“Yeah, Jace?”

“Can I tell you something and you not laugh?”

She smiles, her eyes burning into mine. “Yeah.”

I hesitate because it’s kind of corny, but I have to tell her. I want her to know. Clearing my throat free of emotion, I whisper, “I used to think that the ultimate high, the number one thing in my life, was hockey. I used to think nothing could come close to the way the ice makes me feel, the way it smells, the feel of it against my skin. The sounds of my stick against the puck or the rush of scoring. I really thought it was life, but I was wrong.”

Her eyes turn softer as she holds my gaze. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” I say, pressing my lips to her belly. “Because nothing can even come close to the smell or feel of your skin. The sounds you make when I kiss you, or touch you, or the rush I feel when I see my baby growing inside of you. I thought I could never love anything more than hockey, but then you came along, and yeah, you’re it. You and our baby.”

When her lip trembles, I smile as I shake my head. She sits up, taking my face in her hands. Kissing my lips, she presses her nose to mine and squeezes her eyes shut tightly. Clearing her throat, she smiles as her lips quirk at the side. “You are everything I never thought I could ever have. The love, the completion, everything. You are really amazing, Jace, and I can’t thank you enough for making me feel important.”

“You don’t have to,” I whisper against her lips. “You won’t ever have to thank me for anything as long as you keep kissing me.”

She smiles against my lips, and my eyes fall shut as she whispers, “Done.”

I love when he touches my stomach.

I don’t know why, but it’s just so much more real when he does it.

Watching as his finger swirls around my belly button, I kiss his bare chest and snuggle closer to him while still taking in the room we’re lying in. Jace, or maybe it was Lucy, didn’t hold back on designing of every inch of this apartment. She made it a home, with little things that are so us. Pictures hang on a string along the wall by the bathroom, each one reminding me of a moment in our lives. He did all this for me. It’s so sweet, and honestly, it’s taking everything not to break out in tears.

I’m so unbelievably happy.

Has it been easy? Maybe in the beginning. But since the moment I told Jace I was pregnant, it’s been a whirlwind that he has handled with such grace. It blows my mind—this goofy, wannabe player, spoiled brat stepped up and became a man in seconds. I don’t know how I got so lucky to be the one to get the stand-up guy, but I’m pretty sure it was the work of God. He made him for me. Yeah, this isn’t what either of us wanted at this exact moment, but I wouldn’t change anything.

Not when I can’t even stop smiling.

“So,” he says and I look up into his smiling face. “According to the book, we are out of the first trimester.”

“Yeah.” I eye him, unsure where he is going with this. “And?”

“And that means we can make it Facebook-official,” he waggles his eyebrows at me and I laugh as he sits up, pulling on a pair of shorts before grabbing his phone.

“Seriously?” I ask, my body still humming from the amazing love we just made. “Everyone who matters knows.”

“Nothing is official without Facebook,” he says, throwing my panties and bra to me.

“Um, I disagree. This kid is growing with or without Facebook.”

He sticks his tongue out at me, and I roll my eyes as I slip my bra on. “True, but I want everyone to know.”

“Why?” I ask, hooking the clasp.

“’Cause I’m proud of my little family.”

That makes my heart melt as I slide my panties up. Grinning over at him, I say, “Wow, that’s dots worthy.”

He flashes me all his teeth as he reaches for me, pulling me out of the bed. “Hey, just ’cause we are married doesn’t mean I won’t make you swoon still.”

“I think it’s a rule. That stops.”

He scoffs. “Not in this marriage.”

I grin at him, and he hands me his phone before he goes down on his knees. Looking up at me with his lips pressed to my belly, he asks, “How’s this look?”

I shake my head, holding the phone out to the side before clicking the picture. “There.”

Standing up, he takes his phone and nods. “That’s the winner.”

He holds it out for me to see and I grin. We look so cute, his eyes squeezed shut as he kisses our baby. I love how in love he is with our child. He is always talking to it, telling it how much he loves it. It’s beautiful and so awe-inspiring. He blows my mind. Truly.

“It is,” I say roughly and he winks before sitting down beside me. I reach for my phone and he types away as I lean against him. I check my mail while I wait to see what he posts. He’s known for his over-the-top posts, so I’m really excited but a bit nervous. I don’t know why, because everyone already assumes we are pregnant since we got married so quickly. I want people to know we got married because we are in love, not because we were pregnant. But really, would we have done it this way if we hadn’t been pregnant? I know the answer, but I just don’t like that everyone’s right.

When a text sounds, I hit it, seeing that it’s from my mom. I haven’t heard from her in weeks.

Mom: Hey honey, you busy?

Me: Nope, we just moved in to the apartment.

Mom: Oh! Fun! Is it nice?

Me: It is for us.

Mom. How sweet! I remember my first apartment. Poor Seth had to sleep in our room with us.

Me: Wow, yeah, we have two bedrooms. Jace already has the crib set up.

Mom: Aw! That’s sweet!

Me: Yeah. I’m happy.

Mom: Good, you should be.

I smile at that as another text comes through.

Mom: How are you feeling?

Closing my eyes, I beg the tears to not fall. I’ve wanted my mom to ask me this since the moment I told her. I wanted her to care, to share funny little stories, and tell me it gets better. Instead, Lucy and Jace’s mom have been doing that.

Not my mom.

And that hurts.

Me: I’m not puking anymore, which is awesome, but I’m still tired, all the time.

Mom: Yeah, I slept the whole time I was pregnant with you and Matty. It drains you for sure.

Me: Yeah.

Mom: How far along are you now? 3 months?