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“I’ll run you a bath when we get home,” he offers without a second thought.

I think today was more for him than it was for me. He is literally wearing the title ofDaddyas a badge of honor. He’s excited to become a father and wants everyone to know. Unlike me, I didn’t want anyone to know about the pregnancy at all. I even lied about how I got pregnant to my best friend. Warren always was the more social one, the outgoing and extroverted one. I’d be happy to remain in my bookstore with all my stories, a crackling fire in my stove wrapped in a blanket with a jar of pickles and nothing more. Though now there’s something new in my daydream, Warren at my side wrapping me in his arms and a smiling baby boy playing on the floor.

Owen and Warren make their way to the kitchen and dining room packaging up leftovers and disposing of empty food containers, enough out of earshot that they can’t hear what we’re talking about.

“So how are things going with Warren, Rae?”

Gigi’s soft-spoken question draws my attention away from watching Warren and daydreaming of a scene that may be more possible now than ever before. I roll my head on the couch cushion enough to look at my grandma’s wrinkled and loving face. Her white hair is piled neatly on top of her head in a bun, and she even brushed on a bit of blush and lipstick for the party. She looks tired from the long day, probably having started much earlier than when I arrived, to help Izzy decorate and set everything up. Not to mention cooking most of the food.

“Things are going pretty well actually. Having him around is very helpful.”

“Oh yeah, I bet he’s beenrealhelpful. You’ve been smiling a hell of a lot more lately, which I can only assume is because of him.” Izzy waggles her eyebrows suggestively and I have to smother a grin trying to play it cool.

It’s a bit late for that now I suppose, since I’m pregnant with his baby. They already know we were having sex before, it’s not a stretch to assume we’re having sex now.

“Yeah well, you’re not wrong,” I admit quietly.

Izzy makes an “Oooh” noise like a gossiping teenager and pokes at my thigh. Again, not wrong.

“That’s good sweetheart, I’m so glad you two were able to work things out. I look forward to a wedding in the future.”

“A wedding?!” I practically choke on my spit. “Don’t you think that’s a little presumptuous? I mean we’ve only technically been together for like a month.”

“You two have been dancing around each other for years. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve ‘technically’ been dating.” Gigi uses air quotes like a pro around technically, giving me a sardonic look. “You know each other better than anyone.”

“Except me,” Izzy chimes in, as usual.

“Except Izzy of course,” Gigi acquiesces. “Just because what you call each other has changed doesn’t mean your feelings have.”

“Personally, I’m glad you finally hooked up. I was getting tired of the constant swooning and staring,” Izzy not so helpfully adds.

“What? I didn’t swoon!” I exclaim.

“Sure, you didn’t,” Izzy rolls her eyes, giving me a knowing look.

Okay I most definitely swooned, like a lot. But I’m not going to admit to that. Especially not when Warren could hear it. He’d never let me live it down.

“Whatever, but that doesn’t mean we have to get married.”

Not that I don’t want to get married, I would love to marry Warren. But having a child and now living together is already a big step. Marriage will just have to wait. At least, I hope. It’s only over the last few weeks that Warren has shifted his view on living in Homer or even in Alaska. Sure, he’s here right now and present in our lives but he’s not legally or financially tethered to me, to us. If he wanted to, he could leave at any time. Marriage would be cement level permanent. Something he’s always had an aversion to.

“You don’t have to get married, no. But I think you will, all the same.” Gigi proclaims calmly.

My eyes snap up to hers trying to read her meaning. Does she know something I don’t? Warren has never mentioned ever wanting to marry anyone. Family, marriage, the house with the picket fence were always the things he never wanted.

“Why do you say that?” I ask, needing to know what she knows. Although no one can ever truly know what Gigi knows. I think she’s part psychic and just won’t tell us.

She shrugs a sweater covered shoulder and sips at her steaming tea. “No reason, just a feeling.”

Her eyes flick to Warren moving around in the kitchen then back to me and even though she tries to hide it I see the grin on her lips behind her teacup.

I know from years of trying, that begging her to tell me won’t garner any more information than she’s willing to give, so I let it go. For now. I’ll try again later when we’re alone.

The baby kicks and effectively draws our attention away from all talk of marriage, even Warren and Owen come back to feel him kick.

I have all four of their hands on my stomach and Noah inside practicing to be a heavy metal drummer, using my organs as practice drums.

“Okay I think we need to go for a walk to get him to calm down. He’s all excited now.”