After paying the driver, I run up the metal stairs. Blake is standing right in front of me with his arms wide open when I walk in.

“Hey, baby. How did everything go today?”

I bury my nose in his T-shirt, breathing in his familiar scent. Home. “It wasn’t easy, but I have no regrets.”

“Did you tell the girls?” he asks, rubbing his hands up and down my back.

“They’re coming over at six. I figured I’d tell Mallory then, too. I told her about the baby.”

His hands stall for just a second before they continue massaging my back. “What did she say?”

“She thinks we’re nuts.”

“We are.”

I laugh, standing as tall as I can to kiss him.

I notice his paintings stacked against the wall. “What are you doing with all those?”

“I’m keeping some and putting others in a gallery to sell. We’re not going to have room for all of this.”

“Which ones are you keeping?” he points to the smaller stack, and I immediately walk to it. The first is the picture of me, then a few I don’t recognize, and the last is the one he’d done in the apartment several weeks back. The one that was very unlike his usual work. “Are you going to tell me about this one?”

“The day I painted that was the day she was supposed to be born two years ago,” he responds, coming to stand behind me.

“She?”

“Yeah, the blood work determined the baby was a girl. For some reason, it really hit me that day. Finally letting myself mourn Aly while I was gone for all those months let me mourn her. I even gave her a name.”

I reach my hand back, tangling my fingers with his. “What is it?”

“Anna. Aly always loved the name Anna.”

It’s a simple gray tree with no leaves, only branches. To the right sits four little pink birds. What I never noticed before were the letters etched inside each that spell Anna. My eyes well up just thinking about how lucky our baby is going to be to have a dad like him. He’s a little hard on the outside, but all kinds of sweet on the inside.

“I’m glad you’re keeping it. Where’s the one of Alyssa?”

“I’m not selling it. I just haven’t decided where I want to put it. Maybe I should give it to Pierce.”

“But, it’s yours. I don’t want you to feel like you have to give it up because of me.”

His arms come around me, hands covering my stomach. “It has nothing to do with you. There just comes a point where you have to let go.”

“What do you want to do?”

He rests his chin on my shoulder. “I’ll always have the photograph and the memory. I think I’d like to give this one to Pierce.”

“I think he’d like that.” I can only imagine Pierce’s face when he sees it. Pierce cleaned up some of the bad blood between them when he helped Blake find me last week. If this doesn’t take care of the rest, I’d be surprised.

“Let me get these loaded into Frank and then we’ll get you home. I’d like to see Mallory for a few hours before we go,” he says, pecking my cheek.

“Do you want some help?”

“Don’t even think about it. I’m putting you in bubble wrap until April. By Christmas, you won’t even be able to leave the house without me on your tail.”

“Blake—”

“Don’t argue with me, Lemon Drop. You know you don’t have a chance at winning.”

He’s right so I might as well save my energy. He carries the first two out to the car, only allowing me to unlock the trunk. I hold it open as he carries out the other three then we drive away leaving the warehouse in the rearview.

“How do you feel about all this?” he asks.

“I’m excited and nervous, but that comes with any change,” I say honestly.

He grabs my hand. “We’ll be fine as long as we’re in it together.”

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” I ask.

He pulls my hand to his lips, kissing each of my knuckles. “More than okay.”

When we walk into the apartment, I stay back waiting to see if Mallory is going to hug or strangle Blake. She pulls him in for a signature hug but says something to him that makes his eyes double in size. She pinches his side, which causes a yelp.

“What was that for?” he asks, rubbing against his ribs.

“For being a jerk to my best friend.”

“Jesus, Mal. Stop acting like a thirteen-year-old girl.”

“I will when you start acting like a twenty-seven-year-old man,” she chides back.

“I’m all man, obviously.” He winks at me, and all I can do is roll my eyes.

“Pig,” she teases.

“Squirrel!” he yells before he disappears into his bedroom. She told me once that he always called her that when they were kids.

“I can’t believe it.” Her voice is quiet as she stares at his closed door. “My brother actually looks happy.”

I shrug like it’s nothing, but inside I’m dancing. Before I have time to respond, there’s a knock at the door.

“Do you want me to get it?” Mallory asks.

“No, I’ve got it,” I answer back, opening the door to Dana. She looks cute in a pair of black leggings and an oversized black and white striped tank.

She wraps her arm around my neck. “How are you doing, Mama?”

“As long as we’re past noon, I’m good.”

“I brought a bottle of sparkling grape juice so we can celebrate.” I laugh when I get a glimpse of the brown paper bag it came in. She shrugs. “I don’t want anyone to think I can’t hold the real stuff.”

Mallory comes up behind me. “Hey, I’m Mallory. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too. I’ve had the female version of Blake on my mind, and you’re not it.” Mallory is naturally thin with long brown hair; she looks like an angel compared to her brother.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” She smiles. “Let me take the bottle from you. I’m guessing this is for her,” she says nodding in my direction, “because I have the real stuff for us.”

“You’re darn right.”

Another knock sounds on the door. Reece.

“I haven’t seen you in forever,” I tease when I open the door.

“Eight hours does seem like forever.” She sticks out her lower lip.

“Awe, but you have the Big Bang to keep you company.”

She wags her eyebrows. “Maybe I’ll find out if he lives up to that nickname tonight.”

“Reece.”

“What?” She throws her arms up. “I’ve been reading a lot lately, and I have an itch that needs to be scratched, or I’m going to go crazy.”

Dana and Mallory both laugh. Reece’s face burns red. “Reece, I want you to meet Mallory.”

Reece raises her hand slowly to take Mallory’s. She has the I-want-to-get-the-fuck-out-of-here-look on her face. “If it makes you feel better, it’s been forever for me, too. My electric boyfriend is getting a little tired of me,” Mallory admits in an attempt to ease Reece’s embarrassment.

“Sounds like Lila is the only one getting any around here,” Dana chirps in.

They all start laughing, but I don’t really find it funny. Their shoes would be easier to fill—no broken hearts.

We continue small talk as Mallory brings a plate of cupcakes and glasses of wine to the table. I wonder what Blake is doing, but then I hear the shower running.

“So,” Dana says, “why did you call this meeting, Lila? We know the big news, but there has to be something else. It’s too early for a baby shower.”

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, I start, “Blake is moving back to Nebraska with me tomorrow. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until last week, and Blake fell in love with it. We both agreed it would be the best place to start our family.”

“But I just got home,” Mallory pouts.

“I know,” I say, pouting right along with her. “I don’t want to leave any of you. I’ve never had friends who are more loyal … who are there when I need them like you all are. You could always move to Nebraska.”

All three quickly say no.

“I’ll come visit, especially after that little baby is born,” Reece says, sipping on her wine.

“This baby is going to have three of the best aunts ever,” I add. I never had any sisters, but now I feel like I have three.