“That’d be lovely. And if it’s a girl?”
“Let me think on that. Maybe my mother’s name can be somewhere in there.”
“I like the name Anne. It’s timeless, straightforward, and has a softness to it.”
“Sounds just like my mom.”
“About what your father mentioned...” he starts and trails off.
“Don’t even spend a minute thinking about what he said,” I told him. “However we move ahead, I want our decisions to be yours and mine, on our timelines and no one else’s. I know they mean well, but at the end of the day, it’s our lives. Our baby won’t give a damn about whether we have a piece of paper making what we have legitimate. He or she will care about how much love we give him, how we care for him, and how we treat each other. Don’t you think?”
“You’re right on all points, but...”
“But what?”
“I didn’t knock up some random girl I hardly know,” he says, grinning.
“True. What are you getting at?”
“Well, earlier this week I was at Pops’ place sorting through his things, and some stuff from my parents that were up in the attic.” He reaches into his pocket. “I found these,” he tells me, revealing a set of three white gold rings. Two are his-and-hers wedding bands, and the third is a dazzling diamond solitaire engagement ring. I cup my hand over my mouth and shake my head. “Please don’t tell me you’re doing what I think you’re doing.”
“I’m not. Not the way you think.”
“I don’t get it.”
“These were my grandfather and grandmother’s rings. Pops gave them to me a few weeks after my parents’ plane crash. They were more to hold onto than anything. He told me they were symbols, that even though my grandmother was gone, and her son... my dad... was gone too, the rings would keep every memory of them going, in me. I can’t tell you how many times I fell asleep with those three rings hanging off my index finger. They didn’t bring my parents back, but they kept them close, kept me going.” He stops short and turns to face me. “I’m not asking you to marry me yet. Just so we’re clear, it’s not because I don’t want to ask or have any misgivings. I’d get on my knees right now if I believed you’d say yes. So instead, I want you to have these rings. Keep them with you. And when you feel you’re ready, just tell me to get on my knees, and I will. Deal?”
My heart is full and my eyes are filled with tears now. I so love this man. I want to throw out everything I’ve ever said about waiting and tell him yes right this second.
“Deal,” I say through a whimper, taking the rings in my hand. “What if I want you to get on your knees for another reason?”
He groans out a laugh. “Good point, but I’m sure you’ll find a way to make it crystal clear which reason you’re asking for.”
“Unless you ask me right now.”
“What?”
I lift my left hand toward him. “What if I said yes? Like right now?”
“Don’t joke around with something this important, gorgeous. I’ll put you over my knee if you’re messing with my head.”
“Are you going to grow a pair and ask me, or are you just gonna stand there promising to spank me?”
“Does it have to be one or the other?”
I open my mouth to give him hell and he holds the engagement ring out toward me. My laughter turns to happy, happy tears when he gets down on one knee. “Isabelle, you’re my best friend. You’ve already been there for better or for worse, in sickness and in health. You celebrated me at my best and forgave me when I was at my worst. To me, that’s the true test of love. Yes, I love you, beautiful girl. I fucking love you. I want our baby to grow up knowing how much his or her old man cherishes their mother. I want them to know that we’ll be there to hold each other’s hand right to the end. Belle Harrison, will you marry me?”
I’m so overcome that all I can do is nod as he slides the ring onto my ring finger. He stands and pulls me into his arms.
“Yes, Knox,” I sob into his chest. “I love you so much. I’ll marry you.”
We stand there, my head buried in his chest, his arms wrapped around me, and our baby tucked in between us. Just like it should be.
No matter what tomorrow brings us, we’re going to be in it together.
THE END
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About Bella Love-Wins
Bella is a Wall Street Journal (Begging for Bad Boys) and USA Today Bestselling Author (Begging for Bad Boys, Alphas for the Holidays. Shifters in the Snow: Bundle of Joy, Shifters in the Shadows), who loves writing steamy, high-action romance stories about bad boys, athletes, firefighters, billionaires, and alpha males who know what they want and aren't afraid of laying claim to the women
