A year ago, you couldn't have imagined that you could stand so openly at your best friend's promotion party and laugh at her husband's silly joke. A year ago, you were crushed, having to move all your belongings to a hotel room because you were too ashamed to return to your parents house after a breakup with your boyfriend, who said he "deserved more."

You invested five years of your life in this man, hoping for a future together, a family and love to the gravestones in the cemetery. His last name inevitably became yours in your thoughts, and you openly searched for your dream ring in front of him, just so that he would notice and get the hint that your relationship needed the next stage.

Well, the next stage did happen. But you recovered from the breakup much faster than you expected.

"You're here? Oh wow, I didn't expect to see you."

Your eyes widened when you saw who was standing next to you. Emmett, the ex, with his sarcastic grin and arrogant gaze. When he told you to get out of your shared apartment, there was the same mischievous sparkle in his eyes as now. But his eyes also widened when he looked down at your baby bump.

"Huh." He chuckled, putting his cup of beer on the table and crossing his arms over his chest. "So you didn't miss me too much after all?"

"Miss you?"

You almost choked on your juice at the tone of his voice. How could this bastard even think of such a thing? Did he expect you to wait for him forever, always there, ready to put everything back the way it was when he lets you come back?

"I don't think..."

"Yeah, don't." He nodded. "It's late to, since you've already spread your legs. Who is he? Some stranger you met after we broke up?"

"Ya bloody wish."

Johnny's voice, firm and slightly hoarse, cut through the tension and absurdity of the whole situation, and then his arms hugged you from behind and landed on your bump, showing the wedding band on his ring finger. His presence immediately changed not only the atmosphere, but also Emmett's behavior. The man quickly put the puzzle pieces together in his head and stared at the floor, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

"Ya got anythin' else ta say 'bout ma wife, mate?"

Johnny immediately seemed like this to you when you first met him. Kind, of course, funny, sure, but possessive and straightforward, beyond any doubt. He had his own goals and the most serious intentions for you. And if your previous relationship couldn't give you stability and a baby in five years? Well, he did it in a year.