Another three years later…

The table was set, the roast chicken was in the oven, and the turkey was done, sitting on the sideboard waiting to be carved. I’d made sprouts, carrots, and roasted potatoes—the works—all with Peggy’s help. The gravy was perfect, and Angelica was in the living room, giggling hysterically at something on the TV and having an animated conversation with her father.

She’d been on a Star Wars kick of late. Anything LEGO Star Wars was just the best thing since hot chocolate, and Mason was totally enthusiastic about that. He was a huge Star Wars fan.

“Gosh, we’ve done an amazing job,” Peggy said, beside me. Dave was out back, throwing a ball around with Ty and their son, Connor. “Don’t you think, sister?”

“Yep,” I said and pressed my hand to my stomach. It wouldn’t stop bubbling, and the growing suspicion that’d crept up on me over the past week solidified in my mind. I had to do it now. And I had to tell him about it as soon as I knew. It was the only way.

“Sis?” Peggy nudged me, and I bit my lip and turned to her. “What’s up with you? You look like you just saw Bigfoot's dick.”

“Wow, that’s…uh, that’s something, Peg.”

“C’mon, you know what I mean. What’s scarred you for life?”

“Nothing,” I replied, “but I do have something on my mind. Something super important. I—need you to come with me. I need your support.”

“Yo, what the hell is up? You’re scaring me,” Peggy said softly, and squeezed my arm. “It’s Christmas. You seemed so happy this morning opening gifts. What changed?”

“Nothing really,” I said. “I’m still happy. It’s not world-ending, it’s just…” I leaned in close to my sister, swallowing hard. “I’m late.”

“No, really?”

“Yes, really,” I whispered. “And I’ve got the same weird stomach stuff going on as when I was pregnant with Angel. I bought a test, and I really don’t want to take it alone. Come with me?”

“Sure,” Peg said, but still frowned. “I don’t get it, though. What are you afraid of? You’re married to Mason now, and you’re a happy family. Everything is going great.”

“I know, but this is a big change and I just…”

“Wait a second,” Peg whispered, and tightened her grip on my arm, tugging me a little closer and staring me directly in the eye. “You’re not worried about what I was worried about before Connor, are you? Postpartum? Mom?”

“Maybe, a little. After Angel, everything was too busy for me to worry about that too much, you know? I had to be strong, and now everything’s so perfect, I’m scared something will go wrong.” Tears welled in my eyes, despite the fact that there was literally nothing wrong.

“Oh, honey,” Peg said and folded me into a hug. “You’re too hard on yourself. You’ve been under a lot of pressure lately, what with opening the diner in town and the bed and breakfast. Come on, let’s go. We’ll do it now, and I promise, babe, everything will be fine. Mason will support you, Angie will be over the moon about having a little brother or sister, and you’ll be just as good of a mother as you’ve always been.”

I hugged my sister, allowing a bit of the weakness I’d been holding back to come through. Finally, I smiled and turned, walking out of the kitchen, past the living room, and to the stairs. We hurried up into my bedroom, and then into the bathroom.

I’d hidden the pregnancy test behind the laundry basket—something Mason wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole even if I begged him—and fished it out. I opened it up, unzipped, and sat down on the toilet.

Peggy read out the instructions for me, eyeing the packaging. “It will tell you how far along you are if you’re pregnant, too. This is pretty cool. I wish I’d taken one of these back when I was pregnant with Connor.”

I couldn’t focus on what she’d said. Pressure built in my chest, and I forced it away, focused on all the good that would come of this. It would be good. Peg was right.

There was nothing to worry about at all.

I did my business, then capped the pee stick and placed it on the edge of the bath. All there was left to do was wait.

“So, what if you are pregnant?” Peggy asked. “What do you want it to be? A boy, a girl? Think about that stuff, rather than pressuring yourself about how well you’ll do at managing everything. After all, if push comes to shove, you can just hire someone else to run the diner in the meantime. Or the bed and breakfast.”

I nodded, considering that, pacing in front of the mirror as my sister stood by the door, leaning against it.

It was true. And things were a little easier with Angel going into school. She was my little heroine, always doing her best, even when she slipped up with something. And Mason would be more than happy to help with any of it. He was just that type of husband.

I’m so damn lucky. I need to get my shit together and stop stressing about this.

The alarm Peg had set on her phone went off and she silenced it quickly then nodded at me, her emerald-green eyes glittering. “It’s time.”

I lifted the pregnancy test from the side of the bathtub, eyes shut. Slowly I opened them, peeking at the result.

Pregnant

3 weeks

A slow smile parted my lips. Excitement replaced the well of dread that’d been sitting in my chest.

“I’m pregnant,” I said, meeting my sister’s gaze. “I’m pregnant.” I flashed the test at her, grinning even wider now. “Oh my god. Ha! This is amazing.”

“That’s the spirit! See, you were probably just freaking out because you didn’t know whether you were or you weren’t. Now that you know, your true feelings have been revealed.” Peggy hugged me tight and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Congratulations, sis. I’m so happy for you. I can’t believe you’re going to have two. You know, it’s on now. I have to get Dave on board, but I’m totally going to get pregnant too. Your little one will need a cousin to play with, and you just know Connor and Angel will be too grown up for it.”

I hugged her back, living in this moment, just relishing it. “Thank you so—”

“Angelface?” Mason’s voice traveled down the hall outside our bedroom.

“Shoot,” I whispered. “Don’t breathe a word.”

Peggy crossed her heart as I placed the pregnancy test in the wastepaper basket. We headed out of the bathroom and into the bedroom itself, quickly taking up positions on the bed and faking that we were deep in discussion.

The door opened, and my handsome doctor stepped through, oversized and dashing as always. He ruffled his blond hair and frowned. “What’s going on in here? Is Peggy putting you up to something?”

“No, we were just having some girl talk,” I said.

“Mmm, but I’d better go check on the chicken. Don’t want to roast it to a crisp.” My sister hopped off the bed, gave me a not-so-subtle wink, then hurried off and out of the bedroom.

Mason gave me a quizzical look. “What was that about?”

“Oh, just Peggy being Peggy, I guess. What’s up?”

“I was just looking for you,” he said and drew a gift box out from behind his back. It was sleek, wrapped in shimmering gold gift wrap accentuated with a looping gold bow. “To give you your Christmas present.”

“But you already gave me my present this morning.” I winked and patted the bedspread.

Mason sat down and handed me the box, kissing me on the cheek. “Merry Christmas. You mean the world to me. I hope you love it as much as I love you.”

I caught his lips with mine and kissed him back, hard, relishing his flavor and the fact that we were still together after all this time, and two years of marriage. God, he was perfect. Everything a woman could want, and I was the luckiest one alive.

“Well?” He prodded my elbow. “Open it up.”

I scratched the wrap off and revealed a plain white box underneath. I lifted the lid and stared at the slip of paper inside. “It’s a plane ticket.”

“That’s right,” Mason replied. “To Italy. We’re going on a culinary tour in Italy for New Year’s!”

“Oh my god, Mason!” I practically jumped into his lap and covered his face in kisses. “Oh my god, oh my god. That’s amazing. You’re such a star! I love you so much.”

Mason let out a belly laugh and circled his arms around my waist. “I love you too.”

Now, was the perfect time to tell him. I sat back in his lap, cupped his face in both hands and opened my mouth. “I—”

“Christmas dinner!” Peggy shrieked from downstairs. “Come get some, family.”

“Thank god,” Mason growled. “I’m starving. First for turkey, then for you.” He bit my bottom lip, sucked it in then released. He smacked my ass cheek, then lifted me and set me on my feet. “C’mon, angelface. Let’s eat.”

Everything in the house was quiet. Angelica was fast asleep, with Ty at the base of her bed. Connor was in the bunk above her, snoring lightly as only a six-year-old can. Peg and Dave had retired an hour ago to the guest room.

Me? I’d already written the letter that would change everything.

I sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Mason to come out of the bathroom, gripping the letter in both hands.

The past six years had been perfect. Our relationship had started out strangely, as a whirlwind romance that’d revolved around our lack of trust and our fear of committing to each other. And now? It was the opposite of that.

The bathroom door opened and Mason entered the room, wearing nothing but the comfy PJ pants he slept in. I glanced down at my silky negligee and pictured how my body would change over the next few months. I couldn’t summon up anything except excitement for it.

“What’s that?” Mason asked, stopping in front of me. He crouched down, and I extended the letter, holding it out to him.

“It’s for you,” I said. “Merry Christmas.”

He opened it, and his eyes skated back and forth as he read over the words I’d written. Gosh, it was short, but it had taken me an age to pen it, simply because of how important it was.

Mason’s expression transformed, from one of confusion to sheer joy. “Seriously? You’re pregnant? Seriously?”

“Yes,” I cried.

Mason took me in his arms and pressed his lips to mine. I inhaled the scent of him, his skin, and his cologne—a smell I associated with love and comfort. “I can’t believe this,” he said, against my lips. “I can’t believe it. This is amazing. It’s fantastic.”

“You’re happy?”

“Angelface, I’m over the fucking moon. This is the best news right now. It’s the best news, period.” He lifted me off the bed and onto the floor, then curled me in his lap, cradling me against his chest. “God, I can’t believe how lucky I am to have you. To have Angie and our little family. I wouldn’t trade this for anything in the world.” He kissed me again, deep and long, taking his time and sweeping his tongue across mine, inciting shivers.

“Good,” I said after we broke apart, and brushed my fingers down his cheek to his dimpled chin. “Because you won’t have to.”

We were forever. And this was only the start of our long lives together.