I gave Abby one final wave before leaving the classroom, shutting the door behind me. As I walked down to the office and signed out, I wondered what to do with the rest of my day. I’d told my dad I wouldn’t be in at all, but I was almost tempted to go to the office anyway, just to have the distraction. There was plenty of work to be done at my house—rooms to be painted, carpet to be ripped out, furniture to buy—but I didn’t feel like doing that, either. What I wanted to do was drive over to Hannah’s house and tell her to stop being so stubborn. Convince her that I’d always, always choose her. Let her know that I hadn’t spoken to my mother in two weeks, I’d refused her calls, and I’d repeatedly told my father to tell her I wasn’t ready to talk.
But Jack had said she needed time to get over her fears. Was he right? Or was I an idiot, stepping aside again when I should have been going after what I wanted?
Angrily, I pushed open the heavy metal door that led to the parking lot and headed toward my car. Then I stopped dead in my tracks, because there she was.
I almost thought I was imagining her, standing by my car, brown hair loose around her shoulders, arms wrapped around herself like she was chilly in the brisk October air.
As for me, I’d started to sweat.
I resumed walking toward her as my heart galloped in my chest. I’m not walking away this time, I vowed. No matter what, I am not fucking walking away.
“Hi,” she said when I got close enough to hear her.
“Hey.” Her eyes were red, as if she’d been crying. I wanted to hug her, but I wasn’t sure I should. “How are you?”
“I’m okay. You?”
“Okay.” Then I frowned. “No. You know what? I’m not okay. I’ve spent every minute of the last two weeks being miserable without you and regretting all the mistakes I made that led to that point. I’m so sorry, Hannah. I’m sorry about what my mother said to you, I’m sorry I didn’t fight harder for us, and I’m sorry I didn’t have the right words to make you understand that I would die before ever letting anyone come between us.” I gripped her upper arms. “Say you still love me. Say we still have a chance. Say you could be happy with me, and I’ll spend every damn day of my life making sure it happens.”
“Wes,” she whispered, tears in her eyes. “I’m pregnant.”
Nothing she said could have stunned me more.
“What?”
“I’m pregnant.” She sniffed. “I’m sorry. I know it wasn’t—”
I crushed my lips to hers as adrenaline rushed through me. She’s pregnant. I’m going to be a father. We’re going to be a family.
Suddenly it made sense—my feelings for her all these years. We were always headed for this moment. I lifted my head and looked down at her in disbelief. “This is incredible. Oh, my God.”
She didn’t look as if she thought it was incredible. Her expression was worried, her arms still tightly wrapped around herself. “But this doesn’t solve anything. All our problems aren’t going to magically disappear because of a baby.”
I took her face in my hands. “We don’t need magic. Do you love me??
?
“Yes.”
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Then listen to me. No matter what, we are going to be a family. You and me and Abby and this baby. We are going to make a life together. I don’t care if we leave this town and never come back. I don’t care what anyone thinks. I don’t care about anything but you. Us.”
She’d started to weep. “But your parents. And your house. And your practice.”
“I don’t give a fuck about any of it. Do you hear me? I’m going to take care of you, Hannah. For the rest of our lives.” I knew it was true. As surely as I knew my own name, I knew it was true.
“But—”
“Shh.” I put my finger on her lips. “You just made me the happiest man alive, Hannah. I don’t want to argue with you. You know what I want to do?”
“What?” She wiped her eyes.
“Dance.”
“Huh?”