Unexpected Fate

Page 81

Lyn and Lila were over the freaking moon about the new status in Cohen’s and my relationship. Maddi was just happy I was happy. They thought that it was the best thing in the world.

Megan was the only voice of reason I had, but even that was short-lived when she witnessed firsthand how Cohen was around me. Her eyes got wet, and after I fussed, she told me that we reminded her of how her husband had been towards her when they’d first gotten together. Of course, that concerned me, but she was able to settle her emotions and, after that, was another cheerleader Cohen had in his corner.

After that, I just decided to say the hell with it and roll with what came.

We’re about to be parents, so it makes sense.

Plus, there’s that whole thing with my heart feeling like it’s breaking in two when he isn’t near.

All things considered, living with the man of my dreams and the love of my life isn’t exactly a hardship.

Between looking for our future home, we’ve spent the last three weeks becoming closer than ever before. In between family dinners at either my parents’ house or his, we’ve spent the majority of the time in bed either making love or talking about everything we can think of.

It’s been some of the best times of my life.

“Come on, Dani-girl. There’s something I want you to see,” he says and gives my arm another tug.

“Okay, okay . . . Jeez,” I laugh and follow him through the front door.

He leads me past the smiling real estate agent and up the huge staircase that dominates the front entry. He doesn’t stop until we’re both facing one of the many closed doors in the upstairs.

“Go ahead,” he urges and nods to the door.

I give him a look but reach out and turn the nob. When my eyes settle around the room he’s found, my lip quivers. “Oh, Cohen. ”

“It’s perfect, hmm?” he says, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my body until he has his hands against my belly. His lips press against my temple. “I figured, with us deciding not to find out the gender, that this color would be perfect. You can match anything you want with a green like this. It reminded me of your eyes, and that made me think about our little one having the same green eyes as you, and it just seemed like a sign. ”

“It’s perfect. ” And it is.

The large room has light-green walls and a dark hardwood finish. The back wall has a huge floor-to-ceiling window that overlooks the wooded backyard. I walk deeper into the room and notice the huge walk-in closet through one doorway. The other doorway leads into a connecting bathroom. I imagine where each item I have carefully planned on buying for our child would go, seeing the room come together instantly.

“This is it, Cohen,” I tell him and watch his handsome face brighten with happiness.

“I hoped you would say that since I put an offer on this one last week. ”

“You did what?” I laugh. “Then why have we been looking at house after house since then?”

“Even on paper, it was perfect, Dani. There’s more than enough room for us and our family to grow. I had no problem putting our future in writing. I wanted you to see your choices before I showed you mine. Had you liked something better, I would have pulled my offer and gotten you that one. ” He walks over and rubs my belly. “You, me, and baby against the world. ”

I nod my head and lean up on my tippy-toes to give him a kiss. “That’s right, Superman. ” I giggle.

I’m not sure what kind of strings Cohen pulled to have us in our home so quickly, but not even a week after he showed me the beautiful home with our child’s perfect nursery, we are moving our stuff in.

Against his better judgment and a lot of convincing from me that I would be perfectly fine at the apartment with Chance, Liam, and my brother—not to mention that my girls were all on their way to help—he left to meet with the realtor and the contractor we had hired to finish our basement and to wait for the furniture company to deliver ninety percent of our stuff. He had a busy day at the new house, and with all of us busy boxing up the rest of Cohen’s and my stuff, it was best for him to leave me here to make sure it gets done.

“Chance!” I yell out Cohen’s bedroom door. “Where is the packaging tape?”

When no one answers, I heave my almost eight-month-pregnant body off the floor and walk into the living room, where I left them arguing over which PlayStation games belong to Cohen and which ones he had stolen from them. Sometimes, I wonder if they’re really grown children.

“Hey, where are you guys?” I ask, looking around.