Chapter 10
Bailey exhaled heavily as she walked up to Duke’s front door.
It had been a long and exhausting day. When she’d awoken next to him this morning, she’d felt a sense of calm that was almost strange.
But the immediate panic she’d felt over a possible unplanned pregnancy had faded some and she felt like she could think about what she wanted to do with a clearer mind.
That included having a heartfelt conversation with her father. She’d pressed him for details about her mother that she hadn’t before now. At first, he’d resisted, but then he realized she wasn’t going to let it go.
While there hadn’t been any shocking revelations, it had been a conversation that had been long overdue.
She had even more admiration for her father.
Even though her mother hadn’t been present in her life, her father had.
While she might not know anything about make-up or fashion she knew the important stuff that she needed to get through life.
And now that she’d made her decision she needed to discuss it with Duke.
Raising her hand, she knocked on the door. It didn’t take long for it to swing open.
“Hi, sweetheart,” he greeted before stepping aside to let her in.
“Hi,” she replied as she stepped over the threshold.
After closing the door, he pulled her into his embrace before briefly touching his lips to hers. When he went to release her, she gripped his biceps and rested her head against his chest. The rhythmic lub-dub made her smile.
“Is everything okay?” he asked as he tightened his arms around her.
She nodded. “Yes. I just like your hugs.”
“You can have as many as you want whenever you want,” he promised.
They stood there for several more minutes before she pulled back to look up at him. “Where do you see our relationship going?”
“The right way,” he replied with a smile. “That’s the reason why I pursued you. I knew we were compatible even if you couldn’t see it at the time.”
“What’s going to happen when your aunt is back on her feet? Are you going back to Des Moines?”
He shook his head. “I like it here in Centerville. I don’t plan to leave Aunt Jorie or you.”
An emotion she couldn’t name filled her as he nixed one of her last remaining fears.
“You’re right. I’ve fallen for you quicker than I ever imagined,” she admitted. “I think I knew something was different about you. That’s why I fought it so hard in the beginning. I don’t want to fight any of it anymore.”
He reached up to cup her cheek in the palm of his hand. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear that because I have fallen for you, too.”
“Will you feel the same if I take the emergency contraceptive?” she asked.
“Of course. It’s no different than me using a condom or you actively taking birth control.”
She closed her eyes and exhaled heavily. “I’m not ready to become a mom right now.” She reopened her eyes and looked at him. “Perhaps in the future, but not right now.”
Duke smiled at her. “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He didn’t say anything else as he led her over to the couch. Once she was seated, he went into the kitchen and returned shortly with a glass of water. She reached for the box with hands more steady than she expected.
Duke joined her on the couch as she took the pill. After she put the glass of water back down, he pulled her into his embrace.
“I will always have your back, Bailey,” he vowed. “I plan to spend the rest of our lives proving that to you.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” she murmured as she rested her head against his chest.
* * *