Temptation Trails (The Haven Brothers #3)

I looked at him for a moment. He really was okay with this. There wasn’t a hint of sullenness in his posture or expression. He wasn’t worried, he wasn’t concerned. He was just… happy.

“I’m really glad you like Harper so much,” I said, my voice soft.

“Yeah, she’s great. You did good, Dad.”

Something about that almost brought the sting of tears to my eyes. “Thanks, son.” I took a deep breath. “Speaking of, I need to go talk to her. Are you good for a while?”

“Yeah, fine. If you’re going to be late, I can make a frozen pizza.”

I shook my head. That kid. He was something else. I patted his leg. “Love you.”

His brow furrowed—the look he gave me when he thought I was being weird. “Love you too.”

I went back to my bedroom to change, then left again to talk to my newly pregnant girlfriend.

A zing of nerves swept through me as I walked up to her door and knocked. I wished I’d handled it better when she’d first told me about the baby, but there wasn’t anything I could do about that now.

Except grovel and hope she accepted my apology.

She opened the door and I almost asked what the hell had happened to her. She had smudges of flour on her face and smears of something chocolatey on her apron. Her low ponytail did little to contain the flyaways around her face. It looked as if she’d been caught in a windstorm.

But her green eyes were so big and hopeful, the ache in my chest almost took me down.

“Hi.”

“Can I come in?” I asked.

She nodded and I followed her back to her kitchen. Suddenly, I could see why she looked like a mess. Dirty mixing bowls were piled in the sink and empty sacks of sugar and flour had fallen on the floor. What looked like a couple dozen cupcakes sat on the island, and a glob of chocolate frosting oozed out of a piping bag.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Shitty, but I deserve it.”

“You had a few too many. We’ve all been there.”

“Harper—”

“Oh, no.” She pressed her hands to her cheeks and looked around, as if just seeing the disarray. “I’m covered in flour, aren’t I? I don’t even know what I’m doing. Stress baking on steroids. What am I going to do with these?”

“Harper.” I moved closer to her and just like that, I knew. How I felt. What to say. I touched her cheek and my confidence grew, my resolve solidifying. “Just listen to me for a minute.”

She pressed her lips together and nodded.

“I’m so sorry for how I handled it when you told me about the baby. I was surprised, but that’s no excuse. I shouldn’t have let you leave. And I’m sorry I didn’t call you today. I was hungover and I had to work. But really, I wasn’t sure what to say.”

“It’s okay, I understand. I—”

“Shh.” I put a finger to her soft lips. “I know what to say now.”

Her eyebrows lifted.

“I love you. I meant what I said last night. I’ve loved you since the first time I saw you. And that’s crazy. It’s totally unlike me. I’m not a jump in head-first, be spontaneous guy. I’m a take it slow, be responsible and careful guy. Except when I’m not.”

She smiled, and I took my finger off her lips and caressed her cheek.

“When I’m with you, I feel whole in a way I’ve never felt before. I can’t explain it. Maybe it’s crazy and maybe it’s too fast, but I don’t care. I love you.”

Her lower lip trembled.