Page 39 of Shining Pearls
“Your aunt helped me organize and color-code your clothes. Maternity-wear is back here, and your regular clothes start here,” he pointed to the dividing line in my wardrobe.
Indicating my pre-pregnancy clothes, I groused, “Hopefully, I’ll be able to fit into those again someday.”
“You will,” Dean promised, before adding, “But even if you don’t, it will be an excuse to buy all new clothes.”
I smiled at him. “You always manage to find a bright side to things.”
“I do hope to see you wear this again someday.” He pulled a soft, light blue cotton shirt that didn’t look to me like anything special from the front of the closet.
At my questioning gaze, he added, “It’s what you were wearing the first time I met you.”
“You remember that?” I frowned up at him, stunned that he would recall such a thing.
“Of course. That was the best day of my life––when you came into it.”
Dean was staring down at me with an intent look that made me shift uncomfortably from foot to foot. “You’re such a wonderful man. This baby is lucky to have such a terrific ‘uncle’ in its life.”
Lifting a finger to caress my cheek, Dean said, “I’m the lucky one.”
The silence hung heavily in the air between us. I sensed that he wanted to continue and that he was searching for the right words, so I refrained from speaking.
Finally, he said, “About that ‘uncle’ thing…”
My eyes widened as I looked up at him, hoping that I hadn’t overstepped any boundaries with him. The last thing I wanted was to rope him into being more involved in my child’s life than he wished to be.
Dean’s steady gaze remained unwavering as he spoke in a clear voice. “I’d rather be more of a father-figure, if the two of you will have me.”
His words were almost too good to believe. This is what I had secretly been craving ever since I had accepted that Alex truly belonged with Claire. My first priority was Dean, though. I had to make sure he wasn’t just offering this because he thought it was what I needed.
“Please don’t just do this to make me happy. I don’t want you to feel like you’re giving up anything to be with us.”
Dean’s expression softened as he grinned down at me. “How could I feel like I’m giving up anything to be with you? I want nothing more than to be by your side raising our family together. Say yes and make me the luckiest, happiest man alive.”
His words were perfect, and I sensed the sincerity behind them. It wasn’t at all how I thought things would work out, but somehow it was exactly right for us.
As I processed this new, marvelous reality, Dean gazed down at me expectantly. “Well?”
“Yes!” I exclaimed tipping up onto the balls of my feet, wrapping my arms around the back of his neck, and firmly pressing my lips up to his.
Kissing Dean was magnificent. I lost myself in the marvelous sensations, until I heard the splash of liquid hitting the wood floor.
Pulling back and giving me a frown, Dean asked, “Are you so excited about us officially becoming a couple that you peed your pants?”
I stared up at him with enormous, frightened eyes. “That’s not urine. I think my water just broke.”
36
Claire
Hannah came into our bedroom wearing the third shirt she had tried on in the last ten minutes. “What about this one?”
I looked at the pink and purple frilly and sequined top she had on and said, “That one’s cute, too. Why are you so worried about what to wear on the field trip tomorrow?”
“We are going to Portland, and that’s a big city, Mom.” She stopped just short of rolling her eyes in my direction.
Her idea and mine of what constituted a big city varied quite a bit, but Portland was definitely bigger than Brunswick Bay Harbor, so I didn’t argue the point with her. Instead, I assured her, “Any of the shirts you’ve tried on will look great in the big city.”
“Fashion’s different there, you know,” she said importantly before flouncing towards her room in full-diva mode with Pepper trotting along right behind her.
