Page 117 of The Hotel Room

“James—”

“No, let me finish,” he interrupted gently, his hands lightly gripping her knees. His voice trembled, his eyes shining. “I hope—I dream—that one day, you’ll want to put it back on. But if that day never comes, I’ll still love you. I’ll still be here, doing whatever I can to make things right. You mean everything to me, Kate.”

A strange, bittersweet fondness filled her chest as she reached out, her fingers brushing his cheek.

“James,” she said softly, a hint of amusement breaking through her voice. “I’m not wearing my ring because my fingers are starting to swell. It’s the pregnancy.”

His mouth fell open slightly, his expression shifting from heartbreak to a mix of surprise and embarrassment. “Oh.”

She could see the tension drain from his shoulders, the weight he’d been carrying so visibly easing just a little. It was almost comical, the way his brow furrowed as if piecing together a puzzle he should’ve solved hours ago.

For a man so brilliant in other ways, he could be so utterly clueless about the small, practical truths of life. Her heartsoftened further, the ache of their shared history melding into something warmer, something quieter.

Her lips twitched as she tried to hold back a smile.

“Well,” he said, his tone sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Now I feel a bit silly.”

Kate’s gaze softened as she looked at him, kneeling there, his hands resting on her knees.

“You don’t look silly to me,” she said quietly, her voice carrying more weight than the words themselves.

For a moment, the air between them shifted. The walls of uncertainty and hurt that had been built over the months seemed to thin, just slightly.

“I love you,” he said.

Kate reached for his hand, lacing her fingers with his. “I know.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

James

The house was dark and still when James unlocked the front door and stepped inside, the faint creak of the hinges breaking the silence. He slipped off his shoes, careful not to make a sound, and set his bag down by the entryway.

The drive back had been grueling—four hours on the highway after back-to-back meetings. His shoulders ached from being hunched over his steering wheel, and the exhaustion weighed heavy in his bones. But he was home, and that made the long day worth it.

James moved quietly through the house, checking the locks on the front and back doors, his hand pausing briefly on each bolt. Habit. Routine. A small act of ensuring his family was safe, even while they slept.

The soft sound of Lily’s steady breathing drew him toward her room. He eased the door open just enough to peek inside. She was curled under her blanket, one arm draped over her stuffed unicorn, her hair splayed across the pillow like a halo.

He smiled faintly, his heart aching with the love he felt for her.

The same routine took him to Noah’s room. The door was slightly ajar, and the glow of a charging phone cast a dim light over the room. Noah was sprawled on his bed, one arm dangling off the side, his breathing deep and even. James watched for a moment, wondering how his son had grown so fast, and how he’d managed to keep some of that teenage anger softened these past few weeks.

He stepped back into the hallway, his feet instinctively carrying him to the door of the nursery.

The partially finished room was quiet, bathed in the faint light of the moon spilling through the open curtains.

James leaned against the doorframe, letting his tired eyes roam over the room. He imagined it as it would be—the soft light, the baby sleeping peacefully, Kate sitting in the rocking chair he was planning to buy her.

The ache in his chest tightened. He had hurt her. Hurt them. And yet, they were building something new together, piece by fragile piece.

He stayed there for a long moment, letting the quiet of the house settle around him before he turned and made his way to the master bedroom.

The door creaked softly as he opened it, and he was met with the faint scent of Kate’s lotion. She was lying on her side, her back to the door, her breathing soft and rhythmic.

James undressed quietly, folding his shirt over the back of the chair in the corner and slipping under the covers beside her.The bed dipped slightly as he settled in, careful not to disturb her.

But then she stirred, her body shifting slightly toward him.

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