsets you. I wouldn’t have planned for things to happen the way they did—but that doesn’t mean I’m unhappy with the way things have turned out.” Sawyer put his arm around me and squeezes me reassuringly. “I love Mia. And I know that in your heart and your mind she’ll always be your sweet little girl, but you also have to acknowledge the fact that she’s a woman, David. A grown woman who has made her own decisions—a grown woman who has decided to bless my life with a child.”

They both look at me, and I can feel my heart beating faster than it ever has before. I wonder for a moment if I might pass out, but I take a moment to draw strength from having Sawyer close to me, from having his child inside of me, and I smile.

It’s a tiny smile. It’s tentative and questioning, but it’s a smile.

“Give us a chance, Daddy,” I say, blinking back the tears that begin to well up anyway, in spite of my best efforts. “I am still your little girl, and I always will be. But I want this. I want this man and this baby—this is the life that I want to have. Not only that, but I love you, and I want you to be happy for me. Not being able to share any of this with you has killed me. I know it’s probably… weird… for you. It is for all of us. But I think we can all get through it, can’t we? Please?”

It’s so quiet in the room that I can hear my heart beating, can hear Dad’s heavy inhales and exhales mingling with Sawyer’s steady, rhythmic breathing next to me. I’m looking down at my lap, clasping my hands together there until I feel like it’s safe to look up again.

My entire life feels like it’s hanging in the balance of this one moment, and one way or another it will all be decided by whatever comes out of my dad’s mouth next.

“You’re right,” Dad says, the shakiness in his voice instantly making me look up and make eye contact again. “It is weird for me, and not just because this is happening with Sawyer.” He gives a pointed glance to his best friend, the father of my unborn child. My… boyfriend? Maybe it is all still a little weird for me, too. But in the best possible way. “But I want to be a part of your life, Mia, and this baby’s—my grandchild’s—life. So if that means I need to get over my anger and get over myself and accept that you’re a grown woman now, well… I guess that’s what I’ll have to do.”

Sawyer exhales loudly next to me, and I can see from the corner of my eye that he has a relieved look on his face as well as the beginnings of a smile.

“And speaking of making decisions and being an adult, I need to apologize as well—to both of you.” Dad makes eye contact with each of us. I can see a hint of shame in his eyes, though I have no idea what it’s about. “I won’t be seeing any more of Giselle,” he says. “Not after the way she treated you last night, Mia. And you, Sawyer. I’m sorry it all went sideways there at the end. I got so wrapped up in what was happening that I couldn’t react to everything at once, but after what she did, she’s not the person I thought she was, and I don’t want her around my daughter… or my grandchild.”

“Oh, thank God,” I say, exhaling sharply. “She was awful. Seriously, Dad. Just… awful.”

“Hey, we all make mistakes every once in a while. I’m just sorry that one had to play out the way it did. Neither of you deserved to be treated like that, and I was too blindsided at the time to put a stop to it. Live and learn, right?” He sighs. “There is one thing I want to know, though,” my dad says, turning all of his attention to Sawyer.

“Of course,” Sawyer says, taking his arm from around my shoulder for the first time to spread his hands wide in front of him. “I’m an open book, David. Ask away.”

“Okay. What are your intentions with my daughter?”

“Dad—” I’m mortified, and I look from my dad’s face to Sawyer’s, who seems surprisingly… amused?

I’m thrown off by Sawyer’s reaction—by his non-reaction—so I don’t know whether to be pissed off or what I’m really feeling. It definitely feels like a question that he could’ve waited until some other time to ask, though.

Some other time, like… never. Never would’ve been just fine, too.

Sawyer is fully smiling now, and he reaches for my hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay, Mia. He’s your father. It’s his job to ask these kinds of questions.”

Dad shoots me a look that practically says, “See? I told you so.” But he doesn’t actually voice his smug satisfaction yet. Thank heaven.

Still smiling, Sawyer focuses on my dad again. “I love Mia very much. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, David, without a doubt. And I wasn’t really planning on doing this today—not like this, anyway—but I kind of thought this question might come up.” He looks from my dad to me, tosses me a wink, then looks back over to my dad. “And then I thought… Is there really a better time? I’ve got you both here in the same room at the same time, and you did just ask, for the record…”

He slides down off the couch cushion until one knee is on the floor. He’s still holding my hand in his, but it’s not until he fishes a little black box out of his pocket that I begin to understand fully what’s going on.

I can feel my eyes go wide as he flips the box open, and the tears that I’ve done a pretty good job of suppressing all this time spring back into action as he begins to speak.

“Mia, I love you.” He pauses, his voice thick with emotion and his own eyes suspiciously bright. “We’ve grown so close over the past few months that I can’t even picture my future without you in it. You’re exactly what I need, at exactly the right time. I just didn’t know it until you came along.”

I can feel the tears streaming down my face, but I don’t care. I feel so light, so happy and full of life that I might actually start to float away if he lets go of my hand. But, as always, he’s my anchor. My rock. My foundation. And when he slips that ring onto my finger, it’s the most perfect, most right feeling I’ve ever felt before.

“Sawyer, it’s beautiful—” I begin, but he cuts me off with a little nervous laugh.

“You’re beautiful, my love. But I’m glad you like it. This was my mother’s ring. I am more than happy to get you something else if you’d like, but I thought this might be happening today, and I hadn’t really had time to plan for it, so—”

“No, it’s perfect. You’re perfect.” I smile and shake my head. “I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Oh my God.” His eyes go wide. “The most important part. I didn’t even ask it yet.” He lets out another nervous laugh as he shoves his free hand back through his hair. To my right, I can hear my dad chuckle. “Mia,” Sawyer continues, still on his knee and still looking so sexy and delicious that I half-wish we didn’t have an audience at this particular moment. “Will you do me the great honor of being my wife, my partner, my love? Will you marry me?”

I’m so overcome with emotion that I jump to my feet, words bubbling over directly from my heart to my mouth. “Yes, yes, a thousand—no, a million times—yes. I love you so much, Sawyer, and you’re going to be the best father for our baby. You make me so happy, and I—”

I’m not sure what else I’m saying or where I’m going with the words that won’t stop spilling out of my mouth, but it doesn’t matter. He’s on his feet now, too, and I’m in his arms.

And then his mouth finds mine, and it’s all just… perfect.

My dad clears his throat, and we break away from our kiss with a laugh. I can feel my cheeks burning but this is my moment—our moment—and I don’t need my dad’s validation to make it any better.

Although I really, really want it anyway.

I look over at my dad, and he gives me a slow, wry grin. “I guess you showed me, didn’t you?” Before I can answer, though, he looks to Sawyer. “And I have to say… I approve of your intention to marry my daughter. I’m not going to lie and say it won’t take some getting used to… but I can’t think of a better man for her. You both have my blessing.”

“That’s all we could hope for,” Sawyer says, planting another quick kiss on my forehead before continuing with my dad. “Thank you, David. You know it means a lot to me.”

“And to me,” I say, nodding. “Thank you, Dad. I love you.”

With the two most important men in my life beaming back at me, I place a hand on my stomach and smile. All the dreams that I never even dared to dream are coming true, and I’m grateful. I’m thankful. I’m blessed.

On my right, I have my dad back.

On my left, I have the love of my life, the man who will be my husband soon.

And inside me, I have this precious baby, this perfect angel, just waiting to take its place in the world.

No matter what else is going on outside these four walls or what difficulties might be coming our way, I can honestly say that this moment—right here, right now—is absolutely, completely… perfect.