Haven Harbour: Beyond the Sea • a.i. • (Sequel to Haven Harbour)

Chapter 174

Ashton's PoV:

Smile.

That's all I had done for the past week.

Smile.

Never in my life I had been so happy about something, so genuinely happy and excited (sans my proposal to Carter and adopting Gracie), but I was going to be an actual biological dad of a child.

Ender and Gracie were my children and I loved them, but it broke my heart to know I wasn't really related to them, but I was with this baby.

This was my baby. My baby with Carter.

As I walked back to the bus after soundcheck I noticed myself still smiling and laughed to myself. I was going to be a father.

This didn't seem real.

I got to the bus and opened the door, walking into the front room where Carter and Gracie were making paper airplanes for their arts and crafts time.

It seemed like in a week she had transformed before my eyes.

She was happier, brighter, and back to the girl she was before Harry.

She was rarely on her phone now, unless she was texting my mom or Ari. She was here all the time, she didn't leave to go out, and I felt like my family was back.

Carter had a glow on her skin, and I don't know if it was because of the pregnancy or if she was just that insanely happy, but it looked gorgeous on her.

"Hey." I came up behind Carter and placed my hands on her shoulders before leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"Hi." She smiled up at me. "How was sound check?"

"Good. Where's Ender?"

"Playing video games in the back." She stood up and went to get Gracie a glass of apple juice.

I noticed when she walked around the counter she placed her hand on her stomach to protect it, and I smiled at her.

"How are you sweet girl?" I went to Gracie, kissing the top of her head.

"Good, Daddy." She giggled. "Look what I made!" She then held up her paper plane made out of pink construction paper.

"Oh that's pretty. Are you going to put some glitter on it?"

"Mhmm." She nodded.

Carter set the glass in front of Gracie and then placed her hand on her head, running her fingers through Gracie's hair as she watched her draw designs on the plane.

"You have twenty more minutes of play time before nap time." Carter told her and Gracie nodded before Carter walked over to me.

"And how's my baby boy doing?" I placed my hand on her stomach making her laugh.

"Well he hasn't kicked again since that one day but he seemed to be more accepting of foods other than chocolate today so that's nice." She smiled.

"Got himself a sweet tooth like his Mommy and big sister."

"Hey you're not one to say no when I make any type of dessert." She retorted with a roll of her eyes.