Page 302 of The Grand Duel

“Do you want to come today, Lis?”

She swallows, frowning. “What do you mean?Youwant me to come.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

Her hands readjust at my back, and I know her toes are probably going a mile a minute in her shoes. “You want me to come,” she repeats, her voice cracking.

I shake my head at her, huffing a laugh.

I don’t want to do this alone. I’m as nervous as she is, knowing the next few hours could potentially change our lives forever.

“Why don’t you give one of the girls a call? I think Scar is home today. Get her to come over for a bit.”

Her brows rise. “I can’t let you go on your own.”

“Yes, you can.” I run my hands up her back. “Go and have a cry in the shower or something. You’ll be here when I get home, won’t you?”

Her face tightens as she fights her emotions, nodding her head at me.

I kiss her forehead and let her go. “Call Scarlet, okay.”

“Okay.”

I take the flowers, careful not to mess up what she’s spent hours making.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure, baby.”

“You’ll call me?” She walks ahead of me and gets the front door. “You’ll call me when you know?”

“As soon as I know, I’ll call,” I promise.

“I love you.”

I smile at her from the car, feeling like the luckiest man in the world. “I love you, too.” I don’t add that I love her more because she already knows it.

And if for any reason she ever forgets, I’ll be the first to remind her.

Once in my car, I pull on my seat belt and sit for a minute, just looking up at the cottage.

With my heart pounding in my chest, I eventually head off out of the drive and onto the road.

Lissie couldn’t come with me today. I knew that when I rolled over in bed last night and found her sat up and awake. Neither one of us could sleep, both aware of what this day means.

Funnily, theusin all of this isn’t what scares me. Not anymore. What scares me is that little baby boy and my ability to be a good dad if it turns out he’s mine.

I already know he’ll have a host of people who will love him. My parents would be overjoyed to have a grandchild.

I’d make it work.

I’ll have to.

It’ll be okay.

Lissie is going to be incredible. There’s no doubt about that. She’ll likely show me how it’s done.

I huff a shaky laugh as I think about it, tightening my hands on the steering wheel.