Joey sat at the kitchen table at the B&B, making patterns with the rings her plastic coffee mug was leaving on the table. She had a reasonable facsimile of a flower going when her sister walked in.

"Alexander does that," Bessie said, joining her at the table. "Now I know where he gets it from."

Joey smiled. "Sure, blame all his bad habits on wicked Aunt Joey. The latest unmarried mom in Capeside."

Bessie laughed. "It must run in the family."

"The difference is, Bodie loves you and Alex. And you're married now."

"Do you want to be married?"

"Bessie, I don't know. I mean, I never would've married Zach. He didn't love me." She frowned and sipped her orange juice. "I didn't love him."

"Pacey would marry you."

Joey almost spit out her juice. "What does Pacey have to do with anything?"

"Oh, come on, Joey. The guy's head-over-heels for you. He practically lives here now."

Joey went back to making patterns on the table, avoiding Bessie's eyes. She'd let her sister talk her into moving back home, at least until the baby was born.

It didn't take much convincing. She was scared to death. And having Bessie around was comforting. Then there was Pacey. Having him around was ... confusing.

And Bessie was right. He spent almost all his free time with her now. It was cute, sometimes, the way he fussed over her, making sure she took her vitamins and ate what she was supposed to and drank milk -- which she detested. He even took her to her doctor's appointments.

She knew everyone at the doctor's office, and by extension, half the town, thought Pacey was the father of her baby. She never said anything to convince them otherwise.

And that was her guilty little secret. She wanted him to be. Sometimes she would walk around all day pretending she was pregnant with his baby. She loved him.

He treated her like a sister.

He hadn't kissed her since the day she'd told him about the baby. They spent so much time talking, but he never brought up the kiss. It was like that moment had never happened.

"He treats me like a sister," she grumbled.

"Uh-huh. Please don't tell me he looks at his sisters the way he looks at you."

"How does he look at me?"

"Like he's dying of thirst, and you're a bottle of Evian."

Joey snorted. "Evian, huh? More like tap water."

Bessie leaned closer. "He was seeing someone."

Joey was surprised at the surge of panic she felt. "What?"

"Before you came. He broke a date with her the first night you went out. You remember Mrs. Capshaw, the principal's secretary? Her son is a friend of Alex's. She told me a certain female teacher at Capeside High is miffed that Pacey broke things off with her."

Joey's first jolt of happiness was quickly overshadowed by doubt. "That was before he knew," she said gloomily.

"But --" Bessie was interrupted by a shout from the front of the house."Anyone home?"

Joey sighed. Just hearing his voice made her feel happy and sad at the same time. Or maybe it was a hormonal pregnancy thing. She lifted her mug."Five bucks says he asks me if I'm drinking coffee."

Bessie just laughed. She knew better than to take that bet.

Pacey breezed into the kitchen. Joey drank in the sight of him. She wondered if she would ever see him without needing to catalogue everything about him. He'd come straight from work again today, but his tie -- a particularly hideous Hawaiian print -- hadn't quite made the trip. It was untied, hanging around his neck. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone. His hair needed to be cut, and it was flopping down in his eyes. She wanted to get up and brush it away from his face.

And then kiss him until he couldn't breathe.

But she couldn't do that, and it made her cranky. "Hey," she said sulkily.

"Are you drinking coffee?" he demanded, staring at the coffee mug. Bessie and Joey stared at each other and burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" He came to the table and picked up her cup.

"It's juice," Joey giggled. "All the normal glasses are in the dishwasher."

"That's funny?" Pacey dropped into a chair beside her.

"No, it's just ... never mind. You had to be there."

"I was there."

Joey rolled her eyes and said nothing.

"Well," Bessie stood up, looking from one to the other. "I've got to pick Alex up. I'll be back in a few. Pace, you staying for dinner?"

"If you don't mind."

"Of course not. You're welcome any time."

After she left, Pacey stood up and went to the fridge. Joey saw him pulling out the milk. "If that's for me, forget it."

When he looked like he was going to argue, she continued. "I've already had my milk today."

"All of it?"

She sighed, though she secretly loved that he cared so much. "Yes, Dr. Witter. I had all of it. And if you make me drink any more, I'm gonna puke."

He grinned. "I thought you were over that whole puking thing by now."

"Don't remind me." Joey had not only experienced morning sickness, but later it became afternoon sickness and evening sickness, too. She was thankful that part of her pregnancy was over.

"Have you taken your --"

"Yes, I've taken my vitamins," she snapped. "I am occasionally capable of taking care of myself."

He ignored her temper. "OK. I brought some clothes. As soon as I change, I can take you for a walk."

"I'm not a damn puppy dog!"

He only raised his eyebrows. "Cranky today, aren't we?" He got to the door, turned back and pointed at her. "Stay," he ordered.

"Oliver."

"Oliver? Pacey, get real. 'Oliver Potter' doesn't exactly have a ring to it."

They were walking near her house, where they walked nearly every day. Pacey wanted to make sure she got enough exercise. She just wanted to be near him. He was quiet for a few minutes. She glanced at him and saw him frowning.

"Pacey, what's wrong?"

He started and looked at her blankly for a moment before smiling weakly. "It's nothing. I -- I was just trying to think of more names."

She didn't believe him. She wanted to press the subject, but she was afraid. What if he was thinking about that other woman? "Well," she said lightly, "you'd better think of some girls' names."

"It's a girl?"

"I'm not sure. It's just a feeling."

"Hmm." He reached over and placed a gentle hand on her stomach. She was just barely starting to show, and her baggy shorts and T-shirt disguised the small bulge of her stomach. She barely managed not to trip when he touched her.

"A girl would be nice," he said softly, removing his hand. She cleared her throat. Did he have any idea what he was doing to her? That slight touch had her whole body buzzing.

"Any girl names?"

"Mildred."

"No."

"Edna."

"Pacey..."

"Pandora."

"Oh, yeah. That's good."

"How about Hannah?"

"Hannah. It's pretty." She smiled at him. "Hannah Potter."

"Damn it!" He stopped walking.

Joey turned to him in surprise. "Pacey, what is it?"

"Do you have any idea how much I hate to hear that?"

"Wha--"

"We walk along here every night, talking about this baby. And for a few minutes, I can let myself believe that it's mine. That you're mine." He blew out a breath. "I don't want to hear about Hannah Potter. I want to hear about Hannah Witter."

Joey didn't notice the tears streaming down her face. "Pacey, I'm sorry, OK? I would give anything for this baby to be yours."

"Do you mean that?"

"Of course I mean it," she said softly. Gathering her courage, she continued. "I love you."

She'd never seen him smile so brilliantly. "It took you long enough," he said, before kissing her. Too soon for Joey, he pulled away. "We'll get the license tomorrow."

Her mind was still muddled from the kiss, so it took her a moment.

"What license?"

"A marriage license," he said slowly, as though talking to a child.

"Wait. Pacey. Marriage?"

"I love you. You love me. We're having a baby. We're getting married."

"Most women like to be asked," she argued, mostly out of habit. Her mind was spinning. He loved her. He wanted to marry her. He'd said they were having a baby.

"If I ask, that implies you have the option of saying no," Pacey said. "And I know you, Potter. You'd argue with God if he came down from heaven and told you to marry me."

"Pacey ..."

He took her arm and turned her toward the house. "We've got to tell everyone the good news."

"Pacey." She stopped walking and waited until he turned back before she continued. She wanted to laugh at the look on his face. She could almost hear him thinking of answers to any objection she could make. "I would love to marry you. But doesn't it bother you that ... that I'm pregnant with another man's baby?"

He smiled gently and brushed her hair away from her face. "First of all, I'm already more of a father to this child than he ever was. Second, I definitely wish that I'd made this baby with you. That's maybe something we can work on after we get this one born."

He smiled wickedly. "After all, Pacey Jr. should have some brothers and sisters."

"Pacey Jr.? No way. Forget it. We're not --"

He cut her off with a kiss.