“See?” Mac swiped away at fresh tears. “This is what I’m talking about. You don’t seem perfect. You are perfect. And I felt so guilty because you’re the kind of man my baby should’ve had as a father. Not someone who’d vaguely threaten to push me down the stairs. And then I felt guilty for not feeling guiltier about lying to you, but I was selfish. I didn’t want to risk losing the first thing that’s felt like home since I lost my parents over a decade ago.” She inhaled deeply. “I was going to tell you Friday, but then we had the date and… other stuff. Then I was going to tell you yesterday. That’s why I canceled with Ophelia, to mentally prepare. You have to believe me.”

“I do, baby.”

She nodded, but her body was still strung tight.

“Only reason I care that you didn’t tell me about that bastard is it gave him the chance to do this.” I skimmed a knuckle along her bruised cheek. “To almost do worse. If I would’ve known, I’d have handled shit differently. But I don’t fault you, baby. That’s not easy to share. Knew you had your secrets, just like I knew you’d tell me when you were ready.” I put my forehead to hers. “Happy to know you were. That you trust me.”

Mac sniffled a few times before burying her face in my chest.

“We still needed to talk about my thing,” I said.

Sitting up so fast, she nearly clipped my jaw, Mac’s wide eyes shot to me. “This wasn’t what you wanted to talk about?”

I shook my head. “We needed to talk about it, but I was giving you time.”

“Of course you were,” she muttered. “What was it then?”

“You’re moving in with me.”

Poker face in place, she didn’t say anything.

“We’re gonna find a new place that’s big enough for the three of us, but till then, you’re moving in.”

I was ready for her arguments. For her to call me certifiable—again. For her to be stubbornly independent.

And I’d take it. All of it.

But I wouldn’t give her time or space. I’d be as patient as she needed about everything else, but I’d do it with her in my bed every night.

After a long, silent moment, she said, “The three of us.”

“Yeah, Mac, the three of us.” I cupped her cheek in one hand and her belly in the other. “Been the three of us since the beginning.”

She gave a slow nod, her gaze moving to the side. I was already bracing when she said, “You’re wrong, though.”

“About?”

“You forgot Dumpster. There are four of us.”

“Fair enough.”