Page 47 of Secrets, Scandals and Baby Shoes

“I sure do.” Elliot squeezed her hands. “I won’t say I’m not surprised, but I love you, and I want to build our future together. If that future has a baby in it, who am I to argue? Besides, you’ll be a wonderful mother.” A smile lit up Elliot’s face. “We’ll have to figure out how to balance business and our family, but I’m sure we can do it. Together. If you agree.”

Finally, at the words “our family,” the last remnants of Lucy’s fears crumbled. She was on her feet in a heartbeat, then Elliot was too, and she was in his arms. Feeling his solid, reassuring presence as he held her close and smelling his faint aftershave scent brought tears to Lucy’s eyes. She rested her cheek against his chest, her arms around him, their baby between them.

“That’s all I want,” she said. “You and me, together, figuring things out.” She pulled back and wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

“Are you all right?” Elliot asked.

“Yes.” Lucy smiled. “Pregnancy hormones. And relief. I mean, how many people really get athirdchance?”

“Only the very lucky ones,” Elliot replied.

“Oh!” Another realization dawned on Lucy, and she tilted her head back to meet Elliot’s eyes. “I love you, too. I hadn’t said that yet.”

“Oh, Lucy.” Elliot bent down and kissed her, long and slow and deep, with all the love and hope for the future they’d long held back.

Just then, there was a knock on the conference room door. From the other side, Brooke called, “Lucy, I just wanted to ask how things were going. You have another meeting in five minutes.”

“Cancel it, please,” Lucy called back. “The new investor is going to work out!”

“Wonderful.” Lucy could hear a hint of a smile in Brooke’s voice.

Lucy turned back to Elliot. “You are going to work out, aren’t you?”

“You know it.” Elliot kissed her again. “Now, shall we talk about baby names? I’ve always liked Ellie for a girl.”

Lucy giggled. “And Luca for a boy?”

Elliot laughed. “Perfect.” He slung his arm around her shoulders. “That’s settled.”

“I think it’s a little too soon to be talking about baby names, anyway. We have to figure out where you’re going to work now that you’re back. I took over Dominic’s desk inmyoffice.”

“Youroffice?” Elliot hugged her close, already grinning. “No way. That’s my office, too.”

Laughing and teasing, they made their way out of the conference room and back to their office. Lucy knew that they still had a lot more to figure out than baby names and office space, but she was confident now that they could do it. After all, she loved Elliot, and he loved her. He was just as excited about the baby as shewas. For the first time in a long time, she was completely happy. And, looking up at Elliot, she knew he was, too.

EPILOGUE

EIGHTEEN MONTHS LATER: LUCY

Lucy lifted her son out of his crib. He blinked slowly, his little rosebud mouth opening and closing a few times as he slowly woke. She rested him against her shoulder and patted his back. He was still in his little blue sleep sack.

“Is he up?” Elliot asked, coming up behind her and wrapping an arm around her waist. Lucy leaned back against him, inhaling his masculine scent and feeling the warmth of his chest.

“Mm-hmm.”

Elliot kissed her cheek. “Good morning, Lucy. Good morning, Dominic.”

Lucy lifted baby Dominic off her shoulder, resting his head against her palm as they both admired him.

“I still think he has Dominic’s eyes,” Lucy said with a coo for the eleven-month-old.

“You know that you and Dominic both have blue eyes.” Elliot reached around Lucy to run a hand through their son’s fine blond hair. “He has my hair, though.”

“And your nose.”

“And your smile.”

“I’d definitely rate his smile as ten out of ten.”

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