It has been two weeks since I found out about my pregnancy. There were new things that I was struggling to get used to. The exhaustion wasn't hard to cope with. I never slept much, so being tired all of the time made up for all of those years I didn't sleep. This baby was my natural melatonin.

Morning sickness wasn't in the morning like everyone said it was, or it might be, just not for me, that is. I got it in the morning, the afternoon, and the evening. Kinnick's excitement made it all easier. The way he supported me through it all made everything easier. His hand rubbed my back as the other held back my hair.

Every morning, there was a plastic cup full of mouthwash sitting on the bathroom counter. He had it ready for me, just in case. It has always been the small things that made me realize why I loved him, to begin with.

It was never the bigger gestures. Anybody can go on a date and plan something romantic. It is easy to do that. It was the way he started the truck early in the mornings before we left on winter mornings so I wouldn't get cold. It was how he had intimate talks about the thoughts troubling my mind. He wouldn't give me the option to brush him off because he genuinely cared. He genuinely wanted to know.

Then it was the way he made the bed before we went to sleep. It wasn't always straight, and there were times I watched him attempt to rid the comforter of every crease possible. He didn't understand I don't care about those things. It made my heart warm with happiness to know he made the bed for me.

Whenever I acknowledged those small things, he would get excited. He could barely help the way he bit his lip and raised his shoulders with content. I always thanked him for those things because all he ever did was try to make things easier for me. All he wanted was me to relax. I loved him for that.

Everything has been going by so fast. Tonight we planned on telling our friends. Our family. We were also going to tell them we plan on having the wedding in August - a short two months from now. It will be around the same time we find out the gender of the little babe in my tummy.

Everyone assumed we were celebrating Kinnick's birthday tonight. He expected me to not get him anything but he was my soon-to-be husband and father of my child. He deserved more than I could ever give him.

So, I woke up earlier this morning, and I baked him a cake. The frosting job was shit, and honestly, it looked like I pulled it from a dumpster behind a bakery. Mom was never good at frosting cakes either, but she always said it was the thought that counted.

"Wow," he stared down at the chocolate frosting. "It's beautiful. I love it."

I whipped a towel at his butt. "Don't lie to me, Kinnick Carson. It is shit, and you know it."

"It definitely looks like shit," he grinned. "But I love you."

I cupped his cheeks as he bent down to kiss me. "I love you most."

"I can't wait to see you barefoot and pregnant."

"What do you call this?" I motioned to myself. "I am barefoot, and I am pregnant."

"I want you waddling around here like a little penguin."

"How romantic," I teased.

He kissed my nose. "You know me, the most romantic man of them all."

"Indeed," I leaned against the counter as I smiled at him. "Happy birthday."

"It is a very happy birthday," he sighed, sipping from his lemonade. "A year ago, we weren't together."

"Weird, isn't it? A year ago, I was with somebody else, and heavy drinking. A year later, I am here, engaged to you, and having a baby."

He grinned. "I'm a lucky fella."

"I was actually thinking how lucky I am."

"How does it feel? Knowing something is growing -"

I started shaking my head. "Stop. The idea still makes me nauseous."

His laughter filled the kitchen. "My fucking dork."

"Our kid's first word is going to be fuck."

Another smile pulled across his face. "Definitely my kid then, isn't it?"

"Can you imagine another you running around here?"

"I can imagine a little you running around here," he shrugs. "What if she acts like me?"

"Then we are fucked," I joked.

"Yes, we are," he chuckles. "With looks like her momma's, she will get by with everything."

"Oh god," I palm my forehead. "She will be cursing all over the place and trying to fight everybody."

"Someone has to carry on the boxing legacy."

"Too soon."

"Oh, come on," he laughs. "Can you imagine, Collins Carson, headlining Vegas? It even has a perfect ring to it."

"You would let your daughter get beat up?"

"She is my daughter," he scoffed. "She would never get touched."

"I'm not sure what scares me more," I narrowed my eyes at him as I tried to figure it out. "Her boxing or what it is going to be like when she starts dating."

"Dating?" He choked.

"Oh, yeah," I teased. "Imagine her dating the bad boy, and he sneaks into her room, and they -"

"Stop," his face was pale. "I can't have her dating someone like me."

"There is no other you, baby."

He narrowed his eyes at me as I laughed. "I would kill him if he pulled half of the shit I did."

"You are a good man."

"If I had the chance, I would beat up the old me."

"I think everyone would."

"I don't think I am ready for this."

"Well, you have some time to get ready."

"Bo!" He called after me as I walked outside. "Does she really have to date?"

I could hear someone coming through the house. "Babe, calm down, and greet our guests."

He leaned down, kissing me. "I really hope it is a boy now."

I grinned. "You are a drama queen."

"Hello, fuckers!" John came through the back door. "Happy birthday, kid!"

"Language!" Riley scolded him.

"Let the festivities begin," I snickered as I kissed Kinnick once again.

He pushed away from me. "Hello, Johnathan."

"Hello, Bo," John ignored Kinnick to press a kiss to my cheek. "How are you?"

"I am doing great," I smiled as Riley wrapped me in a hug. "Everyone else should be here soon. Have you talked to your sister?"

"Yes, and speaking of my sister," he looked at Riley with happiness etched all over his face. "She is going to be our surrogate."

"What?"

"Riley didn't like the last lady," he spoke of his misunderstanding. "I misinterpreted what he meant. He wants kids. He just didn't want her to carry them."

I threw my arms around them. "I'm so happy for you guys!"

"We went in today to have everything done," Riley squeezed me. "We are very happy."

"Before everyone gets here," I pulled Kinnick to me. "There is something I would like to offer you."

John's face switched to many different emotions. "Where is this going?"

"There is a chance my dad won't ever get out, and if he doesn't spend his life in prison, he will spend it in an institution," I sigh. "So, the house would be mine. I would like to hand it over to you two."

"Are you serious?"

"Let me get everything sorted out, and it is yours."

"Why us?"

"Why not?"

John yanked me back into his arms. "God, I love you so much, Boston Bennett."

"I love you too, John."

"Thank you for everything," he grabbed my cheeks. "You are a light in this dim world. A miracle, if you will. Because of you, I found the strength to come out to my parents. I got married and I am genuinely happy. So, thank you."

I saw the tears welling in his eyes. "You deserve all of it."

"But I want to thank you for saving Kinnick," he pulled me back into him. "I thought I was going to lose him. Then you found him, and everything has been better since. Life has been better since."

"Our baby is going to have a great godfather."

His hands pushed me away. "What?"

I looked up at Kinnick. "We are having a baby."

Tears were falling down his face as he stared at me speechlessly. "What?"

Kinnick had the ultrasound in his pocket after he made several copies. "Baby Carson, due in January."

John let out a sob. "Oh my god. So many things are happening right now."

He grabbed the ultrasound as Riley held him. "My kids are having a baby."

I smiled through tears as he pulled us back into a hug. "This means I am going to have another Carson boxing in my gym."

Kinnick let out a belt of laughter. "I told you!"

"No! Not happening," I shrieked as Kinnick high-fived John.

"We will decide all of that later," John teased as he kissed the top of my head. "Congratulations, momma."