“We can tour the house right now, and if you love it, he’s expecting my call tomorrow. It can be ours.”
“It’s a short walk to my parents.” Her eyes watered, and her lip trembled. “It’s five minutes to Main Street.”
“It has four bedrooms and a basement. A large backyard too. Perfect for a family.”
She rubbed her lips together, her tears spilling over her cheeks. “Are you for real?”
This was it. I took a breath and got down on one knee. Laney covered her mouth with her gloved hands, her eyes widening as I pulled out a ring from my pocket. It was her old ring, but I had work done on it. Rubies now surrounded the diamond.
“Rubies are the second strongest gem besides diamonds, and I wanted to ask you, again, to be my wife. I will never make you feel second. I’m going to protect you, your heart, your love as long as you let me. I love you so much and chose you. I willalways choose you. Now, tomorrow, forever. Will you please stay my wife?”
Her face crumbled in a soft cry as she fell to her knees and threw her arms around my neck, quietly crying into my shoulder.
“Connor, this is… are you… of course I’m staying your wife! That wasn’t in question.”
“But it was, baby. For a little bit, and that’s too much for me. We love the winter. We both love cold nights and the holidays, but for different reasons. This is me vowing to you that our life is better than anything I could dream up. You, our baby,” I put my hand on her stomach, “are my future. My everything. I want our kid growing up with your parents showering them with love. I want you happy when I have to work. I want you comfortable and safe. Our future is here, in Cherrywood. It’s where I got a second chance with you.”
“Oh my God.” She cried against me, her fingers digging hard into my back as she nodded. “Yes, yes, I love you so much, oh my God.”
I laughed as my own eyes prickled.
“Also,” I said, my voice returning to normal, “I’m fucking sick of seeing your ring finger bare.”
“There he is.” She snorted and lifted her tearstained face. “My possessive husband.”
“I’m always in there.” I kissed her. “But I needed to do this right.”
“You did so well, it’s not even funny. I want the ring, please.” She held her hand between us, and I slipped it back on her finger.
The pain from seeing it left behind on the table at our old place disappeared. The agony of her leaving was gone. Wewere stronger. Better. Realigned in our priorities. I kissed her wrist and squeezed it six times.
“I love you so fucking much.”
“Is that our new thing?” She grinned, staring at her ring. “Six squeezes now?”
“Yes, because it’s true.” I pushed up to one knee, helping her stand. “Want to look at our future house?”
“What if we don’t like it?”
“Baby.” I took her hand and laughed. “I guarantee we’re going to like it. Now, let’s go see all the new places I get to defile you on.”
She tossed her head back and laughed, the sound echoing through the quiet, perfect neighborhood.
“Do they have cameras in there? Could… we?”
“You’re perfect. Jesus.” I groaned, tugging her with me toward the door. I unlocked it, pushing it open and smiling at her.
“After you, wife. Let’s see what our new home looks like.”
“Oh my God, Connor!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
LANEY
One year later…
Christmas music echoed off the walls of our home. The speakers my dad installed were just a hair too loud this early on Christmas morning. Not that I was complaining. Everyone we loved was here, at our new home in Cherrywood, celebrating our son’s first Christmas.
