Her lips curve as she leans her head to my chest. "This is all so sweet."

Wrapping my arms around her shoulders, I nuzzle my nose in her hair. "Do you like it? The apartment?"

She nods against me. "I do. I love it. It's ours."

"It is. But hey, go look in the crib."

She looks up at me, suspicion in her eyes. "There isn't like some creepy baby doll in there, is there?" She moves out of my arms and I roll my eyes.

"No, freak, just go look." Walking behind her, I stop when she does and smile when she gasps.

"Oh my goodness," she coos, picking up the little Bullies jersey. Turning to me, her lips puckered out, she holds it up. "It's perfect."

"I figured baby needs one."

"They do," she giggles as she lifts her shirt and lays it against her little b.u.mp. I know it's such a simple little movement, something that women probably do all the time, but it does something to me. I don't know, but it just seems so much more real when she stands like that, her hands grasping her little b.u.mp. She looks up at me with tears in her eyes, and I smile as I reach out, poking my baby's little home. "I never thought this would happen when I met you," she whispers.

Looking up from her belly, I shrug. "Me either."

She smiles brightly up at me. "But I'm so happy."

"Good, that's what I want."

Chewing on her lip, she looks down at her stomach. I take a step forward, holding my hands onto hers. As I lean my chin against her forehead, she sucks in a breath. "I'm glad we're doing this. I'm glad that I grew a pair and walked out of that d.a.m.n abortion clinic. I can't believe I thought that was the only way. Watching my stomach grow and realizing that I'll feel it move soon just blows my mind, you know?"

"Yeah," I say roughly against her hair. Sliding my hands around her, I hold her to me as I close my eyes. "But you were leaving no matter what. If I had to drag you out, you were gonna have my baby-with me."

She kisses my throat. "Oh, is that right?"

"Oh yeah, and you know it."

"I guess I always did," she whispers, sliding her hands up my chest and around my neck. "But now I couldn't walk away if I tried."

"Probably 'cause I'd take out your knees."

She nods. "There is that."

"And chain you to the bed."

"You dirty man," she gasps and I grin.

"Yeah, sorry for ya. You're mine."

"And you're mine."

"No doubting that," I whisper against her temple just as a little pink envelope catches my gaze. "Hey, there is something else in there for you."

She doesn't even pause; she lets me go and reaches for the envelope, opening it quickly. Her eyes widen and she grins before looking up at me. "You got it?"

"I told you I would," I say as she rocks back on her heels.

"Yeah, but it costs a lot. We can wait."

"Or we can go find out what the baby is early."

She wiggles her hips before wrapping me up in her arms, her lips coming crashing into mine. Holding her tightly, I slide my hands down her back, gripping her by the back of her thighs before lifting her up and carrying her back to our bedroom. Still kissing her, I lay her down slowly, her fingers threading in my hair as I cover her body with mine, not wanting to hurt her.

"Oh G.o.d, we can have s.e.x without interruption. However will we contain our excitement?"

I laugh as I pull her leggings and panties down. "Baby, you don't have to contain anything."

Giggling, she throws off her shirt as I do the same, tossing it to the floor with hers. As I undo my pants, I take in her sweet body, her growing abdomen, and then the scars that cover her inner thighs. Leaning down, I kiss her right in the middle of her breast before trailing kisses down her ribs to her belly. I fall between her legs, and they come up, wrapping around my chest as I move my fingers along her. Looking up, she meets my gaze as she slides her fingers into my hair, a little kitten smile on her sweet lips.

A lump forms in my throat as I get lost in her eyes, my finger dancing along the place where my child grows. I wonder what it will look like. Will it have my eyes, hers, or a mixture, changing with its mood? I want to know if it will be a girl, because I think that's what I want. I want a little version of the person who holds my heart in her hands. I want to come home to my girls, my loves. But then, a little boy would be life-altering too. Someone like me. Tearing up the world. Jeez, it would be awesome. Either way. But I don't care because what I want is for it to be healthy and come from this gorgeous woman I'm totally in love with.

Moving her finger along my cheekbones, she smiles. "You look like you're gonna cry."

Smiling bashfully, I look away, shaking my head. "Men don't cry."

She grins, rolling her eyes. "Sure, they don't."

"It's allergies."

"Oh, those pesky things."

"For sure," I say, swallowing hard. "Hey, Avery?"

"Yeah, Jace?"

"Can I tell you something and you not laugh?"

She smiles, her eyes burning into mine. "Yeah."

I hesitate because it's kind of corny, but I have to tell her. I want her to know. Clearing my throat free of emotion, I whisper, "I used to think that the ultimate high, the number one thing in my life, was hockey. I used to think nothing could come close to the way the ice makes me feel, the way it smells, the feel of it against my skin. The sounds of my stick against the puck or the rush of scoring. I really thought it was life, but I was wrong."

Her eyes turn softer as she holds my gaze. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," I say, pressing my lips to her belly. "Because nothing can even come close to the smell or feel of your skin. The sounds you make when I kiss you, or touch you, or the rush I feel when I see my baby growing inside of you. I thought I could never love anything more than hockey, but then you came along, and yeah, you're it. You and our baby."

When her lip trembles, I smile as I shake my head. She sits up, taking my face in her hands. Kissing my lips, she presses her nose to mine and squeezes her eyes shut tightly. Clearing her throat, she smiles as her lips quirk at the side. "You are everything I never thought I could ever have. The love, the completion, everything. You are really amazing, Jace, and I can't thank you enough for making me feel important."

"You don't have to," I whisper against her lips. "You won't ever have to thank me for anything as long as you keep kissing me."

She smiles against my lips, and my eyes fall shut as she whispers, "Done."

I love when he touches my stomach.

I don't know why, but it's just so much more real when he does it.

Watching as his finger swirls around my belly b.u.t.ton, I kiss his bare chest and snuggle closer to him while still taking in the room we're lying in. Jace, or maybe it was Lucy, didn't hold back on designing of every inch of this apartment. She made it a home, with little things that are so us. Pictures hang on a string along the wall by the bathroom, each one reminding me of a moment in our lives. He did all this for me. It's so sweet, and honestly, it's taking everything not to break out in tears.

I'm so unbelievably happy.

Has it been easy? Maybe in the beginning. But since the moment I told Jace I was pregnant, it's been a whirlwind that he has handled with such grace. It blows my mind-this goofy, wannabe player, spoiled brat stepped up and became a man in seconds. I don't know how I got so lucky to be the one to get the stand-up guy, but I'm pretty sure it was the work of G.o.d. He made him for me. Yeah, this isn't what either of us wanted at this exact moment, but I wouldn't change anything.

Not when I can't even stop smiling.

"So," he says and I look up into his smiling face. "According to the book, we are out of the first trimester."

"Yeah." I eye him, unsure where he is going with this. "And?"

"And that means we can make it Facebook-official," he waggles his eyebrows at me and I laugh as he sits up, pulling on a pair of shorts before grabbing his phone.

"Seriously?" I ask, my body still humming from the amazing love we just made. "Everyone who matters knows."

"Nothing is official without Facebook," he says, throwing my panties and bra to me.

"Um, I disagree. This kid is growing with or without Facebook."

He sticks his tongue out at me, and I roll my eyes as I slip my bra on. "True, but I want everyone to know."

"Why?" I ask, hooking the clasp.

"'Cause I'm proud of my little family."

That makes my heart melt as I slide my panties up. Grinning over at him, I say, "Wow, that's dots worthy."

He flashes me all his teeth as he reaches for me, pulling me out of the bed. "Hey, just 'cause we are married doesn't mean I won't make you swoon still."

"I think it's a rule. That stops."

He scoffs. "Not in this marriage."

I grin at him, and he hands me his phone before he goes down on his knees. Looking up at me with his lips pressed to my belly, he asks, "How's this look?"

I shake my head, holding the phone out to the side before clicking the picture. "There."

Standing up, he takes his phone and nods. "That's the winner."

He holds it out for me to see and I grin. We look so cute, his eyes squeezed shut as he kisses our baby. I love how in love he is with our child. He is always talking to it, telling it how much he loves it. It's beautiful and so awe-inspiring. He blows my mind. Truly.

"It is," I say roughly and he winks before sitting down beside me. I reach for my phone and he types away as I lean against him. I check my mail while I wait to see what he posts. He's known for his over-the-top posts, so I'm really excited but a bit nervous. I don't know why, because everyone already a.s.sumes we are pregnant since we got married so quickly. I want people to know we got married because we are in love, not because we were pregnant. But really, would we have done it this way if we hadn't been pregnant? I know the answer, but I just don't like that everyone's right.

When a text sounds, I hit it, seeing that it's from my mom. I haven't heard from her in weeks.

Mom: Hey honey, you busy?

Me: Nope, we just moved in to the apartment.

Mom: Oh! Fun! Is it nice?

Me: It is for us.

Mom. How sweet! I remember my first apartment. Poor Seth had to sleep in our room with us.

Me: Wow, yeah, we have two bedrooms. Jace already has the crib set up.

Mom: Aw! That's sweet!

Me: Yeah. I'm happy.

Mom: Good, you should be.

I smile at that as another text comes through.

Mom: How are you feeling?

Closing my eyes, I beg the tears to not fall. I've wanted my mom to ask me this since the moment I told her. I wanted her to care, to share funny little stories, and tell me it gets better. Instead, Lucy and Jace's mom have been doing that.

Not my mom.

And that hurts.

Me: I'm not puking anymore, which is awesome, but I'm still tired, all the time.

Mom: Yeah, I slept the whole time I was pregnant with you and Matty. It drains you for sure.

Me: Yeah.

Mom: How far along are you now? 3 months?

It surprises me she knows that.

Me: Yeah, 13 weeks. We are going in two weeks for the 4-D ultrasound. Just found out today.

Mom: Fun! Right around the time we will be there then.

I pause and reach for the appointment card.

Me: Actually, two days before you come in.

Mom: Maybe, we'll come in early, go shopping and get to know Jace.

Me: I'd like that.

Mom: Let me see what I can do. Are you guys good for Thanksgiving?

Me: Yeah, we are going to Jace's mom's with his sister. His brothers and their wives can't come in this year, so his mom wants to have one more Thanksgiving with Jace before he drafts.