as her. This was her chance to see how he felt without telling him about the baby. She didn’t want to force his hand, she didn’t want him to feel that he had to make promises he wouldn’t be able to keep, but she had nothing to lose now. If he didn’t want a family she could still walk away.
‘Luci, I love you and I want a future with you.’
‘You love me?’
‘I do. I know you want a family and I’m asking you to give me a chance. Let’s see if we can have that future together.’
‘I can’t afford to wait. I haven’t got time to see if it all works out. I can’t.’ She took a deep breath. It was now or never. She was either going to get what she wished for or not but either way the time had come to share her news. ‘I’m already pregnant.’
‘What? When? How?’
‘The usual way, I suppose. Ironic, isn’t it? I didn’t think it could happen for me the usual way but it must have been that night on the boat.’
‘In the storm?’
Luci nodded. ‘I’m sorry. I know you hate surprises but you need to know.’
‘Don’t be sorry.’ Seb shook his head and his eyes filled with tears. ‘I’m going to be a father?’
Luci nodded. She took his hand and put it on her stomach as her nerves escalated another notch. Her dream was so close she could almost taste it and she couldn’t stand the thought that it might all slip away. She tried one last time to convince him that things could work out. ‘I know loving someone scares you and I understand that this is a big step for you, but you have to have faith that things will be okay. Bad things can happen but they don’t always happen. You can’t close yourself off just in case you get hurt. I intend to live my life and I want you to live yours. But I would like us to live our lives together, I’d like us to share our dreams. I love you and I think we can make this work but it’s up to you. I know this will be a shock, it’s a lot to take in and I don’t expect you to decide what you want to do tonight, but you should know that I am going to have the baby.’
‘Of course you are. And I’m going to be there with you. Every step of the way.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Positive. I’m ready for this. I know you didn’t want to fall for the first guy who crossed your path and I wanted to give you a chance to decide if you wanted me. That was why I thought we could take our time and see what happened but I know I want you. I know I want a future with you. And a family. I have thought about nothing else for the past two weeks.’
Seb reached for her. Brushing her hair from her face, he bent his head and kissed her and Luci could feel herself blossoming under his touch.
‘I love you, Luci, and I promise that will never change.’ He smiled at her and his blue eyes sparkled as he added, ‘And now you need to invite me home with you for Christmas.’
‘You want to come with me?’
‘Where else would I be? I want to spend the rest of my life with you and that starts now. Plus I think it’s time I met your parents. I need to ask your father for your hand in marriage.’
‘You want to get married?’
‘I do.’
‘My father won’t expect you to ask his permission.’
‘I think he will and I’d like to do things properly. I need to at least tell him I intend to make an honest woman out of his only daughter before I tell him I knocked her up.’
Luci laughed. ‘They probably wouldn’t believe you. It’s incredible, isn’t it?’
Seb nodded. ‘It’s amazing.’ He got off the couch and went down on one knee. He slid his hands under the hem of her shirt, exposing her belly. He kissed it gently and the touch of his lips sent flames of desire racing through her. His hands were on her knees and she felt her thighs fall apart under the caress of his fingers as she waited for him to slide his hands up her legs, but his fingers went no further. He knelt between her thighs but his focus was on her face.
‘I came here to see if I could convince you to give me a chance to prove my love. I want to share your dreams with you. I want to share your life. Will you let me love you and our children for the rest of our lives? Will you marry me? Will you be my wife?’
Luci pulled Seb to his feet and wrapped herself in his arms. She kissed him deeply, fighting back tears. Her dreams were coming true but it was not the time for tears. She was getting everything she’d wanted since the moment she’d first laid eyes on Seb. This glorious, gorgeous man wanted to make a life with her and she wasn’t going to refuse him.
‘I will.’
LUCI SAT ON the front veranda and watched the sun rise over the ocean as she nursed her baby. This was one of her favourite times of day.
She and Seb had the best of both worlds. They had moved to the coastal town of Shellharbour after their wedding but were still only a two-hour drive from Manly. They could have a day in the city if they wanted and return to the relative peace and quiet of a large country town. They both had jobs at the local hospital in family and community health, and Luci was considering studying midwifery, but she had time to make that decision. Their daughter, Eve, was only four months old, she still had a couple of months of maternity leave and would only be going back to work part time. They had jobs they enjoyed, a lifestyle they loved, but most importantly they had their family.
Sometimes Luci could hardly breathe when she thought about how wonderful her life was and how much it had changed. Blessed with a daughter, a gorgeous husband and a new life in Shellharbour, she still sometimes wanted to pinch herself.
She lifted her daughter from her breast and held her up against her shoulder, inhaling her scent of talcum powder, baby lotion and love.
She looked up as she heard soft footsteps on the wooden floorboards. Their house was full of visitors but she’d recognise that rhythm anywhere.
Seb stepped out onto the balcony, followed by the two-year-old Labrador they had somehow inherited with their house. She smiled as she thought about the man she had first met—the motorcycle-riding man who’d been adamant that he was going to live a bachelor life on his boat. Now he was a husband, a father, a home owner and a pet owner who had swapped regular trips to the country with a permanent job in a country town. He had traded his motorbike for a family car but he still had his boat, which he’d named Diamond Sky, which was moored in the marina five minutes from home. Their lives had changed dramatically in the course of a year but she knew he was happy and content.
‘Merry Christmas, my love.’
Luci lifted her face for a kiss as Seb put a mug of green tea beside her and plucked Eve from her arms.
‘Come here, my gorgeous girl.’
Eve gurgled and laughed and reached for her father with chubby little hands. She was a real daddy’s girl but Luci didn’t mind. She was living her dream.
‘You’re up
