The Dissolution of Unrequited (The Science of Unrequited Book 4)

by Len Webster

Evan’s brown eyes flared with emotion as he said, “I already love Little Atom so much.”

  It was the first time he had ever called their son or daughter by that name.

  The name AJ had chosen because the first time she had ever seen their child, she couldn’t see it until the doctor in Zürich had pointed out her baby to her.

  Their baby was small.

  The size of an atom.

  It was their atom.

  “And I know Little Atom loves you, too.”

  A large, proud grin consumed his face. “Well, can we feed you and my child now?”

  Alex laughed. “Okay. That sounds good to me.”

  And it was.

  Everything Evan Gilmore offered her tonight sounded good.

  Especially the part where his life would be spent next to hers.

  Evan had made her dinner. The roast chicken he cooked in the newly installed oven was her favorite meal. Her mother would approve of this large, bright, and spacious kitchen with a lot of storage space. While sitting at the dinner table and eating, Evan had updated her on his trip to LA. He had even met up with his old college roommate, Milos, and told him that he and Alex were expecting a child. Milos was currently working at Google in their coding department. Then he asked her to update him on her time at the Rodahawe Institute. He asked how all her friends were, and she told him they all missed her.

  Evan insisted she tell him about her formula, but within a few minutes, she had lost him in her explanation. She had laughed, told him that it was okay that he didn’t understand, and kissed him on the lips. After they washed the dishes, he showed her the two living rooms on the first story and the patio outside. They watched the snow fall for a while as Evan slung an arm around her, bringing her close to feel his body warmth against her.

  They talked about what they wanted to do to the house and the life they’d live together. He asked when they could share the news of the pregnancy, and Alex said the safest time to tell her parents and his brother was after the twelve-week mark. Evan didn’t mention telling his parents, and Alex didn’t press. She knew they had a strained relationship. If he was happy with just her parents, then she would be, too.

  Now, they stood in an empty room as he stared at her, waiting. He asked her to guess what this room would be used for, and Alex couldn’t come up with anything.

  “I have nothing,” she stated as she spun around to find her boyfriend leaning against the wall by the window.

  He grinned. “Seriously?”

  Alex shrugged her shoulders. “I seriously don’t know what plans you have for this room, Evan. If you say it’s a playroom for our baby, I might hurt you. The nursery is big enough.”

  Evan pushed off the wall and sauntered to her. He pressed his palms to her shoulders and turned her. “You see that wall?”

  “Yeah,” she said, skeptically.

  His thumb rubbed her shoulder blades. “I’m thinking bookcases.”

  “Okay?”

  “And in front of the bookcases, I’m thinking a desk.”

  She glanced over her shoulder to eye him. “A desk?”

  He nodded. “And behind us, on that wall …”

  Alex spun around, his hands falling away from her. “On that wall?”

  “Your bachelor …” His smiled deepened. “And your Ph.D.,” he added.

  “What?”

  “This is your office, AJ.”

  “My …”

  He nodded once more. “This is your office. You need the space for your Ph.D. I’ve scheduled carpenters next week to build your bookcases. Then we can go shopping for your desk and everything you might need.”

  “So this is my office? My office?”

  He laughed. “AJ, when you weren’t at the institute, you worked at the kitchen table or on our bed. You deserve an office where you can work comfortably. We can even get those big whiteboards for your formulas.”

  She looked at him in awe. While she was in Zürich being upset and hurt by his decision to return to the US, Evan was busy setting up their future in Cambridge. Alex just happened to come home earlier than he had planned. For Alex, she had spent six months too long in Switzerland without him. The only reason she stayed after Sebastian’s birth was because she was so close to perfecting her formula. She had responsibilities she couldn’t walk away from—no matter how much it killed her not to stay with him.

  “I love you,” she said truthfully as she stepped closer, pressed a palm to his solid chest, and settled her hand on his neck. “After everything, I’m still in love with you.”

  His hands settled on her hips. “I’m still—and will always be—in love with you, AJ.”

  She looked deep in his light brown eyes and smiled as she brought his lips to hers. The moment their lips met in a kiss, her heart burst with the warmth of familiarity and love.

  He felt like home as his lips fluttered over hers. It was as if he was welcoming her home. It wasn’t like the soft peck on her bed. No, this was so much more. This was him kissing her as if she were the love of his life and not just the woman carrying his child.

  His mouth whispered unvoiced promises of their life together, and her heart believed in each kiss. With each stroke of his hands up the side of her body, her heart fell in love with his touch the way she had always loved his touch.

  He was careful, precise as his arms wrapped around her.

  “I want to be with you,” she murmured against his lips.

  Evan’s fingertips dug into her flesh as he pulled her back, panting. Alex’s breathing was as erratic. The beats of her heart called his name, wanting, needing him.

  “Are you sure?” he asked, his voice was barely a whisper over the sound of their breathing.

  Sliding her palm up his chest to settle on his nape, she nodded. “I’m sure.”

  His eyes flashed. It wasn’t lust she saw but adoration and love, and then it happened so quickly. Before Alex knew it, Evan led her out of her office and into their bedroom. After he had flicked on the light and closed the door behind them, Evan reached up and cupped her face. He dragged his thumb along her bottom lip.

  “This should be more romantic and perfect,” he murmured, unable to hide his disappointment. “With candles and in a room that has painted walls. In a room that already smells like you. In sheets you picked out. It should be—”

  Alex shook her head. “Hey,” she whispered, her fingers curling around his wrists. “We’re where we should be. We’ve had romantic. We’ve had slow. We’ve had rushed, and we’ve had heartache, Evan. Right now, it’s just us. Doesn’t matter about the paint on the wall or whether I picked out those sheets. I just want to be with you. Like I’ve always wanted to be with you. Because I choose you and this moment over anything else.”

  Evan’s thumb brushed the corner of her mouth as his eyes gleamed at her. “And I’d choose you in a heartbeat. With my last breath of air. I’d choose you with the very last day. Just like you chose me on the very first … when you chose me to be your best friend. When you chose me to be the first person to know you. And not just intimately, but the real you. The Alexandra who lets me—and only me—call her AJ.” He took a deep breath and expelled it seconds later, whispering, “My AJ.”

  And then Evan Gilmore stole her breath away when he kissed her and returned the beats of her heart that she had been missing for months.

  He kissed her slow.

  So slow that it was torture.

  And so slow that it was perfect as he walked her back to the bed until the mattress hit the back of her knees.

  Alex hands left his wrists and found the button of his shirt. Fumbling between ridding him of his shirt and his kisses, Alex finally managed to peel the material from him and let it fall to the floor. He was more tone, more defined than she last remembered. His manual work on the house showed on his body. He was more man than the b
oy she had grown up with.

  The boy she had loved.

  Through every moment in their lives.

  All through college.

  Even after he left her in Zürich, she had still loved him.

  And as her eyes found his, she knew she’d loved him for all of time.

  Through every turbulent moment and euphoric milestone life threw their way.

  “I love you, AJ,” he declared as he grasped the hem of her dress and pulled it up and over her head, leaving her in the pale peach lingerie set she had chosen. It wasn’t skimpy or scandalous.

  It was lace.

  Delicate.

  A set she knew he would love.

  His eyes roamed her body and landed on her stomach. He had never seen her small naked bump before. She was sure it was strange to see. Just as Alex was about to cover her stomach with her arms, Evan got on his knees and pressed his warm palms on her bump. Alex flinched in surprise at the unexpected contact of his skin on hers.

  “Evan,” she breathed.

  He said nothing as he concentrated on her stomach, his fingers caressing her skin. Alex watched as a soft smile slowly crossed his lips. “AJ …”

  “Yes, Evan?”

  He tilted his chin back so that he could look at her. “This bump … this bump suits you. I’ve never seen anything more perfect. I can’t wait to meet him or her in your next ultrasound.” Then he glanced back down, and said, “Hello, Little Atom, it’s me, your daddy. I’m your daddy.”

  And just like that, Alex fell in love with him all over again.

  Because this moment meant more to her than the Rodahawe Institute.

  Meant more to her than her Ph.D.

  Meant more to her than MIT.

  And meant more to her than Evan making love to her.

  Because this was true intimacy.

  The father of her child staking his claim, letting their child know that he or she had a father waiting for them.

  Alex covered his palms with her own as she fought back her tears of unbelievable happiness.

  “And this is your mummy, and she’s going to keep you nice and snug for a while until we can meet you and love you. And in case you were wondering, we do. We love you, Little Atom,” Evan said before he pressed a kiss to her stomach.

  Alex gave up the fight. She let her tears fall at the most beautiful moment she had ever experienced with Evan.

  “I want to stay like this,” Alex said.

  “You don’t want to …?”

  She shook her head. “I just want you to hold me and talk to him or her.”

  Evan got up from his knees and kissed her forehead. “I want that, too.”

  And for the rest of the night, they laid in bed.

  Just talking.

  Just her, Evan, and Little Atom.

  Alex lay on the table as her boyfriend gripped her hand. The nurse who escorted them to the ultrasound room smiled as she glanced down at the clipboard.

  “The doctor won’t be too much longer. I’ll give you both a minute,” she said before she slipped out of the room, leaving them alone.

  Glancing over, she noticed Evan chewing his bottom lip. “Hey,” she said as she held his other hand. “Are you okay?”

  He released his lip and nodded. Since their first date nine weeks ago, Alex and Evan had spent a lot of time together. Her small bump had grown, but since it was still winter in Massachusetts and the snow permitted layers, her parents had no suspicions. When her mother and father were at work, Alex would occasionally bring her little brother to her house and look after him. She hadn’t officially moved in just yet, but the house was starting to look like a home. The morning after her date with Evan, he drove her home and told her parents that they were together again after they had spent the night talking about their future. It was quite possibly the most intimate night of her life, and they hadn’t even made love. Instead, Evan settled his palm on her stomach and promised her and their child his devotion and love.

  Of course, her parents were happy that they were together. They apologized for keeping the house a secret from her, but she didn’t mind. The only problem Alex had was not knowing how much Evan paid for the house. She knew Cambridge wasn’t cheap. And when she had attempted to pay her share, he refused. Apparently, the money from selling the family home to his older brother had paid for it without having to get a mortgage. He also had enough left over to renovate and furnish the house. That, and he assured her that they were good with money since he had started his job at Fenway Park a month ago.

  In the end, Alex was too tired each day to argue with him. She knew that what was his was hers and vice versa. Just as it had been back in Switzerland. In a few more months, the house would be complete, and they’d both move in.

  “I’m okay,” Evan finally said. “I’m just …”

  “Nervous?”

  He nodded. “Is it okay to be nervous? I mean … We’ve been calling him or her Little Atom for months.”

  Alex laughed. “You can continue to call him or her Little Atom. It doesn’t change. Our love for our child doesn’t change. It just means we know what kind of clothes to get and what color to paint the nursery. Nothing else changes.”

  “Nothing changes,” he agreed. “All I want is for our baby to be healthy.”

  “I do, too,” she said with a smile on her lips and a full heart.

  A knock on the door had her turning her head away to find Dr. Livingston entering the room with a big smile on her face.

  “Alex, Evan,” she said with so much happiness in her voice as she approached them. “I’m so sorry I haven’t been available for the past two months. I took time off to go to Chicago to see my daughter. I’m sure Dr. Kent was helpful.”

  “That’s okay, Dr. Livingston. And Dr. Kent was wonderful,” Alex said, praising Dr. Livingston’s associate while she was on leave.

  “How is Claudia?” Evan asked sincerely.

  Their doctor smiled. “She’s really good. So before I perform the ultrasound, I just have to say that I am very happy to see you two together and expecting a child.”

  Evan squeezed her hand. “We’re hoping for that reaction from everyone once we tell them.”

  “A lot of people still don’t know that we’re together or that we’ve been together since college so … it’ll be a surprise,” Alex added.

  “I think it’ll be a nice surprise. How about we see how baby Gilmore is doing?”

  Alex’s smile widened. “Yes, please.”

  “Okay. Alex, I’ll just get you to lift your shirt.”

  “Evan,” she said as she turned her attention back to him.

  His brows furrowed. “Yeah?”

  “I need my hands back.”

  His lips made an O as he let go of her hands so that Alex could lift her shirt. The moment it was up, exposing her baby bump, he grasped her hand once more.

  “Okay, you’re just going to feel the cold gel and then we can see how everything is,” the doctor said before Alex flinched at the cool sensation covering her stomach. Turning her head, she gazed at the screen, waiting for the familiar shape of her child.

  Then she heard it. The heartbeat. As strong as ever.

  And then she saw it. The prominent shape that had her heart clenching.

  “There’s the baby’s head,” the doctor said, pointing at the screen. Alex could just see the hint of a smile on the doctor’s face. “And the hands. The baby is looking good.”

  “And he or she is healthy?” Evan asked.

  The doctor nodded. “I’ll just take some measurements. But the baby’s growing as expected. Now, there’s nothing on your file about gender reveal. Would you like to know the gender?”

  Alex’s lips splayed into a smile. “We’d like to know the baby’s gender.”

  “Okay then,” Dr. Livingsto
n said as she moved the scanner, and her smile stretched wider. Then she turned her focus away from the screen and to them. “Congratulations, Evan and Alex. You’re going to be parents to a beautiful daughter.”

  “A girl?” Alex breathed.

  “A girl,” Dr. Livingston confirmed. Then she reached for the computer and pressed some keys before she put the scanner down on the table next to them. “I’ll give you both a minute and then come back.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Livingston,” Evan said as she left the room.

  Once the door clicked close, Alex reached over and grasped the white towel from the table next to the bed. As she brought it closer to her stomach, Evan took over, wiping the gel from her skin. She took in the soft features of his face, wondering if he was happy to know that their Little Atom was their daughter.

  Daughter.

  We’re having a daughter.

  “Evan,” she said in a small voice. He stopped his wiping and tilted his chin to face her. “Little Atom is a girl.”

  Her boyfriend stared at her for a moment and then set the towel down. She couldn’t read his face. It was his poker face, keeping his true emotions from her. He let out a breath of air and leaned over, settling his palm on her cheek. “We’re having a daughter.”

  The happiness in his voice had her chest filling with warmth. “We’re having a daughter.”

  His eyes shone with unshed tears. “Can we please tell your parents now?”

  A laugh escaped her. “We’ll just have to pick up some things first, and then we can tell them. But we also have to tell your brother.”

  Evan’s eyes widened as if it only now had sunk in. “Holy crap. Kyle is going to be an uncle.”

  “And you’re going to be a father.”

  “Yeah,” Evan breathed as he pressed his forehead to hers and kissed the tip of her nose. “The father to our beautiful daughter.”

  At that very moment, her life had never been more perfect.

  An hour after she and Evan had left the clinic and went into the city to purchase some essential baby reveal items, her boyfriend parked his car outside her parents’ house. It was strange that she suddenly felt nervous. She had absolutely no idea how her parents would take the news that she was pregnant. It wasn’t as if she was a teenager. Alex was an accomplished research physicist about to commence her Ph.D. at MIT. And Evan was part of the operations team at Fenway Park. They had a house and good finances.