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“I know, it’s not how you imagined.”

“It’s not.” Dad’s eyes meet mine over her head. “But life rarely plays out as we imagine.”

“I hope you can forgive me,” Faye whispers into his chest.

“I can.” Dad gives her a squeeze. “If you can forgive me.”

She pulls back to look up at him. “I have nothing to forgive you for.”

He smiles sadly down at her. “We both know that’s not true.”

Faye frowns. “I’d like to move forward.”

Dad nods again as he releases her. “I’d like that, too. I’d like my grandbaby to come into this world with a family that feels like family. No more of this tension.”

Faye smiles a hopeful smile that crushes a shard of my soul. Fuck, I’m hopelessly in love with this woman.

“We should be getting home. Faye has a bedtime,” I tease as she sniffles, swinging around to swat me as I dodge, laughing. “She’s mean when she misses it.”

“Like mother like daughter,” Doug adds to the lightheartedness.

Candy makes a disgruntled noise before threatening, “You haven’t seen mean yet, Douglas Foster.”

Doug’s eyes get big at the use of his full name and his lips pull sideways in a ‘oh shit’ expression that makes the entire room laugh.

“On that note—” I take Faye’s hand. “We’re out.”

The room erupts in laughter that finally, finally feels like the magic of the holiday has touched us.

“It’s so pretty,” Faye gushes over the basinet Mom and Dad—mostly Mom—bought us for Christmas. I sort of figured she would when she realized we didn’t yet have one, or even the knowledge that we needed one before she told us we needed one, so I held off on buying one just in case.

I hit the door closed with my boot as I set the bassinet down in the entrance beside the bags of other gifts we’d received. Our parents may be disappointed with us for a myriad of reasons, but there’s no doubt they’re excited for the baby. We officially have more baby clothes than we need. Mom and Candy both lamented that they didn’t know the gender of the baby and had to buy mostly neutrals, but there are a few pieces specifically for each gender.

Faye had simply smiled her stubborn smile. My girl is rooted in her decision to be surprised.

Kicking off my boots, I lock the door. “You sure made quick work of ditching the dress.”

Her cheeks turn a pretty shade of rouge that nearly matches the red plaid jammies she wears. “The stockings were starting to dig.”

“I could ditch the jeans.” I pat my stomach. “Mom made all the favorites this year.”

Faye yawns. “She did. I love that chocolate peanut butter pie.”

I jut my chin to one of the bags. “Speaking of pie. Mom put the rest of the peanut butter pie in that bag, along with a tote of cookies and treats.”

Faye twists to the bag. A low groan spills from her as she lifts the goodies. “I’m going to be huge.”

“Enough of that.” I take the treats from her, moving into the kitchen. I pop the top off the tote and take a big bite out of a frosted sugar cookie in the shape of Santa’s head. I hold it out to her, bobbing my brows. “Want a bite?”

She rolls her eyes as she stomps into the kitchen. “I don’t want a bite. I want a whole damn cookie.”

I force myself to swallow down my laugh with another bite of cookie as she nibbles the tip of a gingerbread man, moaning thickly enough to make me forget just how tired I am.

The taste of the cookie fades away as the memory of our kiss floods my mind, infusing all of me with the taste of her.

I’ve thought of little else than kissing her since I kissed her. I’ve wanted to kiss her a thousand times since, but I’m trying to take things slow with her. Not to spook her. To let her settle into the reality of us.

I don’t want her feeling like I expect to be physical with her. Like she has to give me that to have the security I’m trying to offer.