Chapter 77
Ben, July 7
It’s like something out of a film. We spot each other, then rush forward until Liz is in my arms. I scoop her into a hug and, without thinking, press a hand gently against her belly.
“Hi, Emma,” I murmur, then shift my gaze up to Liz. My voice drops into something rougher, hungrier. “Hi, Mama.”
The kiss that follows isn’t polite or tentative, it’s everything I’ve wanted to say but couldn’t fit into words. When she pulls back, cheeks flushed, I realize she’s suddenly remembering we’re in a crowded airport.
“Hi,” she whispers, shy in a way that only makes my pulse slam harder. Heat shoots through me, inconveniently obvious, so I grab her hand and start walking before she notices.
We pass a sweet older woman who beams at us. “What a beautiful family,” she says warmly.
“Thank you,” I reply automatically, though inside I’m reeling.
Bliss. That’s the only word I can find for it. Bliss.