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“Oh, sweetheart.” She doesn’t bother hiding the teary quality of her voice. “You listen to me. You are the sweetest gift your father and I were ever given. Bringing you into this world is our greatest joy. You have never stolen a single minute from us. Do you hear me? Yougaveus life. You didn’t take it away.”

I can’t stifle the sob in my throat now, sniffling into the phone. “Mom.”

“I wish you’d told me this sooner, but I’m happy you’re telling me now. I don’t want you feeling like this for even one more day. You’re a gift, Dani. Understand? I need you to know that.”

I’m nodding knowing full well she can’t see it, unable to form actual words.

“Dani?”

“Yeah,” I say shakily. “I love you, Mom. Dad too.”

“We love you too, Dani. So much. There’s nothing we love more.”

“I’ll see you this weekend, all right?”

“We’ll see you then, honey.”

I hang up the phone as a tear tracks down my cheek, but despite the way I can’t seem to keep them in, I feel…happy. For the first time in a long time, I feel like everything is ahead of me. Like there’s nothing holding me back.

The patio door opens, Ezra peeking out at me, his face immediately filled with concern when he notices me crying. “Hey.” He rushes over to crouch in front of me, wiping a tear away with his thumb. “You okay?”

I give him a watery smile, gently running my fingers through his golden hair, trailing them down his cheek and over his jaw after, wondering how I got so lucky.

“Yeah,” I tell him, meaning it. “I really am.”

•••

Hours later inEzra’s bed, long after I’ve told him all about my day and the phone call with my mother, I’m still marveling at how content I feel just to lie here with him. Sure, sex with Ezra is intense, and mind-blowing, and an experience like no other—but this is just as good, I realize. Lying here with him, just like this.

His fingers trail up and down my spine, his lips resting against my temple as his breath ruffles my hair. It’s…bliss, if I’m being honest.

“You know,” he mumbles. “I never thought in a million years that you’d be here in my bed like this.”

I hum into his chest. “I did.”

“Bullshit,” he laughs.

“No, I did,” I sigh. “I think that’s why I was so adamant not to let you bring me into it. I knew if I ever ended up here, I’d never leave.”

“Wow, Dani. You are so obsessed with me.”

He yelps when I pinch his side.

“Asshole.”

He grins against my hair. “I know.”

“So what now?”

He leans back, meeting my eyes. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…what happens now?”

“Whatever we want, Dani.” He pushes my hair away from my face. “Sky’s the limit.”

“Do you know what you’re going to do for work?”

“What,” he snorts, “you don’t want to be my sugar mama?”