Harper set the hammock to swaying again. “Maybe it does. I never thought this crazy life would give me Deacon.”
“Maybe fate is giving you a family now because it’s time. Not the one you planned, but the one that is perfect for you in the end.” When Harper didn’t immediately respond, Jazz cleared her throat. “Just a thought.”
“I think I needed to hear that. Thanks, Jazz.”
“Whatever you decide to do, you’ve got me in your corner.”
“You’re pretty amazing, you know that?”
“You got that right, mama.”
“Oh, and Jazz?”
“Yeah?”
“I hate to ask—”
“You don’t even need to. Your secret’s safe with me until you’re ready to tell the masses.”
“Did I mention you’re amazing?”
“You may have.” She laughed, and the pure light of Jazz happy filtered through the phone.
Harper said her goodbyes and pressed her phone to her chest. She watched the stars for a while, rocking herself into a calm that she hadn’t felt in days. As the sky lightened and the stars lost their pinpoint luster, she finally stood and returned inside.
She slid into bed, immediately comforted by Deacon’s warm body. Instinctively, he curled around her, and their joined hands covered her stomach.
Thirteen
Honeymoon 2.0
Deacon cleaned up the last of the pizza from the night before. Pouring the second mug of coffee had him feeling a little bit clearer. Harper hadn’t moved from the middle of their bed. She’d made a strange little cocoon in a patch of sun, practically pushing him out of bed.
He didn’t have the heart to wake her. Not when she hadn’t really slept the last few days. He was itchy to run out the last of the cobwebs in his head, but didn’t want her to wake alone.
So, he would wait.
And try not to be creepy guy watching his wife sleep.
At least try. He had yet to look away from her for more than five minutes. He was seriously going to need an hour with his heavy bag and weights when he got home or he was going to go out of his mind.
“Is that coffee?”
Deacon paused with his mug at his lips. “Maybe.”
“That very fine ass of yours should bring me over a cup.”
He went to the coffee maker and pulled down a teacup, fixing it the way she liked. He’d read that pregnant women should limit their caffeine intake, but he didn’t want to start the day off with them in the shutdown mode of the other day.
So…compromise. Small cup.
“You know, it shouldn’t be cute when you objectify me like that. And yet.” He crossed the room.
She peeked over the down comforter she’d confiscated sometime through the night. “Well, I wouldn’t drool so much if you didn’t work out like it was your job.”
“Want me to stop? Get fat and sloppy?”
“Knowing the fairness in this world, you’d probably just get skinny.”
He grinned down at her and held out her coffee. That was exactly what would happen. He’d been a skinny fuck until he discovered the gym at seventeen. But she didn’t need to know that.
Harper’s hand came out, snatching the cup, her blue eyes meeting his. “What if I do?”
He lowered himself to the side of the bed before his feet went out from under him. “Are we speaking hypotheticals here?” he asked carefully.
Harper looked down at her cup. “Deacon, what if I wanted this baby? Would you be on board with that?”
Yes.
Holy fuck, yes.
He couldn’t hear around the litany in his head. Hadn’t known that he’d wanted her to say those words so very badly.
“I would move heaven and earth to keep you happy.”
Harper rolled onto her knees and put her cup on the bedside table. She inched over until she was in front of him, her hands on his chest, her eyes direct and intense. “That’s not what I asked.”
“Yes.” His chest heaved. “Yes, I want this baby.” He leaned into her until their foreheads touched. “I never want to put pressure on you to do something you don’t want, but God, yes.”
From the moment she’d said pregnant he’d felt sucker punched. In the dark of that pier, with a storm coming up on them, he’d lost his breath and hadn’t quite ever gotten it back. The idea of a family had been a nebulous one. In the hazy future. Every day since she’d told him, it got clearer.
Amazingly, Harper’s arms came up and around his neck. She caught his mouth in a desperate kiss. Again he tasted tears. He pulled her back. “Hey, hey, hey.” He cupped her face. Tears starred her lashes and dripped down her cheeks. But there was a smile there.
A huge smile that had been missing for days.
“How the hell are we going to do this?”
He brushed his nose against hers. “Together. Just like we do everything else.” Someday she’d believe that without him having to convince her. “We’ll figure out a game plan. You’re not alone anymore. You’ll never be alone again.”