Page 53 of Uxpectedly Ever After

Her voice comes out thick. “What’s in there?” She nods toward the last closed door at the end of the hall. She’s fighting tears like a champ, but I know my girl—she’s close to breaking.

“Master bedroom.”

Before I can stop her, she’s pushing past me, shoving the door open. The space is huge, with bay windows and a built-in window seat I immediately pictured her curled up in. There’s no bed yet, but I strung lights along the ceiling—soft, warm ones that won’t kill our eyes when the baby’s screaming at three in the morning.

“I thought it might help,” I offer, feeling more exposed than I have in years. “You know, when the baby’s up all night...these lights will be easier than the overhead.”

Clover turns to face me, and there's no hiding the tears sliding down her cheeks now. "Why are you doing all this?” she whispers.

This is it. No more hiding.

"Because I'm in love with you," I tell her, the words feeling like they've been trapped in my chest for years. "Not because of the baby. Not because we're living together. I've been fallingfor you since you were seventeen, and I'm done pretending otherwise."

I move into her space, backing her against the doorframe. My arms cage her in as I lower my face to hers.

Her lips part, and I can see the shock on her face. I should have done this a long time ago instead of telling her brother first like an idiot.

“I know I messed up,” I admit, leaning in. "Telling Kasen I was in love with you before I ever said it to your face wasn’t my best move. You deserved to hear it from me first." I cradle her face, swiping tears away with my thumbs. "I've waited too long for you, Freckles. I've held back, kept my distance, let you set the pace. But I'm done waiting. This isn't about obligation—it's about us. Building something real together. I want all of it—this house, our family, coming home to you, waking up beside you every morning. I’d collapse every bridge, burn every map, break every compass—just to be the only way home you’ll ever need. You’re mine, Clover—both of you are.”

She breathes my name, so soft it nearly breaks me. “I’m so scared,” she confesses, voice trembling.

“Of what?” I ask, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear while my heart pounds like it wants out of my chest and into hers.

"That you'll leave." Her fingers twist in my shirt like she's afraid if she lets go I’ll disappear. "That this is too good to be real. Everyone leaves eventually. My mom. My dad. Kasen—eventually he came back, but...still. Every guy I’ve let close enough to see the real me. I don't know if I could survive it if you—"

“I’m not going anywhere,” I cut her off, the words coming out fiercer than I planned. “Not now, not ever. You’re stuck with me, Freckles. For good.”

She stares up at me, that war raging behind her eyes—she wants to believe me but she's scared shitless. Her hope is fighting with her fear. What she wants is battling her doubt. I hate that she’s even got a fraction of a reason not to trust in us.

"How can you be so sure?" she whispers. "We've only been together a few months since we—"

Fuck, she’s finally admitting we’re together. About damn time.

"It's been years for me," I tell her, needing her to understand. "Years of wanting you. Years of loving you from a distance because I was convinced you'd never want me back. The second you let me in—let me touch you, hold you, love you—that was it for me. Game over. There is no going back. There’s no life for me without you."

The silence stretches between us, and for a second I think maybe she's about to say she loves me too. Then my phone chirps with that specific tone I can’t ignore. The emergency alert. I pull it from my pocket, already knowing whatever's on the screen is about to ruin everything.

"Banks?" Clover's voice comes out small and unsure, snapping me back to the moment.

"There's a fire." My blood turns to ice water in my veins when I recognize the address. My stomach plummets straight through the floor as images flash through my mind—Clover watching the news, Clover not knowing if I'm okay, Clover alone if something happens to me. The taste of copper floods my mouth as I bite the inside of my cheek hard enough to draw blood. I turn the screen so she can see it. "On Timber’s block. They're calling everyone in."

I want to tell her not to worry, but if it's bad enough for an all-hands call and evacuating the whole block, we should absolutely be worried.

Her face pales. She doesn’t ask if I’m going—she knows I have to. "Go." There's this resignation in her voice that kills me—like she’s already preparing for the worst. For me to not come back to her. “Just...please be careful.”

"Always." I press my forehead against hers, breathing her in for one more second. "This conversation isn't over, Freckles. Not even close."

I dig in my pocket and press the house key into her palm, folding her fingers around it. I hold on tight. "Whether you decide you want this place or not, this is yours. So you know you've always got somewhere to call home."

She stares at the key but I can’t read her expression. She still hasn’t said whether she wants to live here with me, to create a life together, to raise our baby.

She still hasn’t said that she loves me back. But I can’t wait around for answers.

"I gotta go," I tell her, already heading for the stairs. "I'll call you as soon as I can."

“Banks.” Her voice brings me up short at the landing. I glance back, see her standing in what should be our bedroom, one hand on the bump that holds our future, the other clutching the key I gave her. “You better come home.”

I manage a rough nod, then sprint out to my truck. As I peel away, her words echo in my mind—everyone leaves eventually. She’s expecting me to vanish, to break her heart like every other person in her life.

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