Page 14

The house is alive with the warmth of a Sunday afternoon—sunlight streaming through the windows, birds singing outside, the faint smell of coffee in the air. Calder’s truck is parked outside, its presence familiar and comforting after all these years.

I’m sitting on the kitchen counter, my legs dangling, watching him as he moves around the kitchen.

There’s something so calming about the way he works—his focus, the ease with which he goes about his tasks.

He looks more at peace now, the weight of his past finally starting to lift.

He’s still the gruff, protective man I fell for, but softer in the ways that matter most.

He turns to look at me, catching the way I’m staring. A small, knowing smile plays at the corner of his lips.

“Stop looking at me like that,” he mutters, wiping his hands on a dish towel.

I grin, biting my bottom lip. “Like what?”

“Like you’ve got something up your sleeve,” he says, narrowing his eyes. “You’ve been quiet all morning.”

I laugh, shaking my head. "You’ve been reading me for too long.”

I slide off the counter, walking over to him. He steps aside, letting me take the last spot at the kitchen table, and then leans against the counter, arms crossed over his chest. His gaze softens as I walk toward him.

I pause, my heart racing in my chest as I look up at him. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt nervous about something like this, but today feels different.

“Calder,” I say, my voice steady now but still full of warmth. “I’ve been meaning to tell you something.”

He raises an eyebrow, his attention fixed on me. “What is it?”

I take a deep breath, my smile growing. “I’m pregnant.”

His eyes widen in disbelief. For a heartbeat, he’s frozen, and then everything shifts. His face breaks into a wide, joyful grin, and without warning, he sweeps me up into his arms, lifting me off the ground like I’m weightless.

His laugh is full of excitement, raw and full of joy. “You’re pregnant?” His voice cracks slightly with emotion. “Oh, my God, we’re going to have a baby!”

I laugh, my heart swelling as I hold him tightly. “Yes! We’re going to have a baby, Calder!”

He pulls back just enough to look at me, his hands trembling as they rest on my back. “I didn’t think... I didn’t think this would happen, but... I’m going to be the best father I can be. I swear to you, I’ll do everything I can to make sure this little one has everything they need.”

I smile, my hand gently resting on my belly. “I know you will. You’re going to be amazing.”

He brushes his fingers over my cheek, his eyes still sparkling with the joy of the moment. He presses his forehead to mine, his voice barely a whisper. “I’m just so... I’m so damn happy. I never thought this was in the cards for me...”

He pulls me back into his arms, kissing me deeply, tenderly, his hands gripping me like he’s afraid to let me go. We stand there for a long moment, wrapped up in the new, unexpected joy of this news, both of us overwhelmed in the best way.

After the kiss, Calder pulls back, looking at me with a soft grin. “Do you know how happy you’ve just made me?”

I chuckle softly. “I think I do. I can feel it.”

He shakes his head in awe, his voice full of affection. “I never thought I’d get this—get us. But now, I’m just... I’m just ready. Ready for everything. For this, for you, for us.”

I rest my hand on his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart. “We’re in this together.”

“We are,” he agrees, pulling me in for another kiss, slow and deep, as if sealing this new chapter of our lives. “I can’t wait to be a dad. And I’ll do anything, anything at all, to make sure you and our baby feel loved and safe.”

“I know you will,” I whisper, smiling against his lips.

He laughs again, a sound full of joy and relief, and when he pulls back, he looks at me with the same wonder in his eyes. “We’re going to be parents. Can you believe it?”

“I can’t believe it, but I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else.”

His grin widens, his voice thick with happiness. “Good. Because I’m not letting you go anywhere.”

" My Fearless Mountain Man" is a part of the steamy, rugged Summer in the Pines series sure to get your heart pumping.