“Well, that doesn’t sound right. Didn’t you meet Sebastian because you were standing up for yourself with Hardin and got the wrong number? I think it’s time you pick up that phone again and stand up for what you want.”
I bite the inside of my lip. “I really love him,” I admit. “I guess I don’t want him to shut me out again.”
“If you truly want to be with this guy, then you make sure he knows, and you fight for what you want. Be the feisty little girl I know, who I could never say no to. I’m sure he’ll come around.”
“And if not?” I turn to see him better.
“If not, then things weren’t meant to be. But at least you’ll know you tried. Sometimes, that’s all you can do. You just never want to look back at your life and ask what if.”
I curl up against him. “Thanks, Daddy.”
“Anything for my baby girl.” He kisses the top of my head.
The next day, I drive to Sebastian’s office, where Miles tells me he took the day off. So, I head to his house, and as I stand out front of his home, I’ve never been so nervous. My palms are sweaty, and my belly is in knots. My dad was right though. I’ve always fought for what I wanted out of life, and I want to be with Sebastian and Oliver. These last few days have just proven that even more.
I fell in love with Sebastian. It wasn’t love at first sight, but within a few short months, my love for him grew profoundly and strong. His stories over drinks at an old bar in Philadelphia, the way he danced on a rooftop atrium, the feel of his arms as we held each other in a jazz club, and when he cooked brittle in my kitchen … these are all the times he inched his way into my heart and stretched out inside of me, filling my soul with love and adoration. With devotion. With loyalty.
Being with him made my entire world a better place. When I wasn’t with him, I’d feel weird, not knowing what was right or wrong, but when I was with him and he shared every tiny detail of what made him the wonderful man I knew, he made me whole again.
Making love to him made me feel so unbelievably loved.
Remembering this feeling, I lift my hand and finally get the nerve to knock on his door and fight for what I want.
He opens it and stands there, seemingly shocked to see me. I watch as those caramel-chocolate eyes soften, filled with intense emotion that match my own simmering in my chest.
“You’re right,” I start, needing to get right to the speech I rehearsed numerous times on the way here. “Even though I was basically living at your house, my heart was too scared to fully commit. I was scared. Scared you’d leave me the way Hardin had. Scared I’d keep you from being the family with Lauryn that I would want you to be if I were in her shoes. I never want to come between those who want to be a family. But I need you to know that I love you, and that includes every piece of you, which means Oliver too. Whether he’s your biological son or not—”
“He’s mine,” he says in almost disbelief.
I stop and blink a few times, wondering if I heard him correctly. My heart, on the other hand, is absolutely elated. “He is?”
I want to throw my arms around him and cheer from the top of my lungs, but I hold back. Instead, tears slip down my face that I can’t stop. My smile is huge, and I don’t want to contain it.
Sebastian is nodding, a smile tugging at his lips, his eyes crinkling at the sides. I hear Oliver’s bassinet music playing through the monitor Sebastian is holding, and I cover my mouth with my hand to stop the sob that follows.
“Lauryn just left,” he says. “She said I could spend some quality time with him, so he’s here.”
“Oh, Sebastian. I’m so happy for you.” I cross my arms over my body to stop myself from wrapping them around him.
He looks directly into my eyes. The way his stare is pouring loving emotion from it takes my breath away. “I was just about to call you.”
My lip quivers as I ask, “You were?”
He nods. “I need to apologize. I was on my way to you yesterday, but then the results of the paternity test came in, so I’ve been a bit preoccupied, and I wanted to do this the right way.” He takes a step forward, his body so close to mine that his heat barrels into me. “I was an asshole. I took my fears out on you, and that was wrong. I always vowed to protect my family, but I forgot the most important thing.”
“What’s that?” I breathe.
“You’re my family, Amy. The moment I heard your voice, you became my world.”
I can’t take it anymore, and I rush to him, throwing my arms around him and holding him tightly. “I’m so sorry,” I cry.
“You don’t have anything to be sorry about,” he says as he runs his hand down my hair, keeping me pressed against his chest. “It was my own insecurities.”
“I want this, Sebastian. I want all of it. I want you. I want Oliver. I want to be in both of your lives.”
“And we want you too. Fuck, I need you. You’re who I want to be with. No one else. Oliver is my priority, my son, and my heart, but you’re the love of my life. I can have both.”
I tilt my head to see him better, and he leans down to kiss my lips.
“Please forgive me for accusing you of not wanting Oliver,” he says as he stares into my eyes. “I was freaking out, and I took it out on you.”
“And please forgive me for keeping one tiny toe out the door because that’s all it was. I’m fully committed to you, Sebastian, and if you’ll have me, I’ll move everything in tomorrow.”
He grips the sides of my cheeks and smiles. “Looks like you just got yourself a man with the cutest, most lovable baggage you’ll ever see,” he teases.
“Oliver will never be baggage. He’s our son after all.”
“God, I love the sound of that.” He leans in, kissing me before pulling back and tugging on my hand. “Come on. Let’s go get our baby boy.”
Epilogue
THREE YEARS LATER
“I can’t believe how good they were!” Charity is clapping with ravenous enthusiasm as the actors in the community theater take their bows.
It was a stunning production of The Wizard of Oz; some might say that it was absolutely brilliant.
And by some, I mean, me.
I loved it!
Charity and I are standing in a long row of adoring fans, including my entire family, Sebastian’s parents, and one weepy-eyed Lauryn, who can’t seem to control her pregnancy hormones now that she’s expecting baby number two with her new husband, Mike.
“Gotta say, it was awesome,” Shawn bellows from the other side of Charity.
The two are holding hands and hollering as the main actors are now coming out and taking their individual bows.
While everyone is waiting for the girl who played Dorothy to come for her standing ovation, I’m excited for the man coming out right before her. The one who played the Scarecrow. The sexiest one, I might add!
Sebastian comes jogging out, his hands up in the air, and we all yelp with wild applause for a job well done. In the three years we’ve been together, I’ve marveled at his performances, each one better than the last. This one was perhaps the best because our boy had his first role as well.