Sabrina stood in front of the bathroom mirror inside the bakeshop’s private kitchen, both palms pressed over the soft swell of her stomach. Not quite showing, but no longer invisible either.
Her secret.
Their secret.
She had spent the night rehearsing what to say—how to tell Brace that the one night they shared hadn’t just left echoes in her memory, but something far more lasting.
A heartbeat.
A tiny life.
She took one final deep breath and smoothed her blouse over her belly, whispering to herself, “Today. No more fear.”
She emerged from the backroom, just as the last customer exited with a cheerful wave and a box of muffins. The shop was finally empty. Her chest fluttered with anticipation.
Then the doorbell chimed.
She looked up, a hopeful smile forming.
But it wasn’t Brace.
I
