She swallowed hard. Her head was resting on my shoulder, and I could feel just the faintest hint of tears on my skin.
I didn’t mention it. Knew she didn’t like to be seen as weak…just gave her the moment.
“And right before all that, I was complaining about how you proposed,” she said. “Then you risked your life for me?—”
“I would show up for you even if you didn’t want to marry me.”
“Which is why I’m actually saying yes now,” she interrupted. “Fully. No stipulations.”
She propped herself up to look down at me, smoothing her hand gently over my forehead and my hair, then she pressed a delicate kiss to my lips. Her eyes were red with tears; cheeks streaked with them.
“I love you, Forrest Holt,” she said. “I love you so much it hurts to imagine my life without you.”
I looked into her pretty blue eyes for what felt like a very long time…taking in the sight of her. She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, and I had proposed to her in a fucking parking lot without once saying the most important three words.
“I love you too,” I said. “I should have said that first. Before the proposal, before any of it.” I reached up to cup her cheek. “Ilove you, Willa June. Not because of the baby and not because I want to keep you safe, though both of those things are true.” I searched her face. “Because you walked into my life and made me want things again. Because you named yourself after the month you got free. Because Dolly chose you in the first ten minutes and Nickel never left your side and you asked so pretty for everything you wanted and you saidour landat the gate today like you’d always known it was yours.”
She let out a wet, teary laugh, then swiped at her eyes.
“Because you knocked on my door that night and told me you wanted me,” I said, “and I’ll be thanking you for it for the rest of my goddamn life.”
She leaned down and kissed me again, careful of the wound on my cheek, her hand cradling my face. When she pulled back, her eyes were still wet but she was smiling.
“You know,” she said, “this is the point in the story when we’re supposed to make passionate love.”
I laughed, which made me hurt again, and made her wince. “I really don’t think that’s on the table.”
“I meant here in bed. We can save the table for later.”
That made me laugh harder.
“Willa…broken ribs?—”
“Right, sorry.”
I shook my head and gently dragged my thumb over her cheekbone. “Have I ever told you you’re awfully funny for someone who lived through hell?”
She shrugged. “When Daniela was here she told me that what doesn’t kill you makes you funnier.”
I smiled. “That tracks.”
She settled back against my shoulder, her hand flat on my chest, careful of my ribs.
“You know,” she said. “I’m…I don’t want you to think I’m just doing it because of this, but I kind of lucked out on the in-law lottery. You, on the other hand…”
“We’ve got more than enough family around here to get by,” I said. “Besides, you’re one of us. Not them.”
She was quiet, just breathing against me.
Then: “Do you think our baby will look more like a Holt or like me?”
“Youarea Holt.”
She rolled her eyes, looking down at me again. “Forrest.”
“Willa.”
“Be serious.”
