He wished he had a ring. He’d rather do this properly. But he wasn’t taking it back. He wanted to marry her. He desperately wanted to marry her.
Her jaw worked, but nothing happened.
He gave her an encouraging smile. He was through fighting. It was a complicated situation, but it was as clear as day to him that the next step was a wedding.
“I can’t,” she finally croaked out.
He wasn’t accepting that answer. “Why not?”
“I just can’t.”
He moved closer, keeping his voice gentle. Whatever had her spooked, they were going to work through it. “Do you love me?”
“I... I...”
“Jules, honey, what is going on?”
“Nothing.”
It was the biggest lie he’d ever heard. “You can tell me anything.”
She shrank away. “No, I can’t. Not this.”
“So, there is a this.” He’d known it had to be something. “What’s the this?”
Her gaze darted around the room, as if she was looking for an escape.
“Jules, get it over with.”
“I can’t.”
“You can.”
She finally met his eyes. “I’ve done something terrible.”
He didn’t care. Nothing she’d done would change his mind.
“Most people have,” he said easily.
“Caleb,” she pleaded.
“Do you love me?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters a lot.”
Her hand went to her forehead. “All this time.” She stopped for a moment. “All these years. I’ve accused your family of lying, cheating and betrayal.”
He reached out and took her hands. “Most of it was true.”
She stared down at their joined hands.
“Did you steal something?” he asked, impatient. “Kill somebody? Because Noah did that, and it doesn’t make him a bad person.”
“This isn’t funny, Caleb.”
“I know. No, I don’t know. Maybe it’s funny. Maybe it’s not. But I don’t know because you won’t tell me.” He stopped talking. He had to shut up. She couldn’t tell him anything if he didn’t let her speak because—
“I’m pregnant.”
The breath whooshed out of him. “You’re what?” he choked out.
Did she have a boyfriend? What had he missed?
She kept talking, her voice going faster. “I wasn’t going to tell you. I was going to keep it a secret. I know that wasn’t fair, and I knew all along it wasn’t right. And, I don’t know, maybe I would have cracked and told you eventually. I mean you deserve to know. It wouldn’t be fair to keep it from you. I’d like to think I would have told you before...you know...you were a father.”
Everything inside him went completely still. “Wait a minute? The baby is mine?”
She drew back. “What kind of a question is that?”
“I don’t know. The way you were talking... I mean... It was only a few weeks ago.”
There was defiance in her tone. “Well, I’m only a few weeks pregnant.”
Caleb’s brain was racing. Jules was pregnant with his child. She was pregnant. They were having a baby. Joy obliterated everything else in his brain.
“How is this a bad thing?” he asked, his hands tightening on hers. “I love you. You love me. You need to admit it. Now more than ever, you need to admit that.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said, her eyes starting to shimmer.
He drew her into his arms. “I’m not sorry. I’m thrilled.”
“Thrilled?” she asked.
“Over-the-moon thrilled.”
“But I was going to keep it from you. I lied by not telling you. I’m a terrible person.”
“You didn’t not tell me. You just told me now.”
“Only because you said you loved me.” She looked down at the suitcase. “I was leaving.”
He cradled her face in his palms. “Are you still leaving?”
“I guess not.”
“Say it,” he told her.
Her entire body seemed to relax. “I love you, Caleb.”
“It’s about time.” He leaned in to kiss her.
“It’s only been five minutes since you told me.”
“That’s five minutes too long.”
He leaned in to kiss her, but she put her hand to his lips and stopped him.
“What?” There couldn’t be anything else. He wasn’t going to let there be anything else.
“Uh...”
“Stop doing this to me, Jules.”
“It’s twins.”
His world stopped again. “Say what?”
“Twins. Not one baby. It’s two.”
His grin grew a mile wide. “Twice the reason for you to marry me. Right away. As soon as we can arrange it.”