Page 129 of The Hotel Room

“Well, he is pretty cute,” she said, her lips twitching into a small smile, trying to lift the moment. She felt a flicker of warmth when James looked up, his eyes softening despite the storm of regret lingering behind them.

“Cute doesn’t excuse stupid,” Nick shot back, though his tone was lighter now. He pointed his fork at James, wagging it for emphasis. “You’re lucky she’s even sitting here with you, man.”

James swallowed. “Believe me, Nick. I know.”

Nick gave him a long, appraising look before nodding and turning back to Kate. “He’s been a pain in the ass to deal with, but I’ll give him this—he’s been working his ass off to make it up to you. Doesn’t mean you have to forgive him, of course,” he added quickly, his tone serious. “But if you do, just know I’m on your side. Whatever you need, Kate.”

Kate blinked, caught off guard by the weight of Nick’s words. There was no teasing now, no lighthearted sarcasm. He meant it.

“Thank you,” she said softly, her fingers brushing over the stem of her glass. She hesitated for a moment before adding, “It means a lot.”

Nick waved a hand, brushing it off like it wasn’t a big deal, but his smile softened. “Hey, someone’s gotta keep this idiot in line.”

Kate smiled, the knot in her chest loosening just a little. She glanced at James, who was watching her with an open expression. It was still strange, seeing him like this—unguarded, vulnerable, trying so hard to rebuild what he’d broken.

Later, as they stepped out into the cool evening air, Kate slipped her hand into James’s without thinking. He glanced at her, surprised but pleased, and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze.

He didn’t say anything, but the look in his eyes told her everything.

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The sunlight streamed through the partially open curtains, bathing the living room in a soft golden glow. Kate sat on thecouch, her hands resting lightly on her swollen belly, feeling the faint, rhythmic kicks beneath her fingertips.

She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the quiet lull of the house settle over her. Noah was out with Emily, Lily was at choir practice, and for once, the world felt still.

She heard James before she saw him, the sound of his footsteps almost hesitant as he approached. She opened her eyes to find him standing at the edge of the room, his hands tucked into his pockets, his expression somewhere between nervous and determined.

“Hey,” he said softly, his voice carrying the weight of something unspoken.

“Hey,” she replied, tilting her head curiously. “What’s with the look?”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he crossed the room and sank to one knee in front of her, the movement making her breath catch. Her heart thudded in her chest as she stared down at him, the man who had broken her heart and spent every day since trying to put it back together.

“James…” she started, but the words faltered on her tongue.

“I’ve been thinking about us,” he said, his voice quiet but steady. “About everything we’ve been through. And I keep coming back to one moment.”

She frowned slightly, her fingers unconsciously tightening against her belly. “What moment?”

“The first time I saw you in your wedding dress.” His lips twitched in a faint smile, his gaze growing distant for a moment. “You were pregnant with Noah. We were scared out of our minds. We didn’t know what the hell we were doing. But when you walked down that aisle, I knew—I knew you were my life partner.”

Her throat tightened at his words, and she looked away briefly, blinking back the sudden sting of tears.

He reached for her hand, holding it gently between his palms. “And when you were pregnant with Lily, I knew it all over again. Watching you carry our children, watching you love them and love me through all of it… Kate, you’re my forever. You’ve always been my forever.”

Her chest ached, her heart torn between the lingering pain of betrayal and the raw honesty in his eyes.

“And now,” he continued, his voice softening even further, “with this baby, I can’t stop thinking about you in that dress. About standing in front of you and promising you everything—promising you forever. Because every vow I made to you, Kate, they weren’t just words. They were my truth. They are my truth. And I know I’ve failed you. I know I broke what should’ve been unbreakable. But if you’ll let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that those vows still mean everything to me.”

Tears spilled freely down her cheeks now, her free hand trembling as she pressed it to her lips. “James…”

He squeezed her hand gently, his gaze unwavering. “I thought I was supposed to be more than this—more than a husband, more than a father. I thought I had to figure out whoI was beyond those things. But, Kate…” His voice broke, and he shook his head. “I know now that I had it all wrong. I don’t need to be more. This—being your husband, being their dad—this is who I am. It’s my purpose. My calling. I know it in my bones.”

Her heart clenched at his words, the rawness in his voice pulling her toward him even as her mind screamed to hold onto her walls.

“I thought I was missing out on something bigger,” he continued, his voice shaking. “But there’s nothing bigger than this. Nothing bigger than you and the life we’ve built. And I’ll never stop fighting for it—for us.”

Kate felt the last of her defenses waver, her tears blurring her vision as she looked at the man kneeling before her. The man who had hurt her in ways she never imagined, but who was also the only man she had ever truly loved.

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