He rose from his knee and pulled her to him. Pressed a kiss so deep against her lips, Rylee went warm all over in his embrace and wrapped her arms as far around him as she could manage.
A moment later, Xander broke their kiss to retrieve the ring, plucking it from the box and sliding it onto her finger.
“Thank you,” he said to her, pulling her close.
“Thankyou.” Rylee pressed her head to him, closing her eyes, a tear escaping once more. “Because you’re already making me the happiest woman in the galaxy.”
Xander tightened his arm around her then kissed the top of her braids. “And I’m just getting warmed up.”
Rylee laughed again, hugging him tighter.
Earlier she wondered could the night get better.
And it did.
sixteen
RYLEE
“Thanks so much for staying, Liz,”Rylee said, walking to one of the available chairs in the basement.
“Of course,” Liz replied with a short laugh.
Rylee waddled the rest of the way to her seat, sighing the moment she was able to sit and relax.
“Later, you two,” Ivy Pressman, the final group member said, waving as she exited the basement.
“Bye, Ivy,” Rylee said from her seat, waving back. “Give Levi a huge kiss for me when you get home.”
“And will.” Ivy giggled, her voice fading as she left the basement.
It was the day of Rylee’s group meeting. This was one of the rare ones where Rylee’s therapist, Liz Peters, visited to sit in on discussions, offer advice, tips, and assignments to the group members to assist with their healing from loss.
The Hope Collective was truly one of Rylee’s pride and joys. She was doing everything she could to put things in order in time for her maternity leave.
With that thought, her hand rested on her belly. The moment her fingertips pressed into the roundest part of her stomach, the baby moved, making her scoff a laugh.
“I literally can’t even rest my hand here without him wanting to play in there,” she commented, shaking her head. “I can only imagine how he’ll be when he gets here. Probably a lot like his father.”
The sun was setting in Brooklyn. But Rylee couldn’t tell, being in the windowless basement of the bookstore where she hosted her meetings.
Liz smiled across from Rylee, crossing her legs in her seat, then leaning her face into her hand that was held up by her elbow resting on the chair’s armrest where she sat. “You glow so much when you’re pregnant.”
Rylee’s cheeks warmed. “Do I?”
“Mmm-hmm.” Liz nodded then used her pen to point at Rylee’s hand. “But that ring is giving you some competition, Rylee. I can’t even lie.”
Rylee laughed.
“Still getting used to seeing it there.” Rylee extended her hand to admire her ring.
Liz smirked. “Well, I might need to wear sunglasses the next time we meet.”
“Oh,please,” Rylee said through her laugh.
Liz’s smile grew, her eyes seeming to water as she allowed her smile to rest on her lips. “I’msoproud of you.”
Rylee inhaled a deep breath then pressed her hand to her chest.
