I Love You, Baby

Chapter Three

The next morning, the first light of dawn crept through the slats of Ivy's blinds, painting the room in soft hues of pink and gold. She shifted in bed, eyes fluttering open as the events of the past few days came rushing back. The uncertainty, the fear, and the unexpected warmth of Rafe's promise echoed in her mind.

Downstairs, she heard the faint sound of the front door opening and closing. Her heart quickened. Rafe. He'd said he'd be there in the morning, but she hadn't expected him this early. She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and padded down the stairs, the wooden floor cool under her bare feet.

Rafe stood in the kitchen, a sheepish grin on his face as he balanced two cups of steaming coffee in one hand and a paper bag in the other. His hair was still tousled from sleep, and there was a softness in his eyes that she hadn't seen before.

"Morning," he said, holding up the bag. "I brought breakfast. Figured we could start this day right."

Ivy's lips curled into a smile. It was small gestures like this that made her heart ache with both hope and hesitation. She took a step closer, her fingers brushing his as she accepted the coffee. "Thanks. This is... nice."

They settled at the small kitchen table, the morning light washing over them as they unwrapped pastries and sipped their drinks. The silence wasn't awkward, but it carried the weight of unspoken things, both new and familiar.

"Ivy," Rafe started, his voice low as he toyed with the edge of his napkin, "I know this is all moving fast, and I'm not exactly known for getting things right. But I want you to know that I mean it when I say I'm here for you. For us."

She looked up at him, the sincerity in his blue eyes making her heart stutter. There had been a time when she'd only seen Rafe as the reckless boy who flirted with danger. But sitting here, across from him in the quiet glow of morning, he seemed different—determined, vulnerable, real.

"I believe you," she said, the words heavier than she expected. She reached out, covering his hand with hers. His skin was warm, grounding her. "We'll figure it out, one step at a time."

Rafe's smile grew, soft and genuine, as he turned his hand over to lace his fingers with hers. For a moment, they sat like that, the morning stretching ahead with promise. It was the first time in a long while that Ivy felt like maybe, just maybe, they could carve out something real amidst the chaos.

"I was thinking," Rafe said, breaking the comfortable silence, "we could go for a walk later. Down by the marina. Get some fresh air, talk about what's next."

"I'd like that," Ivy said, a warmth spreading in her chest. The idea of taking things slow, building moments like these, felt right. She sipped her coffee, catching the way Rafe's gaze lingered on her, softer and more familiar than she remembered.

Their paths had never been simple, tangled up in mistakes and rushed decisions. But as Ivy sat there, fingers entwined with his, she felt the stirrings of something new—a beginning that wasn't perfect but felt like it could be theirs.

And as the morning light bathed them in gold, they both knew this was a moment they'd hold onto, a step toward something more than just surviving.

The morning sun glinted off the water as Ivy and Rafe walked side by side along the marina later that day, the salty breeze tangling in their hair and cooling their skin. They had walked in silence for a while, each lost in their thoughts, but it was a comfortable silence, the kind that only came when you knew the other person well enough to understand their quiet moments.

Rafe's hand brushed against hers, and she instinctively reached for it, lacing their fingers together. The simple act of connection felt like a grounding anchor in a world that was spinning too fast. They walked past the rows of boats, their gentle rocking mirroring the unsettled feeling that still lingered in Ivy's chest. She glanced up at him, catching the way the sunlight reflected in his blue eyes, giving him a softness she hadn't seen before.

"I've been thinking," Ivy said, breaking the silence, her voice steady but unsure. "About what comes next. Not just for us, but everything. This baby... your family... my life here." Her thoughts felt scattered, but they needed to be said, to be untangled. "We're not just starting something new—we're diving headfirst into a whole mess of things, and sometimes it's hard to see where we'll land."

Rafe nodded, his grip tightening around her hand. He had always been quick to react, quick to jump into the fray, but there was something different in his approach now. His voice was low, thoughtful. "Yeah, I know. It's... not going to be easy. You think I don't know that? But it's not like I've ever had a clear path laid out for me. I've always been fighting my way through, trying to find my place. But now... it's not just about me anymore."

Ivy turned to him, meeting his gaze. "And that scares you, doesn't it?"

He didn't flinch, but there was a flicker of something vulnerable in his eyes. "Terrifies the hell out of me."

She smiled softly. "Good. Because if it didn't, I'd be worried."

They stopped walking at the end of the dock, where the boats were moored, their reflections dancing on the water's surface. The sun was starting to dip lower, casting long shadows and turning the sky into a canvas of soft pinks and purples. Ivy took a deep breath, letting the air fill her lungs, feeling a sense of calm she hadn't expected to find.

"Rafe," she said softly, her eyes on the water, "whatever happens with your family, whatever comes next... I want you to know that we'll make it. I'm not going anywhere. But I need to know that you're in this for real. Not just for the moments when things feel easy, but for when they get tough."

Rafe exhaled slowly, his chest rising and falling with the weight of her words. He turned to face her fully, his expression serious now, the usual playful glint in his eyes replaced by something much deeper. "I'm in, Ivy. I don't know how we're going to do this, but I'm here. And I'm not backing out."

Ivy smiled again, a little more brightly this time, the tension in her body easing. "That's all I need to hear."

They stood there for a long moment, watching the sun slip beneath the horizon, the sky darkening around them. It was a moment of peace, the kind that was fleeting but important—like a promise made without words. The future was still uncertain, full of twists and turns, but for once, Ivy felt ready to face it with him. Together.

As they began to walk back to the car, their fingers still intertwined, Ivy felt the weight of the world shift, just a little. The road ahead was far from smooth, but with Rafe beside her, she felt like maybe, just maybe, they could navigate it, one step at a time.