“I love it when you pout,” he said.
Bryan leaned over to put a kiss on the tip of my nose, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. I pulled him into the bath, giggling as he tried to catch himself on the edge. His clothes were soaked, and his hair was matted to his face. But all I did was spread my legs so I could hold him closer to me. He turned around in my arms and caressed my skin, pulling goosebumps up all over my body as I looked deeply into his eyes. I saw my home when I looked at him. I felt alive when I was against him. No matter what we had endured and no matter what had been done to us by the other, I knew we were destined to be together.
I knew he was the man for me.
“Besides,” Bryan said, “I think I’m going to like not having dinner at my parents’ any longer.”
“Oh, you will, huh?” I asked.
“I think we should designate their dinner nights as our nights. One night a month, you and me, no matter what happens between us.”
“And what will happen with at this ‘us night’?” I asked.
“I can think of a few things,” Bryan said, grinning.
“But what’ll we do with the rest of the night?” I asked.
“Who told you I couldn’t go all night?”
Bryan pressed his lips to mine as his hands wrapped around my body. I giggled into his skin, allowing the events from dinner to fall to the recesses of my mind. Bryan gathered me against his body and leaned toward the other side of the tub, spreading his legs wide to make room for my growing body. I lost myself in him. I lost myself in the feel of him. I allowed myself to pretend everything was okay. I allowed myself to believe that my parents were only giving me space and that Dorothy didn't hate me and that this child would come into a functioning, healthy family that would love it and cherish it no matter what it did.
I allowed myself that dream until my lips disconnected from Bryan's. But like always, reality set back in.
“What happens if no one comes back?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, what if Dorothy never apologizes? What if she takes Michael from us? What if my parents never come back?” I asked.
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” Bryan said. “They’ll come around. I promise.”
“And if they don’t?” I asked.
“Hailey—”
“Just humor me. If they don’t?”
“Then they’ll have Uncle Drew and Aunt Anna to love them and cherish them,” he said.
And somehow, that lightened the load that had settled around my heart.
Chapter 5
Bryan
I was trying my best to keep myself contained for Hailey’s sake, but inside, I was fuming at my mother. Where the hell did she come off saying the things she did? I was astounded. There was no way in this world she was intervening in everything. Nor was she going to sit there and make the love of my life feel less than the beautiful, outstanding woman she was. And even though Hailey was calm now against my body, I was still having to talk myself down from my anger.
“I feel bad,” Hailey said.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick? Are you in pain? Where does it hurt?”
“No, Bryan,” she said with a snicker. “About dinner. I feel bad.”
“Why?” I asked. “You did nothing wrong.”
“I just feel like maybe the tension was my fault.”
“Hailey, look at me.” I watched my beautiful pregnant wife raise her eyes to look at me as the water around us encompassed our bodies.