“Say yes!” Misha pumped his hand in the air.
I leaned toward him with the plan to kiss him. Then I shifted and squirmed, rocking to get the momentum to sit more upright.
“Oh, just—” I pulled on his hand to get him to me. We laughed, but once I had him closer, I cupped his face and kissed him.
“Is that a yes?” Misha asked as we kissed and kissed, pecking soft presses to each other’s lips as we smiled.
“Yes. It is a yes,” I told him. Staring into Alexsei’s eyes, I sighed happily. “Yes, I would love to be your wife.”
He kissed me harder, keeping his hand on my cheek. “I love you,” he whispered as Misha ran around and danced.
“I love you too,” I replied.
“I really wanted to make the moment special,” he admitted.
“Itisspecial,” I insisted. “No matter the timing, it would always be special because you are the man asking me.”
Happy tears filled my eyes as he slid the gorgeous ring onto my finger. Ahead, hiding in the shadows, Gabriella taped it all.
“You will never want for anything, Kalina,” Alexsei swore before he kissed my knuckle above where the ring sat.
“No? Really?” I huffed a laugh. “Because I really want this baby to come out.”
He laughed, sitting with me again and draping his arm around my shoulders. Misha came toward us and hugged us both. Wewere all so happy, and he was a chatterbox about all the new changes he couldn’t wait for.
“And you’ll get the paperwork, right?” he asked Alexsei. “So she can officially adopt me and be my mommy?”
He nodded. “We’ll get the paperwork done.”
“Before the baby is born?” he asked, clearly impatient to make sure I would be his mother.
“Hey!” I groaned. “It can’t take that much longer!”I hope!
“Did you try the trick about chewing gum?” Gabriella asked as she came out to join us. Others were coming closer, too, their voices nearby like they’d all known Alexsei was going to propose tonight.
“Chewing gum?” Raisa asked. She blew a raspberry as she held Roman. He smiled, amused. “That didn’t work.”
“Nothing is working,” I protested. Then I let out another light groan. “Now I need to go. Again.”
Alexsei stood, ready to help me get to my feet so I could go to the bathroom. Again.
Once I was upright, though, the women stared at the floor.
“Apparently, getting engaged worked,” Sadie quipped.
I looked down, fearing the horrible idea that I’d peed myself with how long it had taken me to get up.
“The baby’s coming!” Gabriella exclaimed.
I blinked, stunned by the liquid on the floor from my water breaking.
As nervousness and excitement returned inside me, I gave Alexsei a weak, silly smile. “You almost got the timing you wanted.”
He laughed once and joined in the rush to call the doctor.
37
ALEXSEI
