She makes a sound that’s half laugh, half sob. “Felix?—”
“I love that you’re beautiful inside and out. I love that you’re stubborn as hell and refuse to let anyone take care of you, even when you deserve it. I love that you have amazing aim when you’re throwing shit at my head. I love that you have the patience to readChicka Chicka Boom Boomon repeat even though it’s the most annoying book ever.”
“I’d argue forMoo, Baa, La, La, La,” she says with a soft laugh. “But we can agree to disagree.”
“That’s fine with me,” I tell her and turn her hand to press a kiss to the center of her palm. “Because you’re my favorite person to disagree with. My favorite person, full stop.”
She’s really smiling now, but I can see the doubt warring with hope in her eyes. She’s been hurt before and doesn’t trust easily, and I’ve given her plenty of reasons not to trust me.
“If this is about the baby—” she starts.
“It’s about you and me. The baby is part of it now, absolutely. I already love our kid more than I ever dreamed possible, and I haven’t even met them yet.” I shift closer, and my knees protest against the hard hospital floor, but I couldn’t care less. “It’s also not about me taking care of you because I think you need rescuing.I want the honor of taking care of you because I already know it will be the best thing I do with my life. Better than any catch or contract. You, Piper. You’re my Super Bowl ring.”
She snorts and wipes at her cheeks again. “That’s the cheesiest line ever.”
I shrug. “Yeah, well, I’m not great with words. I know exactly what to do with a football. Ask me to talk about my feelings, and I’m basically an idiot with one too many concussions.” I take a breath. “But it’s all true. I understand if you need time. I’ve broken your trust, and the truth is, you’re more than capable of handling life on your own. I’ve seen?—”
Piper shakes her head, and for a terrible gut-wrenching moment, I think she’s going to tell me to leave. But then I notice that the tears shining in her eyes don’t look like sad ones.
“You big, beautiful idiot.” She links our fingers together. “It’s taken me way too long to figure out, but I don’t want to do it on my own, either. I had to prove I was strong, and I thought that meant not needing anyone. But real strength—real love—means opening up and being willing to standwithsomeone. To lean on them when you need to, and be steady for them when they need you.”
“Any chance I’m up for that part?” My voice cracks embarrassingly.
“You’re the only one I want in it.” Her smile feels like every Christmas morning I never got as a kid, all rolled into one. “You’re my rock, even when I thought what I wanted was to hurl one in your direction. You’re Ellie’s person, and you’ll be that for our baby, too. I love you, Felix.” Piper laughs, the sound bright and clear in the sterile hospital room. “So damn much, and definitely forever. Now get up off your knees before you hurt something. You’re no spring chicken.”
I start to stand, then feel my eyes widen as I remember the ring box I shoved into my pocket as I listened to her voicemail. At the time, I put all plans of proposing out of my head. The onlythought in my brain was getting to Piper as fast as humanly possible. But here, on my knees beside her hospital bed, feels like exactly where I’m supposed to ask this beautiful, strong, stubborn woman to spend the rest of her life with me.
“About that,” I say slowly.
Her eyebrows draw together. “About what?”
I reach into my pocket and pull out the velvet box, loving the way her breath catches as she notices.
“I wanted to do this right,” I tell her. “I had a whole plan, sweetheart. Wildflowers from Molly’s farm, because they’re delicate and resilient, just like you. Stuffed dogs from the toy store, because I want us to pick one out together. There was talk of a giraffe. I wanted to turn the family room into something special for you.”
“Felix—”
“I know we’re in a hospital room that smells like antiseptic, you’re hooked up to a monitor, and I’m pretty sure I smell like last week’s trash thanks to twenty terrifying minutes of anxiety sweat…” I flip open the box, and the oval diamond catches the light from the fluorescent bulbs overhead, glimmering despite our sterile surroundings. “But the best things in my life haven’t been planned. You. That night in Denver. Ellie. This baby. None of it expected, and all of it exactly what I need.”
Piper’s free hand trembles as it covers her mouth, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. God love hormones.
“What I’m trying to say,” I continue, my own voice raw, “is that I don’t want to wait for therightmoment. Every second with you is perfect enough for me. So, Piper Hart, will you marry me? Will you let me spend the rest of my life proving I’m worthy of you and Ellie and our baby?”
For a long moment, she just stares at me. Then she pulls her hand away from her mouth and says, “Yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yes, you giant oaf. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
The grin I feel splitting my face actually hurts, but I couldn’t stop it if I tried. I slide the ring onto her finger, and it fits like it was meant to be there. Then I push myself to my feet and lean down to give her a kiss filled with every promise I intend to keep.
When I pull back, Piper scoots over in the narrow hospital bed, tugging at my hand. “Climb in, Barlowe.”
“Uh, that bed was not made for two people. Especially when one of them is my size.”
“I don’t care. Get in.”
I should probably argue. There are about fifteen different reasons why it’s probably against hospital protocol. But when the woman I love gives me a command, I do it.
