Page 40 of Forest Reed (Seals on Fraiser Mountain #8)

Zoe

I’d been through gunfights, explosions, and one very determined psychopath—but nothing rattled me like the little white stick shaking in my hand.

Four months. I counted back, it’s been four freaking months since I’ve had a period. Why haven’t I noticed that?

Four. Months.

Forest sat across from me at Lane’s kitchen table, staring at the same test like it might sprout fangs. His knuckles were white on the edge of his chair, jaw working but no words coming out.

“This is… impossible,” he muttered.

I rubbed my temples. “You said that about the bomb at the dam, too, remember? Spoiler alert—it wasn’t. We never used anything.”

Jason, bless him, had the good sense to back quietly out of the room with his coffee mug, muttering, “Nope. Not my fight.”

That left me, Forest, and Lane—who was leaning against the counter with her arms crossed, clearly enjoying every second.

Forest finally lifted his eyes to mine. “You’re pregnant. We are having a baby!

My laugh came out strangled. “Congratulations, Sherlock.”

His hand raked through his hair, and then, like it just dropped from the sky, he blurted, “We’re getting married. Immediately.”

My jaw dropped. “Excuse me? You can’t just—” My throat tightened, eyes burning. “You haven’t even said you love me.”

The words cracked out before I could stop them, raw and humiliating.

Silence. His face went pale like I’d just shot him, and for once, Forest Reed—the unshakable mountain man—looked utterly, hopelessly lost.

I shoved away from the table, tears stinging my cheeks. “You can risk your life for me, burn the world down for me, but you can’t say it?”

Forest’s mouth opened, closed. He actually stammered. “I—Zoe, I…”

That was when Lane smacked her palm on the table so hard that both of us jumped.

“Enough!” she snapped. “You two survived bombs, bullets, and North freakin’ himself, and now you’re melting down over the word love? Really? Have either told the other how much you loved them?

I sniffed, glaring. “Easy for you to say. Jason has always loved you. I’ve been waiting for Forest to tell me he loves me, and then I would tell him. I’m not going to marry anyone who can’t tell me how much he loves me.”

Lane rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might stick. “Forest—” she jabbed a finger at him, “—tell her you love her before I tattoo it on your forehead.”

Forest blinked at her, then at me. His jaw worked again, and finally—finally—the words tore free, raw and rough. “I love you, Zoe. More than I’ve ever loved anyone or anything. I thought you knew that. Haven’t I shown you in every way that I love you?”

I froze, stunned.

Lane threw her hands up. “See? Was that so hard? Now hug, cry, whatever—because I’m ordering cake. Pregnant women deserve cake.”

Jason poked his head back in, grinning. “What’d I miss?”

Lane smirked. “A proposal, a meltdown, and my new career as a relationship therapist. Pay up later.”

I laughed through my tears, shaking my head as Forest pulled me into his arms. His heartbeat thundered against mine, steady and sure.

Pregnant. Engaged. Terrified. But for once, maybe, safe.

Forest muttered into my hair, voice low and fierce. “We’re doing this, Zoe. Married. A family. I’m not letting you go.”

And for the first time, I believed him.

“We need a different place to live. That cabin is too torn up to bring a baby home to.”

“I have another home. It’s here in Fraiser Mountain, down the road from here.”

“Then why were we staying in that old cabin?”

“Because we were far away from everyone else.”

“I love you so much, and I’m quitting my job. I’m staying home with our baby.”

You can work with me. It’s always quiet on Fraiser Mountain,” Lane said.

We all burst into laughter.

Keep reading for more of SEALs On Fraiser Mountain. Liam James, coming in November