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“He’s so hot,” she added. I didn’t like that, but she distracted me by adding, “He’s like really into you.”

I stared at her, trying to figure out how she’d gotten that out of our brief and tense interaction. “He takes being a father very seriously,” I finally settled on saying. It sort of explained everything.

“I knew you had an affair with him and all,” she continued like I hadn’t spoken, “but I didn’t think it was like that. He’s, like, obsessed with you.”

Again, I didn’t see how she got that out of a few seconds of him ordering me to sit down. “It’s just because of the baby,” I explained. “He might be obsessed with the baby.”

She shot me a look like I was the crazy one. “Why on earth would you leave him when you were pregnant and he’s like in love with you?”

“He was never in love with me,” I said firmly. “Not even a little bit. Trust me.”

“Nova,” Carter’s voice barked out.

I jumped in my seat. I hadn’t even noticed the door to my bedroom opening again. “Yes?” I answered.

His jaw was clenched so hard it looked like it was a struggle for him to open it up to speak, “You don’t have anything to wear for the wedding. We’ll have to make a quick stop somewhere. Why don’t you map out a maternity store you like while I work on this?”

He looked at my friend. “Maddie, will you get her a glass of water?” He glanced back at me. “This is going to take a minute, but I think I can get most of your stuff packed into my car now. Just give me thirty minutes.” He disappeared again.

“Can I be like a witness at your wedding?” Maddie asked as she handed me a glass of water a minute later.

I beamed at her. “I love that idea.”

“That’s fine,” Carter called from the bedroom. He had unholy hearing, I was learning. “As long as you don’t mind taking your own car. Ours is going to be a bit stuffed.”

“You could fill up my car too,” she called back to him helpfully. “After you get hitched, I can follow you back to your place, save you a trip.”

He appeared in the doorway with an armful of my clothing. He seemed to think about it. “No, that’s all right. We’ll have to come back again to get her car tomorrow anyway.”

“I could get my car now and just meet you at the courthouse,” I suggested.

He stared at me and it didn’t feel friendly. “No, that’s all right,” he said shortly, and went back into my room.

“I don’t think he’s going to let you out of his sight any time soon,” Maddie noted a bit gleefully.

Clearly she found us both entertaining.

In less than thirty minutes we were driving again, Maddie following, as we headed to a maternity store. “I don’t know what to wear to something like this,” I said somewhat absently. I was mostly thinking out loud.

“Something like this?” he asked acerbically. “You mean a wedding? I’d recommend a dress, preferably a white one.”

I looked down at my big belly, amused. “I don’t think white is quite the right color.”

He put a warm hand on my belly, eyes still aimed straight ahead at the road. “Yes, it is. You’re marrying the man that took your virtue. The only man you’ll be with for the rest of your life. For that, you wear white.”

I was trembling, tears running down my face. I covered his hand with both of my own. I loved him so much, and it was an effort not to say it out loud. “Okay,” I finally managed to get out. “I’ll wear white.”

I thought he’d let Maddie and I handle it, but Carter didn’t stay in the car when we got to the maternity boutique. He followed me in and started going through racks of pregnancy dresses like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Maddie and I watched him, both a little thunderstruck, I think.

He held up a gauzy white dress before I even started looking. “Will you try this one on?”

“Okay,” I said, moving to take the dress without even thinking about it.

“Why don’t you go to the dressing room and we’ll bring you what we find?” he suggested, going through dresses again.

I obeyed automatically, still shell-shocked by the strange, eventful day.