“We can drop it off now or later,” I say, walking to her and kissing her. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she says softly. Putting a hand on my stomach, she leans up again, and this time, it’s her who kisses me softly.

“Let’s go, baby,” I say, and we walk out with her at my side. She is wearing the same thing she wore yesterday. “You need to bring over your stuff.”

“What stuff?” she asks, walking to the passenger side of the truck, and I press the button to unlock the doors.

I get in at the same time as she does, putting my coffee in the center console, and buckling up. “Your clothes and stuff.”

“What clothes?” she asks as I make my way out of my driveway.

“All of your clothes,” I say.

“What?” She looks over at me, her mouth hanging open. “Jacob,” she says, “I can’t just move in with you.”

“Why not?” I look over at her.

“Well, your son, for one,” she tells me. “I haven’t even met him, and all of a sudden he is going to come home and I’m there.”

She’s right. I know she’s right, but I just got her back. The last thing I want to do is be without her. “So if I introduce you to Ethan, and we have a couple of dinners …?”

“Then I will go home after the dinners, and I will come over and stay when he’s not there,” she says. “It’s a big step.”

I pull up to the shop and turn to look at her. “This is to be tabled for later.” Leaning over, I kiss her lips. “Let’s go.” Turning to get out of the truck, I meet her on the sidewalk, and we walk up the tiled entryway and stop at the front door.

“What is this place?” Kallie asks, looking around, and the front door opens.

“Donnie,” I say to the man who stands six foot eight with a beard down to his chest.

“Hey,” he says, reaching out his hand to shake mine, his bulging arms fully covered in tattoos. “Come on in.” He steps away from the door, and I put my hand on Kallie’s back and usher her inside.

“Thank you so much for squeezing me in.” I say once we are inside. “Donnie, this is Kallie.”

“Pleased to meet you.” He nods at her. “You ready to do this?”

“Yes,” I say. He turns and walks to the closed door on the right-hand side. He opens both doors, and I look over at Kallie, who doesn’t say anything.

We walk into the room that has a chair in the middle and shelves on the back wall with all different colors of paint. Donnie puts on his glasses and sits down on his stool and slides over to me. “Let me see what you have.”