As soon as I hear his voice, a gasp escapes my lips. My baby starts kicking violently, and my hand goes to my stomach.
The man turns to look at me, dropping the box of books he’d been carrying. It falls to the ground with a loud thud, staying upright at his feet.
The air stills, and my jaw drops.
Prince Dante stares at me with wide eyes, the vein in his neck pumping furiously. I watch him swallow, pushing his hood back as he smooths his hand through his hair.
“Margot,” he rasps. “I didn’t think you’d come.”
37
Dante
I set up this center in the hope that I’d see her here. I put that pamphlet at her doctor’s office in the hope that she’d show up. The last two months of my life have been dedicated to Margot.
Still, I wasn’t ready.
“Dante,” Margot whispers, standing up. The sound of my name on her tongue sends shock waves through my body. Her voice roots me to the ground, making my skin tingle from head to toe. Cold, heavy metal fills my chest, making it hard for me to breathe.
I can’t speak. There are no words.
Margot is here, more pregnant and more beautiful than I could ever have expected. She’s kept her hair short, and her blue eyes are shining as she takes a step toward me.
She pauses, the width of the room still between us.
It’s too far. Too much. I need her in my arms, in my life, in my heart.
Vicky, bless her, clears her throat. “You two, uh, know each other?”
That’s enough to snap me out of my stupor. “Yeah. We do,” I answer, still staring at Margot. There’s a magnet pulling me toward her. A string, connecting my gut to hers, tugging me in her direction.
So, I comply.
I take a step toward the love of my life.
There’s only one problem: the box of book donations that I dropped at my feet. Too heavy to kick out of the way, and too big to step over.
I stumble. My upper body pitches forward as my feet stay stuck behind the box. I try to step over it again to catch myself, but it’s too tall. I yelp, falling forward and landing in a heap on the floor.
I spend two months working to build this center for Margot, and this is how I present it to her? The best way I have to convince her to be with me is to fall flat on my face the moment I see her?
My face burns. I push myself off the floor with my hands, moving my legs around the box to find my footing.
Then, I feel it.
A hand.
No, not just any hand on my back. Her hand.
Just a couple of layers of fabric away from touching my skin.
Angling my face upward, I see Margot standing before me. Her eyes are soft, her lips parted, her brows drawing together.
“Are you okay?”
Is there anything sweeter than the sound of Margot LeBlanc’s voice? The way it dances on her tongue? The way her mouth moves to shape the letters?
I stand up, now only inches from her. Nodding, I clear my throat. “I’m fine. You?”
“I’m good. Ready to get this kid out of me.”
Margot’s smile is like a balm on my aching heart.
“April 1st, right? That’s coming up soon.”
Margot nods. “Not soon enough. I can’t even tie my own shoes anymore.”
A lump lodges itself in my throat, and a weight takes residence on my chest. Breathing becomes difficult, but I force myself to suck in as much air as I need to speak.
“What do you think?” I croak, sweeping an arm around at the small waiting room.
Margot’s eyes follow the movement, and I take the opportunity to drink her in. She’s gained a little bit of weight, and her face has lost its sharp angles. Now, it’s all soft, feminine curves. Her cheekbones are still defined, but they’re no longer razor-sharp. Her lips are full. Her eyes, bright.
She puts a hand to her lower back, letting her eyes drift all around the room. Finally, she brings them back to me, smiling. “I like it.”
“Did Vicky tell you what services we offer? I think we’ll be able to help lots of people not just with education but with counseling and support. We’re thinking of setting up a fundraising branch dedicated to research, too.”
“We?” Her eyebrows jump up. “You work here?”
Vicky laughs softly beside us, and both Margot and I turn