Page 9 of His Valentine

Lena looks as sweet as ever when I pick her up to go crib shopping. She’s got on a long-sleeved knit dress that hugs her baby bump and ends at mid-thigh, a puffy vest over top, and leggings and tall boots keeping those short legs of hers warm. When she gets into the passenger seat of my truck and smiles over at me as she greets me, I have to fight the urge to lean over and kiss her hello.

“You sure you’re still cool with going crib shopping with me?” Lena asks.

“Of course,” I say, thinking,Never been more pumped about shopping in my life.

Fifteen minutes later, I’m pulling the truck into the Babies And More parking lot. I jog around to the passenger door to open it up for Lena, but she beats me to it, laughing as I sigh my defeat.

Okay. Fine. So she doesn’t need me constantly watching over her. Still, I keep an eye out for lingering ice patches as we cross the parking lot. A lot of the snow has melted since yesterday, but there are still traces of it all over the place.

Inside the store, a peppy saleswoman greets us as soon as we walk in.

“Good afternoon,” the woman says. “Let me guess. First-time parents?”

Lena nods.

“Wonderful. Congratulations. What can I help you two out with today?”

“I’m looking for a crib,” Lena says.

It’s like a little stab to the gut when she saysI’minstead ofwe’re.

“Ah, the crib,” says the saleswoman. “One of the most important purchases you’ll make. So, we have standard cribs, convertible cribs, and mini cribs. We have travel ones, too, of course. But I’m assuming that’s not what you’re looking for today.”

“Nope,” says Lena. “A standard crib’s good. Or maybe a convertible one.”

The saleswoman nods. “So, a convertible crib is super versatile and grows with your child. They’re more expensive upfront, but more cost-effective in the long run. But they’re best suited for couples who are only planning on having one child. If you two are planning on having morethan that, I’d recommend a standard crib.”

Lena hesitates, obviously unsure how to answer. And as much as I want to tell the saleswoman that I’d happily make babies with Lena until the end of time, I’ve got a feeling that’s not the best thing to say right now.

“We’ll take a look at both options,” I say, placing a hand gently on Lena’s lower back. “Thanks for your help. We’ll let you know if we have any questions.”

The saleswoman takes the hint and points us in the right direction, though I spotted the crib section the moment we walked in. Lena and I head over to browse the options. Lena thoughtfully regards each, adorably twisting her lips as she stands back and tries to decide which one she wants.

“What do you think between those two?” she asks, pointing between two. They’re slightly different in their design, and one is natural wood, while the other one is painted white.

“That one,” I say, gesturing toward the natural wood crib.

“Okay, Mister Decisive,” says Lena, looking amused at how fast I answer.

“I just know what I like.”

I swear to God, Lena’s eyes twinkle at me. But it only lasts for a second. It’s like she realizes she’s looking at me that way and immediately shuts it down. It’s disappointing that she has lingering uncertainty about me, but at the same time, I get it. She’s been doing just fine without me. She has every right to be cautious, considering we don’t fully know each other yet.

But you better fucking bet I’m going to prove to her there’s nothing for her to be unsure about.

The crib decision made, we check out the rest of the store. She tells me there’s also a few other things she wants to pick up—a special trash can for diapers, some kind of snot-sucking tool, a changing pad. In one section of the store, Lena rises up on her tip-toes as she strains for a pack of crib sheets, and the second I see her struggle, I reach up and grab it for her.

“I almost had it,” Lena says, shooting me a sharp look—but also a restrained smile.

“Want me to put it back?” I ask.

Lena scoffs. “What? No. I’ll take it.” I hand it over. “Thank you.”

“Just trying to be useful,” I say.

“I know,” she says, her face softening again. “Idoappreciate it.”

We check out and get everything wheeled out into the parking lot. I get the crib box into the back of my truck and we climb back into the cab.

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