Chapter 13

Willow.

“Thank you so much, ma’am,” the woman sitting across from me at my desk said as she rose. “I didn’t know how I was going to get through this on my own.”

“You’re not on your own,” I said soothingly, getting up and holding my hand out to her.

We shook hands, then she made her way out of my office, and I sat back down in my chair with a sigh. I gave a quick look at the documents I still had open on my desk, then I put them together and found a folder to put them in.

I leaned back in my seat and relaxed, letting out a sigh. With my last client for the day gone, it was about time for me to close up work.

My phone buzzed where I had it on the desk, and I picked it up to read my message. Seeing it was from Sebastian, I smiled as I opened it. The message was short, let me know he was on his way to pick me up and about five minutes away. I texted back quickly, letting him know he could pick me up outside. Then, I got up and started packing.

I hadn't forgotten what day it was, and I’d made sure to be out of work early, just in case.

A year ago, Sebastian spanked me in his office. I wasn’t sure if I could count it as an anniversary, but I had remembered the date still. I didn’t know if Sebastian remembered or not, though.

In the past year, I’d gone from working under Sebastian to starting up my own practice, and I felt this was the best thing for me. Instead of working at a firm with strict rules, I was working for myself and helping single parents. I remembered the way Ivy struggled as a single mom before she hooked up with Chad, and I wanted to help other women out there going through the same problems, though not only women.

Backing me up in my little venture was, of course, Sebastian. In the past year, our relationship had grown by leaps and bounds, and I’d already left my apartment and moved in with him.

I made it outside to see his car slide in next to the curb, and I hurried to get inside. He sent a grin my way as I took my seat and pulled the seatbelt over me.

“How was work today?” he asked.

“Work was fine. How about you?”

“Just as fine,” he replied.

We were both silent on the way back home, but then, we didn’t need to fill the silence with meaningless chatter, because it was comfortable between us.

When we got home, we barely had the time to sit before the doorbell rang, and I went to see who it was. I opened the door to find Brianna, Sebastian’s ex-wife, with Andy in tow.

“Willow!” he called, rushing around his mom and hugging my legs.

I laughed as I barely kept from stumbling back as he latched onto me. He was six already and growing tall, so his face was buried in my stomach, and it was ticklish. The relationship between Sebastian and me wasn’t the only thing that had changed. Andy and I got along really well, and he talked to me about as much as he talked to his dad. Of course, all of this happened under his mom’s blessing, who, from what I’d heard, was already seeing someone else seriously.

“Thank you for looking after him,” I said to Briana. “We were both just so busy…”

“You both know I don’t mind, you can bring him over any time.” Then she bent down and smiled at Andy. “Goodbye, honey. Be a good boy and I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Okay, Mommy,” he said, then kissed her on the cheek before she left.

As I closed the door, Andy rushed to where his dad was sitting on the couch, and I stood a distance from them, watching father and son play together as I leaned against the wall with my arms folded over my stomach.

Later, when we had Andy tucked into bed, Sebastian and I remained in the living room. He’d brought a bottle of wine for us to drink a little. We usually had a glass on nights like these, just enjoying some peace and simplicity. This time, though, when he poured me a glass, I didn’t take it.

“Guess what,” I started, giving him a teasing smile.

He arched his eyebrows. “What?”

“I stopped by the hospital this morning before I went to my appointment at the office.”

Immediately, he frowned. “Are you okay?”

“I’m perfectly fine,” I said, standing up.

I went to the kitchen while he watched me in confusion. I pulled some juice from the fridge and got a glass for myself, then went back to the living room and sat back beside him. I made a show of pouring the juice, and drinking it, smiling against the rim of the glass.

It took him a minute, but he got it.

“No way,” he murmured, eyes widening.

I grinned and set the glass down.

“I’m pregnant!” I announced. “Congratulations, you’re going to be a dad for the second time.”

He stared at me in a daze for a moment, before he broke out in a laugh, then wrapped his arms around me and dragged me over for a quick, rough kiss that left me breathless.

“Are you ready for more good news?” I asked.

Sebastian smirked at me.

“I also just landed my first client at work today. My little start-up practice is starting up!”

Even though I’d officially been open for nearly a month already, I hadn't gotten any big cases like this one, and I felt it was something worth celebrating as well.

Sebastian seemed to agree, because he picked up his wine, and I took my glass, to drink. Then later, we moved to the bedroom for even more celebration, content in our happy life.

The End.