“I’d agree with you if I didn’t think about you every single day,” Kacee admits with a lazy smile. “I miss you. And the kids. The mountains and the fresh air. I miss it all.”
“They miss you, too. I’ve missed you. I royally screwed up.” I bow my head, not sure how I’m ever going to be able to forgive myself for telling my pregnant girlfriend to leave. “Do you know the baby’s gender?” I ask, breaking the tension.
“No, it’s too early. I’m about ten weeks along.”
Kneeling, I place my hands on her stomach and feel a small bump forming there. Tears well in my eyes as I think of another little life being created. Another life I helped create, too. I want this baby, and I want her. I want to give them the world.
“Please let me be here for you and our baby. I promise never to hurt you again.”
“Parker.” Her voice cracks. “Don’t say promises you aren’t sure you can keep.”
Standing, I wrap a hand around her neck and pull her mouth to mine. I’m not much with words, but I can show her how much I plan to keep this fucking promise. I’d die before hurting her again—that much I know.
Kacee gives in and sinks against me, letting me take the lead as I swirl my tongue with hers.
I step forward until her back hits the counter. Pouring everything I can into this one kiss, I show her exactly how I feel without words. She deserves everything, and I fully intend to give her everything I can. I want to devote my entire life to her and our family, no second-guessing that being happy doesn’t mean I’ve replaced my late wife and our happiness.
I’ve had to learn a lot about myself in the last six weeks, and one thing was not taking anything for granted.
“Kacee,” I whisper against her lips. “I’m so madly in love with you, and I hope you can feel how sorry I am for hurting you. I vow never to push you away again. It’s a promise I’ll keep for as long as I live.”
“I’ve been crazy in love with you too, Parker. I have been for so long,” she admits while resting her forehead against mine.
I wrap my hands around her waist, cradling her stomach. “I want this life with you. Please accept my apology.”
Kacee looks up at me with tear-filled eyes, but her lips break out into a smile. “I want this life, too.”
10
Kacee
THREE MONTHS LATER
“I can’t believe you’re making me walk this far,” I playfully complain. The walk isn’t really that far, and Parker carried me up the actual part of it that had an incline. “I’m six months pregnant with your baby. We should’ve gotten a wagon or something.”
“You’re a woman of the woods,” Parker reminds me, teasing. “Gotta get used to hiking, baby.” He looks back and smiles at me.
We’ve almost reached the top of the hill, so he takes my hand and guides me up the last few yards to the peak. Standing there at the summit is satisfying, and I can see the house from the top. Parker sets down the basket he brought and looks out over the crest with me.
“It’s beautiful,” I tell him. The sun hasn’t started coming up yet, so the sky is still a combination of purple-and-orange hues, clear skies waiting to be brightened, stars waiting to blink out until night falls again.
The lake below us reflects the gorgeous colors of the sky, and I glance at the cabin again where Evie and Jackson are still sleeping. Penelope slept over last night in the guestroom, which is how we were able to escape this early in the morning.
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We haven’t come up here before, but he’s been promising for months now. I’m excited we’re finally able to, even if my feet are swollen.
“Baby, come here,” Parker says, as he pulls a blanket out of the basket and fans it on the ground. He helps me sit down on it before he unpacks the other things he brought—breakfast sandwiches, muffins, and coffee, which he assures is decaf.
“It’s such a nice mountaintop,” I say, and he laughs.
“This is barely a mound,” he replies, but he sits next to me and lets me lean against him.
As the sun finally starts to rise, peeking up over the horizon, it takes my breath away. He shifts his body so he’s behind me and I can sit between his legs. He wraps his arms around me and holds me close, working his fingers gently through my hair and rubbing at my shoulder now and then. I lean back against his chest quietly, watching the sunrise, just happy to be together in this moment.
“Sorry it took me so long to bring you up here,” he says, once the sun has fully jumped over the horizon. I look over my shoulder up at him and smile. “It’s okay. It’s really gorgeous. You definitely don’t get a view like this in the city.”
“Hell no.” Parker laughs. His hand drifts down to brush the swell of my stomach. His fingertips glide over my body, and I feel so damn safe in his arms. I wasn’t sure we’d ever get to this point, but am so glad we did. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and I see it on his face every day that he’s ecstatic about our growing family.