Lucas glanced at the rearview mirror once more, his hand casually resting on the steering wheel. The low hum of the car engine filled the comfortable silence, punctuated by Rachel's chatter in the back seat. Bella sat beside him, staring out the window, her hands folded over the curve of her belly.
"Lucas…" her voice broke through, soft yet thoughtful. "I think I'll have to go shopping soon. Most of my clothes are starting to feel… tight."
She fiddled with the edge of her blouse, a faint blush on her cheeks. It wasn't the kind of admission she made lightly. To anyone else it might have sounded like a casual remark, but to him, it carried a weight he couldn't ignore.
Lucas's eyes shifted to her briefly, then back to the road. His lips curved in that slow, deliberate way of his — not quite a smile, but close. "That's because your belly is showing now," he said. "And honestly…" he paused just enough to make her curious, "you look more beautiful like this."
Bella blinked, caught between embarrassment and the flutter in her chest. She hadn't expected him to say that. She looked down quickly, brushing her fingers over her bump as though she could hide it. "You're just saying that to tease me."
He chuckled low, the sound rich and smooth. "If I wanted to tease you, I'd say something else. This...." his gaze flicked to her belly, then to her flushed face, "is the truth."
Before Bella could gather a reply, a small voice piped up from the back seat.
"Dada," Rachel announced with pride, leaning forward against her car seat straps, "does Mama look like a princess now?"
Lucas's heart tugged at the title. He turned slightly, giving her the kind of smile only she seemed able to draw from him. "She always looks like a princess. Even when she's scolding you."
Rachel giggled, clearly delighted. "Then you're the king!" she declared, clapping her hands.
Bella covered her face with one palm. "Rachel…" she muttered, though her lips curved helplessly.
Lucas's grin deepened. "A king, huh? I'll take that." He met Bella's eyes for the briefest second, daring her to argue.
The warmth lingered, the kind that filled the car with a softness none of them wanted to break.
They made a quick stop at a nearby store — just a few essentials Bella insisted she needed. Lucas parked close to the entrance, ignoring Bella's protest when he came around to open her door for her.
"Lucas, I can get out on my own."
"I know," he said smoothly, offering his hand anyway. "But let me."
She hesitated before sliding her fingers into his. His grip was steady, firm, the kind of touch that carried quiet reassurance.
Inside, the lights flickered faintly, the storm outside casting gray shadows through the glass. Rachel trotted ahead, fascinated by shelves stacked with colorful boxes and jars. Lucas followed close, never once letting Bella stray too far from his side.
When Bella reached for a bag of flour on the higher shelf, Lucas stepped in without a word, taking it down easily with his height. "Next time, don't even try," he murmured, placing it in the cart.
Bella narrowed her eyes. "I'm pregnant, Lucas. Not helpless."
"Pregnant," he corrected with an infuriatingly calm tone, "means you shouldn't strain. Let me be useful."
Before Bella could retort, Rachel tugged at Lucas's sleeve. "Dada, can I get cookies?" she asked with wide, pleading eyes.
Lucas arched a brow, glancing toward Bella for silent approval. Bella folded her arms. "One pack. And only if you promise not to sneak them before dinner."
Rachel nodded eagerly, and Lucas ruffled her hair, amused. The first rumble of thunder was distant enough that Bella barely noticed it. She was too busy trying to convince Lucas that they didn't need yet another frying pan.
"This one's non-stick," he said, holding it up like a trophy.
"We already have two at home," Bella pointed out. "Do you really cook that much?"
Lucas's lips curved faintly. "No. But you do."
Bella blinked at him, the reply catching her off guard. She opened her mouth to argue, but a sudden flash of lightning filled the store's tall windows, followed seconds later by a deafening clap of thunder. She thought the evening would be a perfect time for shopping, but the sky turned gloomy, the moment they entered this store.
The rain came almost immediately — not a polite drizzle, but a heavy, silver curtain that blurred the view outside.
Rachel gasped. "Dada, the clouds are crying!" she announced, running to the nearest glass panel to watch the downpour.
Lucas's gaze swept toward the entrance. The store security was already moving people away from the doors. "We'll wait it out," he decided, steering Bella and Rachel toward the small café tucked in the corner of the home section.
"It's just rain," Bella said, though she let him guide her.
"It's not just rain," Lucas murmured, his hand warm and steady at the small of her back. The contact was brief but enough to make her pulse stutter.
The café wasn't crowded — just a few shoppers taking refuge. The smell of fresh coffee and baked goods mingled with the faint scent of Lucas's cologne as they stepped inside. He guided them to a corner table, placing Rachel between them.
Rachel was already craning her neck toward the display case. "Dada, can I have that one? The round one with the sugar snow on top?"
Lucas nodded once, went to order, and returned with three pastries and two steaming cups. He set the chocolate-filled one in front of Rachel.
While Rachel hummed happily over her pastry, Lucas shrugged off his coat and draped it over Bella's shoulders without asking. She blinked at him.
"You'll catch a chill," he said simply, tucking a damp strand of her hair behind her ear.
Bella tried to focus on her coffee, but she could feel his gaze — steady, unhurried, as if he was studying her.
"You're staring," she murmured.
"Not my fault," Lucas replied, his voice low.
The sound of rain softened the edges of everything, the café lights turning warm and golden. For a while, they just sat there, sharing a comfortable silence.
Then Rachel stilled mid-bite, her attention snagged by a couple at the far table. The man had leaned in to kiss the woman's cheek, making her laugh quietly.
Rachel turned to Bella, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Mama… Dada… why don't you kiss like that?"
Bella froze, her coffee cup halfway to her lips. Her cheeks warmed instantly. Lucas's gaze slid to her, slow and deliberate, a faint smile tugging at his mouth.
"We could," he said after a pause, his voice pitched low so only she could hear.
Bella's fingers tightened around her cup. "Lucas…"
But he leaned slightly closer, his eyes flicking to her lips in a way that made the air between them hum with something unspoken. Her heartbeat quickened, her breath catching, she waited—
"Dada, can I have another pastry?" Rachel's voice rang out brightly, shattering the moment like glass underfoot.
Lucas sat back, clearing his throat, though the trace of a smirk lingered. Bella busied herself with brushing crumbs off Rachel's hands, refusing to meet his eyes.
The rain had eased by the time they stepped back into the store. The floor was glossy from the damp, and the faint scent of rain lingered in the air. Lucas carried the bags in one hand, his other resting lightly at Bella's back as they walked toward the car.
"You're going to spoil me," she said as he opened the car door for her again.
"That's the idea," he replied simply.
Rachel giggled, climbing into her seat. "Dada spoils Mama!" she sang, as though it were a game.
Bella rolled her eyes, but her cheeks betrayed her. She strapped Rachel in, then slid into her own seat, avoiding Lucas's knowing smirk as he started the car.
The ride home was quieter. Rain pattered gently against the windshield, a rhythm that lulled Rachel to sleep in the back seat, her little head tilted to the side. Lucas lowered the volume of the music, the silence stretching comfortably between him and Bella.
"You're tired," he said softly, not as a question but as a fact.
Bella exhaled, leaning her head back. "A little. It's strange… even small things take more energy now."
Lucas glanced at her, his expression unreadable but his tone threaded with warmth. "That's because you're carrying our baby. Don't fight it. Rest when you need to. I'll take care of the rest."
Her chest tightened at his words. He said it so easily, so naturally, as though caring for her was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Lucas…" she began, but the words faltered. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say. Thank you? Don't make promises you can't keep? Or maybe — I'm afraid of what this means?
Before she could sort it out, his phone buzzed sharply against the dashboard. The sound cut through the quiet, sharp and insistent.
Lucas's jaw tightened as he glanced at the screen. A name flashed briefly before he turned it over, silencing it. She had begun to recognize that when Lucas wore that particular look—firm jaw, gaze shadowed—his world stretched beyond what she understood
"Work?" Bella asked, her voice hesitant.
He gave a small nod. "Something important. I'll drop you and Rachel first."
Bella wanted to ask more, but the look in his eyes — calm, steady, but layered with something she couldn't name — kept her quiet.