Jill Shalvis: Serving Up Trouble

“Yes. Everything. A house. A new car. Your education. Whatever you want.”

She smiled, feeling her heart lighten for the first time in…well, ever. “Those things are nice. But all I want is you. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”

He went still as stone, his eyes suspiciously bright. Then he kissed her, and by the wondrous feelings it invoked, she knew he’d put everything he had into that kiss.

Lifting her head, she sighed, so full of love she could burst. “This is really going to work, isn’t it? The cop and the waitress?”

“No doubt in my mind.”

“Well, then.” She hugged him tight. “This is going to be the best happy-ever-after there ever was.”

“No doubt in my mind,” he repeated softly.

Then he care fully laid her back on the bed and followed her down.

Four years later

Angie walked down the hallway of the police station, smiling and waving at all the people who’d become her friends over the years.

An arm snaked around her waist from behind, and she was swung about for a big bear hug.

“When are you going to leave that no-good husband of yours and marry me?” came a growl in her ear.

Angie pulled back to kiss Luke on the cheek. “What do you think the single-women population would say to that?”

“‘Thank you.’”

Angie laughed. “Are you kidding? They’d mourn for days. Months.”

“Years?” Luke asked hope fully.

Angie laughed again and pushed him aside with her free hand. In the other, she held a present. It was a small one, wrapped with a pink ribbon, which, she reflected, might be a dead giveaway, but she hadn’t been able to resist. “Where’s Sam?”

“Buried under paperwork. I hope you brought some thing to lighten the mood around here.” He hope fully eyed the present. “Is that chocolate?”

“Sorry.” In front of Sam’s office door, she stopped and put a hand to her racing heart. They’d been waiting for so long, and now, after four years of college and her summer intern ship at a local museum, she was finally set in a job she loved, teaching children about art.

She was finally ready.

She hoped he was.

Slowly she opened the door, her heart leaping anew when Sam looked up. At the sight of her, he brightened.

“Hey, baby.” Rising, he came around his desk and hauled her close. “What are you doing here so early? I thought you were busy training at the museum.”

“I was.” Nerves leaping, she thrust out the package.

Sam smiled and rubbed his flat belly. “Chocolate? Good, I’m starved.”

“It’s…not food.”

“Hmm,” he said, perplexed, undoing the ribbon without a care as she knew he would, opening the box and pulling out… “A piece of paper?” His frown turned to a horrified scowl. “From Dr. Kennedy?” His intense gaze met hers. “This is a blood test. Yours.”

“Yes, I-”

“Angie?” He gripped her shoulders, backed her to a chair. Pale now, he hunkered at her side and cupped her face. “What’s the matter?”

“Well…” She set her hands on his wrists and managed a shaky smile. “This is silly, isn’t it? I didn’t think it would be so hard to say out loud. I mean we talked about it, but neither of us had the greatest experience growing up, and-”

“Angie.” He skimmed the report, swallowed hard and looked back up at her. “You’re…”

With his hand in hers, she set it low on her stomach. “Yes. I’m…” She grinned. “Do you think either of us will ever be able to say it?”

He whooped, surged to his feet and twirled her around all in one smooth motion. Then he gently set her on her feet and put his forehead to hers. “We’re going to be good at this.”

She put her hands on his jaw and smiled. “Yes. I think we are.”

“You should sit down.”

Angie laughed. “There will be plenty of time for that in the coming months.”

“Are you saying our little child is going to be a handful?”

“I’m sure of it.”

Sam stared at her. “Maybe I should sit down.”

She laughed. And in the end, they both sat down, Sam first, Angie in his lap, in his arms…right where she wanted to be, forever.

USA TODAY bestselling and award-winning Jill Shalvis is the author of more than fifty romance novels, including a series with firefighter heroes for Harlequin Books. The three-time RITA® Award nominee and three-time National Readers’ Choice winner makes her home near Lake Tahoe. Visit her Web site at www.jillshalvis.com for a complete book list and daily blog.