“You can’t run out every time things get hard. I know you’ve had some bad times—really bad times, but that can’t be your excuse forever. We all get dealt shit Blake, but that doesn’t mean it has to ruin the rest of your life.”

“When you get back to Chicago, there’s something I want to show you. Something I’ve never shown anyone.”

“What’s that?” I ask.

“I’d rather show you.”

There’s a few seconds of silence. Warm tears roll down my cheeks. “I don’t want to do this alone,” I admit.

He rolls on top of me, looking straight into my eyes. It’s dark, but I see the way they glisten. “I want this baby—our baby. I drove over seven hours just to tell you that.”

“And what does that mean for us?” I ask as he wipes away my tears with the pad of his thumb.

He leans down to kiss me, tugging at my lower lip. “I want to be with you. I’ve wanted you since the first time I kissed you against the wall in our apartment … probably even before that.”

He kisses me again, lingering longer this time. “And every time I kiss you, I fall for you a little more.”

Another kiss. “Every time I look at you, I see how good things could be. You’re my hope. I’ve just had a hard time convincing myself I deserve you.”

My shirt slides up over my hips, baring my stomach. He stares down into my eyes before moving down, showering my stomach with butterfly kisses.

Last night, I would have said this will never happen again, but he’s too good. His words melt me, and I want to believe them. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.

When he pulls my panties down, I don’t stop him. He needs me. I need him just as much.

He comes back up, paving a trail from my stomach to my chest then up my throat back to my lips. “I’ve been wrong about so many things. I’ve lied to myself, but that stops now.”

He’s at my entrance, teasing me. “Blake,” I beg, ready for him.

“There was one other thing I wanted to tell you.” He gives me an inch, but I need so much more.

“Blake.”

“I—” Another inch.

“Love—” Just a little more.

“You—” He pushes in, filling me completely.

I wrap my arms around his neck as fresh tears roll down my cheeks. It’s a moment I thought would never happen.

“I love you,” I cry, wrapping my legs around him. He rocks in and out of me slowly. I’ve never felt more connected to anyone … any moment.

The best part is we stay like that—same rhythm—the whole way through. If he said I love you once, he said it ten times. That’s how I know this time is different.

I come. He follows, pressing his lips to my neck. The sun peeks through the curtains as he holds me close, letting our hearts return to their normal beat.

“I’m never leaving you again,” he whispers in my ear right before I fall back to sleep.

THE SMELL OF BACON AND eggs wakes me up. Blake’s arms aren’t wrapped around me, and the bed is cold. It reminds me of so many other mornings, yet it’s different.

Confidence was built by his words, his actions. He drove all the way from Chicago to tell me he’s sorry … to tell me he loves me. For once, he ran to me when I needed him the most.

I roll out of bed to use the bathroom but end up bent over the toilet dry heaving instead.

“Lila.” I hear Blake’s voice behind me. He pulls my hair back away from my face, gently running his fingers along my spine. “I’m here, baby.”

When my stomach finally settles, I’m drenched in sweat, and my head aches. Blake sits behind me, wrapping his legs and arms around me to support my weight. I don’t know what I would do without him. “Do you think you’d feel better if I ran you a bath? You’re covered in sweat.”

“Yes, just not too hot. My body feels like it just came out of the oven.”

As I attempt to stand, he helps by carefully hugging me from behind to pull me up. “I’m going to go downstairs and grab some crackers and water. Maybe that will settle my stomach.”

He puts the toilet seat down then practically sits me on it. “Don’t even think about moving.” He starts the tub, holding his hand under the water until it’s the right temp. It’s kind of cute how he keeps looking over to make sure I’m following his orders. I can’t disobey those sapphire blues. “I’ll go talk to your mom about getting you some crackers. Your water should be ready in a few minutes.”

My fingers touch my temples, tracing perfect little circles. All of the sudden, I feel dizzy again. “Where were you this morning when I woke up?” I ask, trying not to sound as panicked as I feel.

He smiles sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I went downstairs to get a drink and ran into your mom. It was a little rough at first, but I ended up making us breakfast.”

“You made my mom breakfast?”

“Yes. I mean, she didn’t ask me to, but you know how I am with my eggs. They’re my coffee, babe.”

My fingers move faster, ignoring how adorable he sounds. “What did you talk about?”

The water turns off then he’s kneeling in front of me. “Let’s get you in the tub. I’ll get you something to soothe your stomach, and then we’ll talk.”

I nod, starting to feel even worse for the wear. He helps me pull my T-shirt over my head then watches like a hawk as I sink into the tub.

“I’ll be right back,” he says when I’m all the way in.

The water instantly relaxes me. It takes the weight off my body, releasing tension in places I didn’t know existed, my mind the only exception. Blake said a lot of things last night, and I believe every single word of it.

But then my mind shifts to what my mom must have been thinking this morning when she saw him, especially after the talk we had last night. What did he tell her? What did she say to him?

The door creaks, and Blake walks in carrying a small plate of saltines and a cup. He sets them on the edge of the tub. “Your mom said to try ginger ale, so I got that instead of water.”

“I can safely say this is the first time I’ve eaten crackers while taking a bath.”

He sits beside the tub, resting his arm over the top to use as a pillow. “I wish I could make it better since I’m half the reason you’re in this position.”

“I should have been more careful. This wasn’t planned … I don’t want you to think I was trying to trap you,” I acknowledge, nibbling on a cracker.

“Lemon Drop, no one has caught me in their trap yet. I’m with you because I want to be. The news just caught me off guard. That’s all.”

“What did my mom say to you?” I ask, my patience wearing thin.

“Before or after she threatened me with a steak knife?”

I cover my eyes, thinking of the one time I actually saw my mom do that. My boyfriend at the time had snuck in, not realizing she was such an early riser. “What did you do?”

“I told her I was your baby’s daddy.”

“Oh my God. Are you serious, Blake?”

He laughs. “It didn’t come out quite like that, but it was enough to get her to drop the knife.”

“Then what?”

“She sat me down and lectured me for about twenty minutes. I’m not going to lie, she kind of scares me, and that’s not an easy thing to do.” He hands me the ginger ale, waiting for me to take a sip. “She made you an appointment for 1:15 with Dr. Phelps.”

“What time is it now?”

“A little after 11:00.”

We sit quietly for a few minutes. I successfully eat eight saltines and drink half the glass of ginger ale before the water starts to turn cold. “I should get out before I shrivel up.”

He stands, grabbing a towel from the hook. “Here. Do you want me to grab you some clothes?”

I wince, remembering the things I left behind when I moved to Chicago. “Look in the drawers. I should have a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.”

He wraps the towel tightly around me then pulls me into his arms, kissing the tip of my nose. “When I said I loved you last night, I meant it. I love you.”