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“If that’s too soon, sometime before the baby is born would be ideal. So we can bring him or her home, together.”

Her smile fades, and she chews on the side of her lip. “Shit. Now I feel bad.”

“Why?”

“Because, that cake I was decorating…” She gestures in the direction of the kitchen. “It’s a baby shower cake,” she says guiltily. “The girls are throwing me a shower next month, and I’ve been working on a practice cake. I thought I might also make it a gender reveal cake.”

“So, why would that make you feel bad?”

“Because, I didn’t tell you… You know that blood draw we did, for the paternity test?”

“Sure…” We both got the test results. Which confirmed that I’m the baby’s father.

“Well, with that same blood sample—my blood, I mean—they can look at the baby’s sex chromosomes. So, they can tell the baby’s gender.” She gazes at me with her open blue eyes.

“You know our baby’s gender?”

“Don’t be mad.”

“Why would I be mad?” I’m thrilled, actually.

“Because I asked them to email the result to me?” she says. “And I got the email yesterday. But I didn’t look, I swear. I was so mad at you, I considered peeking today. But I couldn’t do it. It felt wrong, like I’d be meeting our baby for the first time, and you weren’t there.”

“Oh.” I don’t know what to say. I’m really not mad. “Wait, though. I saw pink icing on that cake.”

“Yeah. I was going to do the whole thing pinkandblue. And then maybe when we cut into it, everyone gets to see the reveal?”

“That could be cute…”

She blinks at me. She’s practically buzzing with excitement. “You don’t know how hard it’s been not to open that email.”

“So, then… we could open it together?”

“We could.”

“Like… right now?”

Quinn bites her lip again and pulls out her phone.

She opens the email, and we read it together.

Chapter 31

Quinn

Iwake up in Harlan’s bed, to Harlan kissing my neck and chest.

“I’m so sleepy,” I mumble.

“I know, but it’s time to go.”

“Nooo,” I moan softly as he kisses his way up my throat.

“Oh, yes. We have an appointment and we can’t be late.”

I groan as he lifts me off the bed. “But I love it in your bed,” I protest weakly, trying to wake up, and he chuckles.I love you.The words almost fall from my lips, but don’t.

He puts me on my feet, and pulls on his jacket. “You’ll be back in my bed in a few hours,” he assures me.