What if he didn’t want this? What if this was too much? I was about to reach for the papers and hide them again when he returned holding two plates of cheesecake with cherry topping, my favorite.

“What is this?” he asked, picking up the papers and turning them over.

I covered my eyes with my hands. Oh jeez, this was too much. I shouldn’t have just slapped them down there like that. I should have said something to ease him into it, maybe prepared a little speech. Perhaps a PowerPoint presentation complete with graphics and bullet points would have been ideal.

Axel’s voice sounded strangled when he said, “Blaire, look at me.” I separated my fingers and peeked through them. He pulled my hands from my eyes one by one as he held the document in his other hand like he couldn’t bear to let it go. He waved the sheaf of papers in front of my face. “Is this for real?”

I swallowed the golf ball in my throat. “Do you want it to be?” He stared at me for a long moment without answering, and I felt like I had an elephant sitting on my chest. “Just forget it. You don’t have to sign it,” I told him, trying to snatch the papers from him, but he held them high, just out of my reach.

“You want me on Carrie’s birth certificate?” he asked, his eyes alight with what appeared to be wonder.

“It was just an idea,” I hedged. “I don’t want to push you into anything you don’t want. I just… I wanted you to see that I trusted you. I thought—”

Axel pulled me from my chair and lifted me off my feet, spinning us in a circle. “Yes! God, yes! I want this so much, Blaire.” He kissed me all over my face, whispering, “Thank you, baby. Thank you so much. Do you have any idea what this means to me?” I knew he meant more than just being named Carrie’s father on a piece of paper; it also meant everything to him that I was letting him in, trusting him with our hearts.

“I would guess it means a lot if the way you’re squeezing me is any indication,” I croaked.

His laugh was happy and chagrined as he set me back on my feet. “Sorry, Bear. I’m a little excited. Sit down and eat your cheesecake.” I sat and took a bite while Axel paced around the room and flipped through the paperwork, mumbling to himself as he read.