Page 45 of It Happened Back Then (Nilsson Family #3)

I slowly come awake, the sun shining through the windows warming my skin. I breathe deep, waiting for the nausea to hit, but for the first time in a couple weeks, I feel pretty good.

I open my eyes and see Bennett’s sitting up in bed, leaning against the headboard. He’s shirtless and watching me like he hasn’t slept all night.

“What?” I croak, still half asleep.

He smiles. “Good morning to you too.”

“Morning,” I mumble, and he chuckles.

“I forgot you’re not much of a morning person.”

“Mm. Why are you staring?” I bury my face into the pillow.

“Just wondering when you put my shirt on last night.”

I peek at him, as he snuggles down in the bed, closer to me. “I was hoping to still find you naked this morning.” He waggles his brows and I giggle.

“I need coffee first.”

His laughter rumbles in his chest, and something in me relaxes completely as he kisses my forehead, running his hand over my ass before giving it a swat. “Already brewing. I’ll go make us some breakfast.”

I turn over as he gets up from the bed, his shorts sitting low on his hips. Memories of last night come back fast, and instead of feeling underwater, for the first time in a long time, I feel peaceful. Like this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.

I use the bathroom, brush my teeth, and try to control my hair a bit before joining him in the kitchen. He’s got eggs and pancake batter out, and a small plate of bacon.

“I didn’t even smell the bacon cooking.”

He looks at me and begins to crack a couple eggs into the bowl. “I wasn’t sure what foods you could tolerate so I haven’t cooked anything yet. That bacon is from the restaurant. I can warm it up if you feel like having it.”

“That’s really sweet of you.” I walk to him and circle my arms around his back. “My first thought when I woke up was that I actually feel good today, no nausea.”

He turns and faces me, wrapping his arms around me. “That was your first thought? Not how good I gave it to you last night, but that you didn’t feel like throwing up? I don’t know whether to be happy or insulted.”

I swat his chest, and he laughs holding me tighter. “That was my second thought, so be proud of yourself.”

He snickers. “Want to try some eggs?”

I nod my head and grab the orange juice from the fridge. “I do. And pancakes too.”

“You got it.”

He moves around the kitchen easily and I set the table for us. It’s familiar yet new and still exciting. I’m happy this is what life looks like now.

I sit at the table and sip my juice. “What’s your favorite thing to cook? ”

He glances at me over his shoulder, flipping a pancake like it’s nothing. “You mean, like, ever?”

I nod. “Yeah. Your go-to meal when you’re feeling good.”

He thinks for a second, then grins. “Peach cobbler.”

I snort.

“Anything with peaches, honestly. You turned me onto them at a young age.”

I sigh. “Glad I could feed the fascination.”

He winks and when he turns back to the stove, I watch him, shirtless and barefoot, laughing and making breakfast like it’s just something we do. It’s not forced and doesn't feel like we’re pretending. I get a glimpse of this same morning, but with two or maybe three kids adding to the chaos.

He plates the eggs and pancakes, then sits down with me, scraping some onto a new plate and sliding it over. I pour another juice and slide it his way. I smile as I see his lips twitch and I know he’s thinking the same thing I am.

This is how it’s meant to be.

“So, since we’re telling secrets of the past,” I look at him with wide eyes and he laughs, “I have a confession.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Tread carefully. I’m hormonal.”

He shoves a forkful of eggs into his mouth, chewing and then washing it down with juice. “Remember the gym guy you had a date with? The one who beeped the horn at you instead of coming to the door like a real man?”

I sit back in my chair, absentmindedly running my hand over my belly. “I mean, kind of. It was years ago. What about him?”

“I asked Meadow who he was and then, as fate would have it, I actually ran into him when I was in Bluemoon for my interview at The Luxury.”

“What did you do?”

He shrugs, like he’s asking about the weather. “I may have told him you were dealing with a complicated ex and he should steer clear of you.”

My jaw drops. “Bennett!”

“What?” he says, completely unapologetic. “It wasn’t a lie. I was complicated. We were complicated. And you were mine. So he didn’t need to be anywhere near the picture.”

I try to act mad, but he sees right through it. He stands from the table, with his plate in hand, leaning across and giving me a kiss. “I mean, look at us now. It’d be kind of weird having to fit a third plate here at the table for the guy.”

I laugh. “You’re ridiculous.”

“But you love me.” He winks and puts his plate in the sink before coming back to clear the rest of the table.

I do. I really, really do.