Page 113

“I know.”

She smoothed her hands across her belly, and then her smile lit up her entire face. “Oh!”

“What’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “Nothing wrong. I think I felt the baby.”

I crossed over to her and put my hand next to hers. I didn’t feel anything, but the way the smile spread across her face and her eyes lit up, I knew she could.

“I can feel her,” she whispered.

I bent down and kissed her belly. “Hi, Peanut, you causing trouble for your mama?”

She laughed. “I have a feeling she’s gonna be daddy’s girl.”

I kissed her stomach.

Avery ran a hand through my hair. “I was so scared of losing her, of losing you.”

I stood up and gave her a quick kiss. “You’re not gonna lose me. I promise.”

She nodded but said nothing more.

“Hey, can we take the Christmas tree down now?” I asked, changing the subject.

She gave me a look of horror. “No!”

“Avs, come on, it can’t be Christmas forever.”

She pouted and then got a glimmer in her eyes. “What if, and hear me out, we make it a holiday tree? We could switch it to Valentine’s tree and then St Patrick’s and Easter!”

I shook my head at her. “You can’t be serious.”

She laughed and shrugged. “Maybe…”

“We’re taking it down today.”

“Okay, fine. I still can’t believe you put it up, to begin with.”

I pushed her hair behind her ear and stroked her cheek. “All for you. Everything I do is for you.”

Her eyes got shiny at that. “Oh, Nolan.”

I waved her off. “Come on downstairs. I’ll make you breakfast.”

I led her out of the nursery and down the stairs. She took a seat in one of the kitchen chairs while I fixed her breakfast. I already ate, but I made another pot of coffee. I got eggs out of the fridge and began scrambling them. I popped the bread in the toaster while I worked.

I only turned around when I heard Avery laughing. “What?”

“You’re humming again.”

I shrugged. “I never realized I did that until you pointed it out. My mom used to do that.”

“She would have been proud of you, Nol. Both of them would be.”

I shrugged while I finished breakfast and set down a plate in front of her. I poured coffee into two mugs and handed one to her. I was honestly surprised she hadn’t growled at me before she got her coffee. I took the seat across from her and sipped my coffee slowly.

She looked at me over her coffee cup. “Nol?”