When Lizzie looked up to see Trent entering the lobby at her OBGYN’s office, she had to restrain herself from laughing. Here was Trent—all tattoos and muscles—amidst a bunch of pregnant women and young children. There were a few husbands, but for the most part, it was all hormonal women with various-sized bellies.Lizzie had texted Trent to let him know when her ultrasound was scheduled, and he’d assured her he’d be there. It was strange to have him here, and yet, she was glad not to be alone.“It’s freezing in here,” Trent muttered as he sat down next to her.That made Lizzie laugh. “Do you want to tell a bunch of pregnant women that you want to turn up the thermostat?”“Good point. I’ll just suffer in silence.”She shook her head as she continued to read the fashion magazine she’d reached for earlier, but she couldn’t concentrate. She could smell Trent’s woodsy scent, and every time he shifted in his chair, she lost her place.Finally, she set the magazine aside and asked him,

Trent held Lizzie as she cried, and he cried, too, letting himself feel the grief he’d kept locked up inside for nine long years. Lizzie clung to him like a lifeline, and her sobs broke his already cracking heart.“It wasn’t fair,” she gasped. She sounded like a little girl, but he felt the same way. It hadn’t been fair and it hadn’t made sense.“I know.” He stroked her hair. “It wasn’t. I’m sorry.”She cried until she’d soaked his shirt, until her eyes were red and she looked exhausted. When she looked up to see tears on his face, she reached up to wipe them away with gentle fingers.“Don’t apologize,” she whispered. “If anyone should apologize, it’s me. I hurt you.”He wouldn’t deny it. The day she’d told him they were over and that she no longer loved him had almost broken him. He’d barely put the pieces of his life back together again.“I was so angry. I wanted to blame someone. You were the easiest target. I know that—even then, I knew it was wrong of me. But I didn’t want t

Trent stepped over what looked like a broken-down lawn mower before stepping into his dad’s house. It had been only a few weeks since he’d last been here, and already it seemed like Edward had trashed the place further. How did a man in a wheelchair manage to collect so much junk? Trent had no idea.Edward barely glanced at Trent when he came inside. He sucked on a cigarette, letting the smoke float in front of his face. A rerun buzzed on the TV; the house smelled even more heavily of smoke and sweat, to the point that Trent barely stifled his gag reflex.“What do you want?” Edward said. He didn’t sound particularly interested in the answer.“From you? Nothing. Except that you’ve once again caused another nurse to quit her job. I don’t know how I’ll get another one to agree to come out here.”Edward barked a wheezy laugh. “What does it matter? I’m already dying. Do you think a nurse is going to change that? You were always a special kind of stupid.”Trent gritted his teeth. Why wa

“Why am I here again?” Lizzie asked, staring at her sister and four brothers. “I thought you already grilled me about my life and my choices.”Summer was edging into September, and with it, Lizzie watched her baby bump grow little by little with every passing day. Now past the first trimester, her morning sickness had mostly disappeared, and she felt more energetic every day.It helped that she saw Trent so often. If she wasn’t at his apartment, he was taking her out to dinner, or wooing her like they’d just started dating. He hadn’t mentioned anything else about marriage, however, and Lizzie wondered if he regretted jumping the gun.Tonight, Jubilee had texted her to let her know the siblings—with their respective mates—were going to Harrison’s place for dinner. Lizzie had almost called off, but she knew very well that her brothers would show up at her door if she didn’t make an appearance.Harrison and his wife Sara, along with her son James, lived together in what had been Harri

At his lowest, Trent wished that Lizzie would leave him alone. He couldn’t bear to have her see him like this. And even worse, she’d heard every word out of Edward’s mouth. She’d learned things about Trent he’d never wanted her to know.She touched his hand. “Please say something. Anything. Can you hear me?”He tried to reply, but he could only gulp in air. It was like he was no longer connected to his body. He could see everything happening, but it was from very far away. He forced himself to stand, but he staggered a little. Lizzie held him up, but he pushed her away gently.“I’m okay,” he rasped. “You don’t need to be here.”“As if I’m going to leave you now? Jesus, Trent, you look like you could collapse any second.” She pushed his hair away from his forehead. “I’m not going to leave you alone.”He leaned against the wall behind him, taking in deep breaths of cool air. His head pounded. It was ironic, really, that when he’d wanted Lizzie most, she’d left him, but now