Baiting Him (How to Catch an Alpha #2)(62)

“I’m a jerk.”

“No, you just have a huge heart and want to protect everyone around you from anything that might hurt them. The thing is, we all want to do the same for you, so please let us.”

“I’ll try,” I agree. Then I ask softly, “How happy is Tyler about the baby?”

Her face lights up, and her voice drops. “So happy.”

“I’m happy for you two,” I say, and she grins, then lets me go but only so she can grab my hand to once more examine my ring. My beautiful ring. A ring that the most amazing man in the world purchased with the idea of asking me to marry him before he even knew I was pregnant, because he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me.

“I’m happy for you too,” she whispers, and her fingers tighten. “It’s okay to be scared; it’s also okay to be happy for yourself.”

“I’m happy,” I say, admitting to myself for the first time that the idea of carrying Gaston’s baby makes me feel excitement instead of fear.

“You deserve happiness; you deserve everything good in life,” she says, and my eyes slowly slide closed. “Enjoy it, girl.”



“Oh my God,” Mom whispers, staring at me unblinkingly. “Oh my God,” she repeats, and Gaston’s hand, wrapped tightly around mine, grows even tighter.

“Mom?”

“You’re pregnant?”

“She just said she was,” Chris says. He and Sam are on FaceTime. Sam shakes his head while bouncing my niece on his shoulder.

“We’re happy for you, sis.” Chris rolls his eyes at our mother, who hasn’t said a word or blinked. Her reaction is making me seriously doubt Gaston’s idea of sharing our news with my brother, Sam, and my mom at the same time.

“Mom, you’re freaking me out.”

“I’m going to be a grandma . . . again.” She shoots out of her chair, tossing her arms in the air, and I laugh as she comes around the table to hug and kiss Gaston and me. “I’m so happy.” She grabs my face and kisses my cheek. “So happy for both of you.”



“So what do you say?” I ask, and my dad’s eyes lift from his cup of coffee, where they dropped moments ago, and meet mine. The tears shimmering back at me make my heart ache in the best way.

“I’d be honored to walk you down the aisle,” he says roughly. Tammy wraps her arm around his shoulders, then covers her mouth with her fingers and whimpers.

“Thank you, Daddy.”

“Anything for you, honey.” He reaches across the table to take my hand, and tears spring to my eyes as I reach out for him.

“Also, you guys should know you’re going to be grandparents again,” I say, and my dad’s hand tightens around mine.

“Really?” Dad asks.

“Really,” I say as Gaston’s lips touch the side of my head.

“I’m so happy for you.” He looks at Gaston. “Both of you.”

“Really happy,” Tammy says, and I smile at her.



“Mom, do you have a minute?” Gaston asks with his cell phone on speaker between us.

“Yeah, is everything okay?”

“Everything is great. Chrissie is here with me, and we have news.”

“You’re pregnant,” she screeches, making me giggle. “I’ll be there tomorrow.”

“Mom.”

“I need to go; I have to book my plane tickets. Love you, and see you both soon. Also, I’m so happy.”

“We kind of got that,” Gaston says drily, and I laugh as he hangs up the call.

I rest my hands against his chest and tip my head back. “Everyone knows.”

“Everyone knows.”

“Everyone is happy.”

“Yeah.” He touches his lips to mine; then I slide my arms around him and rest my head against his chest. My mom said she wanted me to find the kind of happiness that is soul deep, and I know I did just that.





Epilogue

HAPPILY EVER FOREVER

GASTON

With my daughter asleep in my arms and her mother asleep in the hospital bed, exhausted after sixteen hours of labor, I lower my lips to the top of my girl’s head and breathe in her soft scent. After I’ve gotten my fill, I whisper quietly, “I wish you were here, Dad.” I know he’d be happy for me. He’d be pleased that I found a woman like Chrissie to spend my life with, and he’d enjoy every second with his granddaughter.

“He’s here.” I lift my head and find my mom standing just feet away with a cup of coffee in her hand. I didn’t even hear her come in.

“I know; I just wish Chrissie and Penelope had the chance to meet him.”

“He’s a part of you—one of the best parts of you—and for the rest of your life, you get to share him with your girls.” She smiles sadly. “He was a good man.”

“He was,” I agree, and she nods as she comes closer.

“He’d be proud of you, not because you’re as successful as you are but because you found someone worthy of you to share your life with. I’m glad he found that, too, before . . .” She cuts herself off as pain slices through her features. “I’m glad he found love.” She reaches out for Penelope, and I carefully hand her over, watching as she curls my little girl against her chest. I study my mom—one of the most amazing and loving women I know—and hate that she’s never allowed herself to share that love with anyone. When I was in my twenties, I asked her why she didn’t want to settle down. She explained that after watching my grandmother stay in a marriage because it was the right thing to do and growing up in a home filled with resentment, she promised herself that she’d never settle.