I nod. “He hasn’t had it easy, but I think that just means he appreciates what he has more.”

“People who don’t have much usually do. He seems to care about you quite a bit.”

My heart flips in my chest. “You think so?”

“I do. He’d have to, to put up with your mother.” A moment of silence passes between us before Dad clears his throat. “So, is that the plan? To keep him?”

I shoot away from Dad and buzz around the kitchen, wiping down every surface a dozen times. “I don’t know.”

“Don’t you?”

I bite my lip and shrug. Dad doesn’t say anything more as we put away the last of the clean dishes and utensils. Our work done, I stand and stare off at the empty doorway. Light voices drift in from the living room. I can’t make out Devin’s gruff baritone, but I know he’s there. Sitting with my family, listening to my most embarrassing childhood stories and laughing, no doubt. The thought has a comforting warmth, radiating from my chest and tingling down all my limbs.

We make our way down the long hall, the sound of laughter getting louder as we get closer. I catch a glimpse of Devin, smiling wide and bouncing baby Miguel on his knee. I reach out to brace myself on the wall as my heart shatters. I’ve never had a biological clock, but the sight of Devin’s toned and tattooed arm wrapped around a drooling bundle of cuteness starts a countdown in my womb.

“Dad?” I turn to face him behind me.

“Yeah, kiddo?”

“Do you think you can fall in love in a month?” I ask, feeling my cheeks catch fire.

He gives me that knowing Dad look, the one that reminds me he’s older and wiser. He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and cups my face.

“Jessie Bird, you can fall in love in a single moment. I did with your mother.”

I spin on my heels and watch Devin. I know deep in my heart that my dad’s right.

So it turns out I’m not just in love with Devin, but I’m also desperate to have his babies. Not like tomorrow, but some day. And I’m terrified. I have no idea if he feels the same.

Most guys are pretty obvious with how they feel about me. They’re just there, easy for me to reach out and claim if I wanted to. But the only guy I want to claim is Devin, and he seems to like me against his will. He fights it with every ounce of strength he has, and that’s a lot. He’s all muscle.