Trusting a Warrior (Loving a Warrior #3) - Melanie Hansen Page 0,112
the next four years, he couldn’t make her any fucking promises.
Except one...
Grabbing up his backpack, he headed in her direction. When he reached the sand, he toed his sneakers off, his lips quirking when he saw one cowboy boot, then the other a short distance away, as if she’d been leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for him to follow.
A wave of pure love weakened his knees. How much courage had it taken her to come to him like this, to recreate a scene that several months ago had led to heartache, and an ending? More than he’d ever know. Despite himself, the tiny kernel of hope grew.
Ambling closer, Geo caught sight of her standing at the water’s edge, her arms crossed over her rounded middle. The gentle wind teased her hair, lifting it, then dropping it, her profile serene as she gazed out at the setting sun.
“Are you sure about this?” he called to her. “You’ve been there, done that, got the T-shirt, remember?”
She turned to face him. “Well, you know, that was a different T-shirt. I don’t have this one yet.”
“The fabric’s pretty much the same, though. What’s going to make this one different?”
She took a step toward him. “Because this time I’ll ask for help if I need it instead of trying to take the weight of the world on my shoulders.” Another step. “I won’t make you responsible for my happiness.” Another step. “I’m going to continue my therapy, my grief group, so when stuff pops up that scares me, that makes me want to shut down—and it will—I’ll have the tools to deal with it so I don’t hurt you like that again.”
Geo gazed over her shoulder at the ocean, aware of her eyes steady on his face.
“What about you?” she asked softly. “Are you sure you’re ready for this package deal?”
He opened his mouth to tell her that he was, then snapped it shut. If there was anything she deserved, it was as honest an answer as she’d given him.
“I think I am. I want to be.” Dropping his backpack to the sand, he said, “A husband and father isn’t anything I ever saw myself as, for a lot of reasons.”
She bit her lip. “Do you think you’ll be able to love the baby? I mean, because it’s—”
“Because it’s not mine? Lani, it’s a part of you, so loving the baby isn’t the issue. It’s just, the thought of me ever letting you down is—” Suddenly he was blinking back tears of his own.
“You will, sooner or later.” Her voice was quiet. “Just like I’ll eventually let you down, because neither of us is perfect.”
She was close enough to touch now, so Geo reached out to stroke her cheek with his fingertips, whispering, “The only thing I can promise is that you’ll get the best version of me I can possibly be.”
“What more could I ask for?” Sliding her arms up around his neck, she drew his head down to kiss him gently. “I promise the same.”
“Then I’m the luckiest man alive.” Geo deepened the kiss, their tongues dueling lightly before their lips separated with a lush smack. “I love you.” He rested a hand on her tummy. “Both of you.”
Smoothing her hands along his shoulders, she said, “You’re going to be an amazing father.”
Hearing it said out loud, he froze, and the panicked look that must have crossed his face made her giggle. “Well, not tomorrow, at least,” she said drily. “You have a little time to really get used to the idea.”
“How much—” He cleared his throat and tried again. “How much time?”
“Four months, give or take.”
He breathed out a shaky sigh of relief, then panic surged again. “Oh, God. I don’t know how to change a diaper, or fix a bottle, or soothe it when it cries.” He dropped his arms from around her. “Um, are you sure about this?”
“Completely sure.” Grabbing his hand, Lani started towing him back across the sand. “We’ll learn together. You think I know how to do any of that?”
“You mean you don’t?”
“Nope. We’re on equal footing here, Daddy.”
The jolt of fear lasted maybe another dozen steps before it drained away.
Daddy.
“I’m gonna be a daddy,” he breathed, a dizzying mix of joy, wonder and trepidation swirling through him. He planted his feet. “Do you know if it’s a boy or girl?”
“I’m supposed to find out next week.” Swinging around to face him, she asked, “You think you’ll be able to come to the appointment with me?”