Holy. Mother. Of. God.

Gavin blinked, swallowed hard, and slowly dragged his hand from her nape. Hed always known how to handle Emily. Shit, he was placed on the earth to do just that. But the woman before him was losing it. Thinking fast, he tossed his hand through his hair and took a shot at the only thing he thought might calm her. Sit down on the floor with me.

Teary eyes wide, Emily furrowed her brows. What? You want me to sit on the floor with you in a store?

Gavin sat cross-legged on the maple floor and motioned her down. Emily, we almost had sex on the hood of my car on the side of a road in Mexico. Sit.

Shocked, Emily nervously glanced at shoppers looking at Gavin as though hed lost it. But shed always known he was a tad bit crazy. After a few seconds, she sank to the floor, sitting cross-legged in front of him.

He twined his fingers through hers. With caring eyes and a warm smile, he softly kissed her lips. Hey, he whispered.

A weak smile lifted her mouth. Hey.

My names Gavin Blake, and Im going to school you on babies, okay?

Emily nodded, looking down at their hands. Youre trying to get me to stop bugging out. She brought her gaze back to his, her heart melting. Arent you?

I am, and I will. Give me five minutes. Good?

She bit her lip, focusing on his eyes. Okay.

Pulling her hands into his lap, Gavin sighed in relief. She was already coming down a notch. First: Babies are easy to hold. They trust right away. They know youre there to take care of them. The moment you see him, Emily, you wont be able to help it. Your arms will automatically know what to do. I guarantee youll never want to put him down. Youre so caring and nurturing. Itll come naturally to you. He leaned over and placed another slow kiss on her lips. Okay?

She nodded, trusting him.

Two: When he cries, hes only crying for a few reasons. Either hes hungry, tired, sick, colicky, needs to be burped, needs to be changed, or wants to be held. Or in your case, youve dropped him and hes in severe pain, or you didnt know how to change him and hes been lying in a pissy, shitty diaper all day.

Emily popped a brow. I thought youre attempting to calm me down?

He chuckled and stroked her cheek. My point is, youll know why. Youre going to know why because youre his mother. Youre going to live and breathe for him. Youre going to learn how to burp and bathe him. Youre going to learn how much ointment is the right amount. Hell never starve, because you wont be able to take his crying anymore, and youll probably wind up shoving too many bottles in his mouth.

Emily shook her head and giggled.

Gavin leaned in inches from her face, his eyes focused on hers. And hell never hate you. He couldnt. You love everything around you so easily, which makes you too easy to love. Hes going to feel that. Believe me, he will.

Emily swallowed. You think so?

I know so, doll. Its impossible not to fall in love with you.

And there, sitting on the floor with the man she couldnt live without, the man who showed her what it felt like to really be loved, Emily was no longer afraid of becoming a mother. Instead, she drowned in the fact that not only did the man sitting with her believe in her strengths and was in love with her every weakness, but another little man would soon be equally as in love with her.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Emily pulled open the door to a midtown Starbucks, welcoming the air-conditioned setting from the summer heat. She immediately spotted Olivia, whod jumped up from her chair as though it were set ablaze. Emily squeezed through the lunchtime crowd, excited to see her friend. The last several weeks had been nothing short of chaotic, so their time together became limited at best. With a little over a month until she was due, Emilys schedule danced around weekly doctors appointments, Lamaze classes, and purchasing any last minute baby items she and Gavin could think of.

Smiling, Emily approached Olivia and dropped her purse onto the table. As soon as she went to pull Olivia in for a hug, Emily noticed her friend didnt at all appear her usual self. Whats the matter? Emily scanned Olivias worried expression.

Olivia hesitated, the lines of her frown deepening. I have to talk to you.

All right, Emily drawled, her nerves spiking. Shed never seen Olivia look so panicked. Pulling a chair out from the table, Emily sat. Her head spun over every possible thread of bad news her friend could dish out.

Olivia settled into a chair and slid a Venti drink across the table. I ordered you an iced chai latte. I figured itll help calm your nerves after I tell what I found out.

Emilys heart dropped. Liv, what the hells going on?

Olivia nibbled on her thumb nail. Just promise me you wont get mad at me.

What? Eyes wide, Emily shook her head. Dont get mad at you? What did you do?

Em, just promise me you wont get pissed.

Emily crossed her arms, her stomach twisted in knots. Okay, Olivia, even though you havent told me what I shouldnt be pissed about, I promise Ill try not to get pissed. Is that good enough for you?

Olivia slowly nodded and blew out a puff of air. I She paused, glanced around, and swiped a hand through her hair. I called the Maury Povich show and