Page 43 of The Proposal (Brides of Beaufort 1)

She had me there. I’d always wanted kids. My dad was a huge part of my life, and I loved the idea of being a father someday. But being a parent was more than biology. “Lemme ask you this: is it that you don’t want to be a mom at all, or that you don’t want to pass on the HCM? Because there are other options. We could adopt.”

With a heavy sigh, she shrugged. “I’m not opposed to it. I’m still scared to leave a child without a mother if something happens to me.”

“I see.”

“Is that a deal breaker?”

I shook my head, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. “No. Nothing you could say right now would be a deal breaker for me. Well, except if you said you’d never make me that baked ziti again. If you said that, I’d leave—end of story.”

Her laughter made my chest fill with warmth. I loved to make her laugh. I loved that our years of friendship meant we could laugh even through the darkest moments. “I promise I’ll make the baked ziti again.”

“Good.”

“And I promise I’ll consider adoption, too.”

I kissed her forehead, then stepped back. “None of that needs to be settled tonight. I’m in this for the long haul, okay? We’ll figure it out as it comes. Together. The only thing you need to promise me is that you’re not going to try to make any more decisions about what’s best for me. You’re what’s best for me. This is what’s best for me. And as long as I’m what’s best for you too, we’re good.”

With a breathy sigh, she moved into my arms, tucking her head against my chest as I wrapped my arms around her. “I promise.”