“Merry Christmas, sweetheart.” I had to swallow a few times before I could speak again. I tried to keep the tremor out of my voice, but I’m sure I failed. “I was thinking that when we get back, we can start packing up right away. We can take things over slowly, or choose a day and just do it all at once.”
“Wait, what?” She turned so she was straddling me, her eyebrows pinched together as she looked at me in confusion.
“I’m fine with whichever way you choose, but we’ll only have two weeks to get out of the apartment.”
“Get out of the apartment? Why? What are you talking about?”
Leaving the box where it was, I pulled my hand out of the cushion and grabbed the chain around my neck that I’d hidden with my sweatshirt, and slowly pulled it off. Maci’s eyes widened when she saw the key hanging on the end of it, and I smiled when they began darting between the key and me.
“I think it’s time for us to get a place a little bigger, don’t you?” I asked with a wink.
“Where does this key go to?” she asked breathlessly.
“Where do you think?” I nipped at her lips, and laughed when she gasped loudly.
“Connor, don’t fuck with me right now! Is this to the house I wanted?” I just smiled at her and she shook her head quickly back and forth. “They told us it had already been bought, I thought . . . wait . . . I don’t understand!”
“That’s because I’d already bought it, sweetheart. Hearing the way you said you’d always loved that house . . . well it wasn’t hard to know that you’d want to check into it once we’d actually started looking.”
She crushed her mouth to mine, and repeatedly said, “Thank you,” over and over as I slipped the chain over her head.
Grabbing the box, I pulled it out of the cushion and slowly worked it open with one hand as I spoke against her lips. “Besides, didn’t you always say it had a perfect backyard for a wedding? And I want an actual house for when I carry you over the threshold as my wife, and when we have children.”
Maci sat up straight, her gray eyes were wide, and it looked like she was holding her breath.
Once I had the ring between my fingers, I grabbed her left hand and slowly slid it on her ring finger. “Maci Price . . . will you marry me?”
Tears filled her eyes before slowly falling over and down her cheeks. She just sat there on my lap staring at the diamond on her hand before she grabbed my head and fused our mouths together.
“Is that a yes?” I asked when she dropped her head as she cried, and smiled before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead when she just nodded. “I need to hear you say it.”
When she looked back up, her eyes were bright with tears, and the most beautiful smile was lighting up her face. “Yes, Connor, I’ll marry you.” She kissed me again. “And move into that house with you, get married in the backyard, and have kids with you. Yes to all of it. I want it, everything,” she cried softly before kissing me harder.
Cupping her face, I pulled back to look in her eyes. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Does this mean we can start planning the wedding?” A harsh whisper came from behind me, and I rolled my eyes as Maci’s head jerked up.
“Yes, Amber, it means we can start planning the wedding now,” I answered monotone, but winked at Maci.
“Wait! She knew? And you didn’t tell me? You bitch!”
I just shrugged as Amber bounced over to us and grabbed Maci’s left hand. “I needed help picking your ring out.”
“Does this mean you already asked her?” a new voice asked behind me.
Maci looked up again as her parents came in the room and she slapped her hands down on my chest. “For fucking real. Did everyone know?”
I smiled as her brothers and sisters-in-law all came out of hiding and confirmed her question. “You mad at me, baby?”
“Yeah, I totally am! I can’t believe they all knew before—”
I pulled her to me, and silenced her with my mouth. “No you’re not,” I whispered and deepened the kiss.
She melted against my chest and smiled lazily. “You’re right. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.”
“So you sure you’re ready for all this?”
“I’m ready,” she whispered and dragged her lips across my jaw. “I want everything with you.”
I couldn’t agree more. I wanted everything . . . and as long as it was with this girl in my lap, I was ready for it all.
The End
Acknowledgments
AS ALWAYS, THANK you to my husband, Cory, for being so amazing and helping me out around the house when I was too involved with the story to even notice the dishes needed to be done! Love you, Bear!
Thank you to my amazing editor, Tessa, and agent, Kevan! Y’all have no idea how much I appreciate everything you do, and your feedback on my stories. I have no clue what I would do without either of you!
Amanda Stone: I love my Sef! I’m pretty sure that says it all, ha! Ah, I love the moments like when we realized we were going to use the same character names and laughed about it, just to start fighting because you didn’t like my nickname for the character, and then end on an “I love yewww,” all within three minutes. No one else could ever understand us!
Kelly Elliott: As always, I love you like crazy! You were just at my house for lunch two days ago and already I’m missing my Kel! I don’t know what I would do without you, and am so lucky to have you in my life. Mwah!
Bethany and Adam “Peter” Kalenderian: Thank you for the simple fact that you are an awesome couple. Adam, I loved that you openly didn’t understand your wife’s love for books, or her excitement to meet me; which, of course, led to the challenge of putting Family Guy in a book. Challenge accepted and met.
To all my readers: I spent a couple weeks in the hospital for my back right in the middle of writing this book, and y’all have no idea how much your love, prayers, and support meant to me during that time. I am so blessed to have you all in my life, and my husband and I are so thankful for every one of you. It was hard getting back into the writing groove once I was home and on the mend, but your support for me was what helped me dive back in once I was well. So, thank you, thank you, thank you!
Molly’s Mafia girls, and all the bloggers and readers who help with reveals, teasers, and announcements: I love you all so hard. I am beyond grateful for all the pimping y’all do, and wish I could tackle-hug everyone one of you! True story: you’re all amazing.