Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 96833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
My heart skipped a beat. I was not expecting those words. Not today. Not ever.
“I don’t know whether that means I should love you enough to encourage you to go on with your life or beg you to stay,” he continued. “I just know I love you, Abby. And I needed to tell you. That’s why I couldn’t wait for you to get back. It couldn’t wait a second longer.”
My eyes welled up as a bittersweet feeling rose within me. I wanted so badly to believe him, that he truly loved me. But the doubt was real. I still struggled with the worry that I was a consolation prize. And I could never admit that insecurity. It felt selfish and immature. It wasn’t fair to make him compare. Not to mention, I could never admit that I’d read his private email.
I looked up and realized too many seconds had gone by in silence. But there was only one honest response. “I love you, too.” I placed my hand over his, still cradling my face. “But I’m scared.”
“I will never willingly hurt you.” He leaned in to kiss me again, my stomach pressed against him. He jumped back as my belly suddenly twitched. “What was that?”
I laughed. “It was your baby kicking.”
While he’d seen the baby kick on FaceTime, Sig had never been around to feel it before. He placed his hand on my bump and watched in awe as it happened again. “Oh my God.”
“Surreal, right?”
He kept his hand there for a minute before the baby seemed to calm down. “You’re amazing. How your body has been keeping this little alien alive while dealing with everything else—including me…”
“It’s been my pleasure. All of it.”
He pressed his forehead to mine. “Let me take care of you tonight.”
My body stirred. “What did you have in mind?”
“Believe it or not, that wasn’t the first thing.” He winked. “It’s up there, though.”
After we said goodbye to Felicity, I followed Sig back to the inn. As usual, he insisted on driving in front of me to provide some light on the otherwise dark road.
Later, he made me dinner and told me to relax downstairs with Lavinia for a bit while he went up.
When I heard the water, I suspected he was running me a bath. But I didn’t expect the scene I actually found when I got up there.
CHAPTER 46
* * *
Abby
Track 46: “Small Bump” by Ed Sheeran
The lights were off. There were candles flickering. And the most relaxing spa music played on a Bluetooth speaker.
“What’s all this?”
“It’s my way of welcoming you home,” Sig said.
Home. This did feel like home in so many ways.
“You coming in with me?” I asked.
“If you’ll have me.”
“I would love that. But will we both fit? Technically it’s gonna be three of us in there.”
“I’ll make it work.” He smiled.
After I slipped out of my clothes, he did the same. Sig got in the tub behind me and wrapped his arms around my body, placing his palms over my stomach. My back leaned against his chest. The plan was for me to relax, but it seemed the baby had other ideas. It started kicking pretty aggressively.
Sig laughed. “My goodness. What’s going on in there?”
“He or she wants to come out and splash, I think.” I giggled.
“Is the kicking more active than usual today?”
“Definitely. Maybe the baby senses my anxiety.”
He kissed the back of my neck. “Talk to me, beautiful. Why are you still anxious? I’m doing everything possible to help you relax tonight.”
“It’s nothing you’ve done. But I still have a lot on my mind.”
“Tell me what’s going on.”
I couldn’t afford to keep my thoughts inside any longer. We were running out of time. “I don’t know if I’m ready to be a mother,” I blurted.
His body stiffened behind me. “You think me telling you I loved you meant I was expecting something more from you now? I wasn’t, Abby. I was simply expressing my undeniable feelings. The conflicts we have yet to face don’t change the fact that I’ve fallen in love with you. And my love for you doesn’t change the fact that I still think what’s best for you is to move on with your life. But it’s impossible for me to encourage that anymore. I don’t want you to leave. But no one is asking you to be a mother or expecting that.” He expelled a long breath against my neck. “Incidentally, I’m nowhere near ready to be a father, so I can relate. I’m no more prepared for this situation because I’m the biological father.”
Panic built inside of me. Even if he wasn’t ready to admit it, I knew Sig would ultimately decide to raise his child. It didn’t matter if he was ready, this was his child. He seemed at peace with allowing Phil and Kate to raise it, but once he saw his and Britney’s baby, he wouldn’t be able to let it go. And I couldn’t allow this precious baby to get used to having me around, only to have my relationship with Sig fall apart once life after the surrogacy set in.