Angel's Rest(113)

He realized he’d forfeited that right when he’d acted like an ass and deserted her at the hospital. For that matter, he’d been skating on thin ice from the very beginning with her. But he’d dealt with his demons and put them behind him, and he was ready to be a father to the twins. Nic needed to know that. Today. Now.

From the looks of her, she might pop at any moment.

By the time he reached Nic’s house, Sage’s car was gone. He knocked on the door and stepped inside. “Hello?”

He heard no immediate response or conversation. Sarah must be gone now, too. Good. Nic was probably upstairs. She might have lain down to take a nap, but he doubted she’d gone to sleep this fast.

He climbed the stairs and headed for what for a short time had been their bedroom. Before reaching it, he noted the attic door was open. She’d found it already. He wiped his suddenly sweaty palms on his pants before climbing the stairs to the nursery.

She sat in a rocker, the dog at her feet. In the soft light beaming through the dormer window, she appeared luminous and luscious and ripe. Staggeringly beautiful.

She opened her eyes, luminous blue pools of emotion he could not identify. “Why did you do this?”

“Is it okay? Do you like it?”

“I asked first.”

“Okay.” He shoved his hands in his back pockets and paced the length of the room. “I won’t try to make any more excuses for my behavior, Nic. You have every right to hate me for leaving you that day. I know I can’t make up for the hurt I caused you, but I wanted to do more than just apologize. Words are important, but they’re not everything. Like the saying goes, actions speak louder. I looked for a way to prove to you that I won’t let you and the babies down again.”

“So you sent the cradles.”

“Yes.”

“You went to childbirth classes by yourself.”

“I did.”

Her gaze broke away from his and he watched her as she studied the walls. “You’re an excellent artist.”

“Architects learn how to draw. I considered asking Sage to paint the murals, but …” He shrugged. “I wanted to do them.”

“Why?”

Gabe’s heart began to pound. It was one thing to admit it to himself or to Celeste, but something else entirely to say it to Nic. To commit to Nic.

Last chance, Callahan. If you have any doubts at all, you need to keep your lips zipped.

He waited a beat, searched within himself, then smiled.

“Why?” he repeated. “Because it was a labor of love.”

He walked over to her, went down on one knee, took her hand, and kissed it. “I’m not afraid to love those babies anymore. I love them. I want to be there when they’re born. I want to help you raise them. I want to be their dad.”

Tears swam in her eyes and she swallowed hard. Gabe went down on both knees and claimed both her hands. Held them tight. “I said this before, but my timing stank, so maybe you’ll get the message better now. Nic, I’m not afraid to love you anymore, either. I love you. I am in love with you. Please, give me another chance. Give us another chance. I won’t let you down again. You have my word. My oath.” He kissed one hand and then the other. “Nic, you have my heart. Please, be my home.”

A single, glistening tear slipped from her eyes and trailed slowly down her cheek. “I think this time I’m the one who is afraid.”

“Don’t be afraid, sweetheart. Just believe. Believe in love.”

She smiled crookedly. “If you have fireworks set to go off, I’m going to think something’s really fishy.”

He took a risk. “I think we have to wait at least four weeks after the babies are born for the fireworks. At least, that’s what they said in my childbirth class.”

She gave a little smile that broke his heart but at the same time gave him hope, so he persisted. “When I came to Eternity Springs, I’d lost my ability to believe in anything but pain. This place healed me. You healed me. Your love healed me.”

Her lips pouted, and with a touch of petulance in her voice she replied, “I never told you I loved you.”

Not gonna make it easy for me, are you? But he had won. He could see it in her eyes, the subtle softening of her body. He kissed her hands, gently nipped her skin, and said, “Then tell me now.”

She wrinkled her nose and kept her mouth stubbornly silent.

“I love you, Nicole,” he repeated. “You are my heart, my soul, my world. You and Eternity Springs have taught me an invaluable lesson. Even if tragedy strikes my life again and God takes you away from me, as horrible as that would be, I know that I’d survive it. Love can hurt, but if you’ll let it, love also can heal. It truly is a miraculous medicine. You believe that, too, don’t you?”