Page 55 of Fool Me Twice

“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed against his chest. “I’ve been such an idiot.”

What? This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. He was supposed to be the one begging for another chance, and she was supposed to give him a hard time. But this... he hadn’t expected this, hadn’t planned for this. And now he had no idea what to say.

“I know I’m a little hot-headed sometimes,” she continued, settling into his arms as he hugged her tighter, inhaling her familiar scent of vanilla and cherry blossom. “And I’ll try not to fly off the handle over every little thing,” she said against his chest. “Although I can’t make any promises right now with all my crazy pregnancy hormones raging around, but... what?” she demanded, the confusion registering on her face as he pulled away.

“You’re pregnant?” he demanded, his hands tightened around her arms as he tried to steady himself. This couldn’t be happening. He must have misheard.

Evie thrust out her chin and nodded.

Peter slapped his palm to his forehead, his breath heavy as he paced. “Like pregnant, pregnant?”

“Yes, do you want to see the sonogram?” Evie’s demanded.

Peter continued pacing. The silence hung in the air like an unexploded bomb, waiting to detonate at any second.

Evie was the first to break the silence. “I wasn’t exactly thrilled when I found out either, but like the saying goes, ‘shit happens’,” she said, narrowing her already narrowed slits further. “But don’t worry, I don’t expect anything from you. I can raise this child by myself. I’ve done it before and I can do it again.” She swallowed hard. “I just thought you should know, that’s all.”

She’d barely finished the sentence before his lips were on hers.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She pushed him away, running the back of her hand over her lips.

A lazy smile spread across his face as he watched her, his heart so full of love for this woman standing before him, that he thought it might burst. “You are so beautiful.” He stepped closer. “When you’re mad.”

“What?” She stared at him blankly.

“You, you’re beautiful when you’re angry.” He cupped her face tenderly in his hands and kissed the tip of her nose, then each of her puffy eyes, her forehead, her chin, until there was scarcely anywhere on her face he hadn’t kissed.

“Okay,” Evie said, pulling away from him. “Can you tell me what’s going on here, please? Because one minute you’re being all silent and moody and the next thing you’re telling me how beautiful I am.”

“I can’t believe I’m going to be a father.”

“Are you even listening to me?”

“Of course I’m listening to you, my love.” He dropped to his knees, placing a tender kiss on her belly. “You’re going to have my... our,” he said, correcting himself quickly. “Our baby. I just can’t believe it. I’m going to be a father, ouch!” he cried out as he tried to stand up. “It’s my knee.”

“Oh man, what am I letting myself in for?” Evie squatted down and hooked Peter’s arm around her shoulders in the now familiar routine. “On the count of three,” she said, before counting down and heaving him to his feet. “I’m going to have a new-born to look after and an old man to take care of. I must be mad.”

“Not so much of the old, if you don’t mind.” He waggled his brows at her. “I prefer the term ‘experienced’.”

“Whatever,” she said, snuggling into the crook of his arm.

Epilogue

Evie rested her head against Peter’s chest, his arm draped around her shoulder as they stood in the doorway waving off the last of their guests. Snaking her arms around his hips, she snuggled in closer and inhaled deeply, filling her senses with the fresh citrus aroma of his aftershave. She let out a long, contented sigh. Never in a million years did she imagine her life would have turned out like this.

When the last car disappeared from view, they headed inside to the family room. Too exhausted to worry about sticky handprints or stained rugs, they flopped down onto the couch, taking a moment to catch their breath after the earlier pandemonium.

Peter reached for the baby monitor and checked it was turned on, chuckling to himself as the soft snores of their twins drifted through the speaker.

“Whose bright idea was it to hold a joint birthday party for the three of them?” Evie stifled a yawn.

Peter took such a long time to answer that Evie thought he’d fallen asleep.

“I think, my darling, you’ll find it was you,” he replied finally.

“Are you sure?”

Pulling her into the crook of his arm, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “Yes, I’m positive,” he said, with a contented sigh. “Anya suggested asking Chef Andre to cater, but you wouldn’t hear of it and insisted that we hold the party here and invite half the town.”

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