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He spent the next hour laying out everything he and Mud had found, not just on Coleman and Mercer, but also on the people he suspected, as well as the one’s they had cleared.

Chapter Forty-Two

That night, after her parents had left, Lauren and Cypher lounged on the sofa as her favorite show played in the background. Cypher leaned back in the corner of the sofa as Lauren sat in front of him, his arms around her as she leaned back against his chest.

“I’ve been thinking,” Cypher said when the program stopped for a commercial break.

“Oh? About what?” Lauren tilted her head back to look up at him.

“Us.” One hand around her belly slid lower to cover where their tiny child rested inside her. “All of us.”

“What about?”

“We’re going to do this, right?”

“Yeah.” She frowned, not sure where he was going with this.

“I know it’s a little old fashion, but personally, I believe that if you’re having my baby, you should also have my name, or at least the option of it.”

Lauren sat up and turned to face him. “What’s going on?”

“I’m screwing this up.” He reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out something, she couldn’t see what. He took a deep breath, and she couldn’t help but frown as her confusion grew.

“Sweetheart, I know things have happened fast between us. And you may not be where I am. But I know what I feel for you. I know you’re the only one I want in my life. I want you to be the one I wake up beside each morning. The one I fall asleep beside every night. I want to make sure you and our children are safe and loved. I love you, Lauren. Will you marry me?” He uncurled his hand to reveal a ring. It shone bright, as if it had recently been polished, though the setting looked antique. “I know it’s not the most flashy or up to date style, and it probably won’t fit, at least not yet. But I’ll have it resized if you like it. It was my grandmother’s. She left it to me for my wife.”

She stared at the multifaceted oval stone in a filigreed band. She could easily see it on the hand of a woman who’s been married more than fifty years before and had taken good care of it. Lauren’s gaze flicked between the ring and Cypher’s face, where he watched her with his heart in his eyes.

Her heart seemed to be galloping in her chest, and she felt like she could barely catch her breath enough to get the words out.

“Yes. Of course yes. But when?” She looked up at him, her hand sliding down to cover her not-yet-existent baby bump. “I’ll be showing before too long.”

“Now,” Cypher said.

“Now?” she whispered.

Cypher shrugged.

“I could put it in the system now, we don’t have to do anything really. Or we could go down to the courthouse tomorrow, if we want to do it ‘right’.” He made finger quotes. “Or we can talk to Elizabeth, Jenna, and the Squirt, and see what they can put together. And we can do it whenever you want.”

“This week? While my parents are here?”

“If that’s what you want. Do you want to call up and see if your brothers and their families want to come too?”

She opened her mouth but couldn’t answer. She’d never given much thought to the mechanics of a wedding or who she would invite. It had seemed like a waste of time when she had no prospects to marry. Well. That had been before.

“Maybe. I’ll talk to Mom about it in the morning. The rest of the girls too.”

“All right. But what day?”

Lauren blinked. “Mom and Dad are heading home Monday, so let’s plan on Sunday. That gives us as long as possible to plan it and still have them here for it.”

“No problem. Now come back here and let me enjoy the evening with my fiancée. I won’t get many nights like this, and I plan to enjoy them as much as I can while it lasts.”

“What do you mean you won’t get many nights like this?” Lauren said as she settled back into place in front of him.

“I only get a few nights to snuggle and spend time with my fiancée.”

“Why?”

“Because all too soon you’ll be my wife and that will be a whole different level.”

Lauren laughed and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him.

“You’re a nut. A lovable nut, but still a nut.” She closed her eyes as she let his heat surround her. She couldn’t think of anywhere she wanted to be or anyone else she’d rather be with. And being his wife? That sounded about perfect.