She wasn’t my best friend by any stretch, but she’d made peace with the fact that her brother and I loved each other. And she was wonderful with Justin and Lyla. That was enough for me.

“There’s something else.” My hand rested on my still-flat belly. “I’m gonna have a baby.”

I still couldn’t quite believe it. Even after three pregnancy tests and a trip to my doctor. But here we were. I’d gone off birth control two months ago, thinking it would take some time to get pregnant. But, apparently, Mason’s sperm was determined.

“I wish you were here.” A couple of stray tears crested my lids and trailed over my cheeks. “For all of it. To stand up with me tomorrow. To be in the delivery room with me.” I hated that Derek had robbed us of that. But Justin and Lyla were little pieces of her that I’d have with me every step of the way.

I turned at the sound of footsteps on gravel. Mason’s broad form stood silhouetted against the sky. “Hi.” I wiped at my cheeks.

He was next to me in a flash, sinking down onto the bench and pulling me against him. “Hey, what’s with the tears?”

“Just talking to Chelsea.”

He pressed his lips to my temple. “I wish she was here for you tomorrow.”

“Me, too.”

“You going to be okay?”

I nodded against his chest. “There’s so much to be grateful for.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t miss your sister and want her with you. You have to let yourself feel the hurt. If you don’t, you’ll cut yourself off from the good.”

And there was so much good all around for us to experience. I didn’t want to miss an ounce of it. “I can’t wait to marry you tomorrow.”

“Me, either.”

I pressed my palm to his chest. “I have something to tell you.”

He tipped his head down to meet my gaze. “I’m listening.”

“I’m pregnant,” I whispered.

His body gave a little jolt. “What?”

“I didn’t think it would happen so quickly. I thought for sure the test was wrong. But then I took three and saw my doctor.”

Mason’s hand went to my stomach as wonder filled his gaze. “We made a baby.”

“Happy?”

His mouth met mine in a long kiss that made me wish we were somewhere a little more private. “Best wedding present ever.” I smiled against his lips. “Are you happy? This is a little quicker than we’d planned.”

I leaned back into his hold, my hand joining his on my stomach. “I love him or her so much already. It’s wild. But I’m scared, too.”

“Scared?”

“Mase, I had the worst example of parents you could possibly have. I don’t know what I’m doing. It’s terrifying.”