Page 83 of My Pucking Enemy

She swallows, glances at the water again, as though looking to it for answers. Finally, on a sigh, finding my gaze again, she says, “I’m not sure I’m going to be a good mom.”

“You will,” I say, instantly. Wren and I have talked about having kids—we want to, but we’re not going to push it if it doesn’t happen. She’s not interested in IVF, and we could both be happy without, if that’s what it comes to.

But I know she would make an excellent mother. And I’d love the opportunity to be the father of her children, to show my kids the kind of love my parents have always shown me.

“I guess we’ll find out,” she says, her voice choked, and it’s at this moment that I realize why she’s crying, and it sends first a flash of cold, then hot through my entire body.

“Wren.” I pull back, look her over as though I might be able to spot visible changes. “Are you…are you sure?”

In true Wren fashion, perhaps knowing that I would want to see if for myself, she reaches into her back pocket and pulls out a piece of paper. Labs from the doctor.

She’s pregnant.

Joy floods through me, impossibly bright, so warm and fizzing that I can taste it. I scoop her up into my arms, making hersqueal and drop the paper, which lands in the pool, the ink bleeding as it sinks away into the depths.

“Luca,” she admonishes, looking up into my eyes. “You’d better be careful with me. I’m carrying precious cargo.”

“And I’m carrying you, from now until your due date,” I say, holding her tight to my chest, burying my face in her hair.

“Are you crying?” she asks, and when I pull back, she reaches up to wipe the tears from my face.

“I just can’t believe I’m really getting everything I’ve ever wanted.”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far. You still can’t beat me at pool.”

“Unlike my sister, I know how to set realistic goals.”

Wren laughs, and when I lean down to kiss her, I’m stopped by the lights on the deck flashing.

“Uh, hello?” Katie calls from the deck, waving her arm like we’re two boats passing at sea. “Get the hell in here, guys! We’re going to do presents, and I need everyone to see that I got the best one!”

“What are you guys doing out here?” Astrid asks, appearing behind Katie.

“He’s going to throw her in the pool,” Maverick says, to which Ruby shoves him lightly, and Leo, their son, laughs at the exchange.

“You already proposed, Luca,” Sloane hollers, appearing next. “Or did you forget that?”

Then Cal shows up behind his sister, and when our eyes lock, I know he knows. We have best friend telepathy like that. And he also knows that right now, Wren and I just want to revel in this for a bit longer.

“Come on, guys,” Cal says, ushering them all back inside. “We’ll start presents in just five minutes.”

“Perfect,” Wren whispers, her eyes flying to mine as the others disperse. “Is that enough time to strategize on how we’re going to keep this a secret?”

I laugh, bring my mouth down to hers, knowing I’ll remember this moment in the backyard, the sound of the pool lapping quietly at my feet, the low hum of everyone we love just on the other side of the wall from us.

“Well, it is what we do best.”