Page 160 of Breaking Hollywood

“Speedy, does this mean I have to give up smoking now that we’re having a baby?”

She turns her face to look at me. “Only if you want to. You’ve been doing so well with not drinking, and if giving up your cigarettes would feel like too much of an added pressure, then don’t do it. The last thing I want is for you to put any unnecessary pressure on yourself.”

And this is just one of the many reasons I love her. She always thinks about what’s best for me.

“I’ll think about it and have a chat with my sponsor, see what he thinks.”

“I know you don’t smoke in the house anymore, but you can’t smoke around me at all now that I’m pregnant.”

“I promise I won’t.” I press a kiss to her soft lips.

I see we’re approaching our destination, and my stomach starts to churn with unexpected nerves. And, now, I really could do with a smoke.

I haven’t been nervous all day. Every time I’ve thought about this, I’ve felt happy and positive. But, now that we’re nearly there, I’m starting to shit bricks.

The car starts to slow, coming to a stop outside the studio.

“Why are we at the studio?” Speedy asks me.

“You’ll see in a minute.”

I open the door and get out of the car, helping her out.

Keeping hold of her hand, I lead her past the studio and to the corner of the street.

I pause before we turn the corner. “Okay, so close your eyes.”

“You want me to close my eyes?”

“That’s what I said.”

She gives me a look and shuts them.

“Are they closed properly?” I wave a hand in front of her.

“Do they look closed to you?” She smirks.

“Funny, smart-ass. Okay, don’t open them until I say so.”

I take hold of her hands and lead her around the corner and down the street until I stop her on the very spot where she hit me with her car that day.

The street is lit with fairy lights, giving it a romantic glow. There’s not much you can do to make a street down the side of a movie studio look romantic, but it has to be here, so fairy lights, it is.

I get the blue ring box from my pocket, and then I get down on one knee in front of her.

Fuck, I’m so nervous.

I feel like I’m gonna hurl. My mouth dries. I take a deep breath and moisten my lips with my tongue. “Okay…you can open your eyes.”

She blinks her eyes open. I watch her as she takes in the fairy lights and just where we are. A smile ignites her whole face.

That smile. Fuck, it gets me every time.

It takes her a moment to realize that I’m on my knee in front of her, but when she does, her eyes widen, and her mouth pops into an O before she covers it with her hands.

“Ava…I had this whole big speech prepared, and then you blew me out of the water when you told me that you’re pregnant with our baby. You kinda stole my thunder.” I grin. “But, tonight, you’ve given me the greatest gift ever. And, now, I’m asking you to marry me, with our child growing inside you, on the very spot where we started, and it couldn’t be more right.” I push up to my feet. “So, Ava Simms…soon-to-be mother of my child…my Speedy…will you marry me?”

I pop open the ring box, and her eyes widen further, filling with tears.