“Oh, my gosh,” she says, looking terrified. “What’s happening? Is he okay?”
Joe’s body bounces in his chair as he dabs the tears streaming down his cheeks from both our moment and his coughing fit.
“He’s fine,” I say, tossing Joe a wink. “Swallowed wrong.”
Joe nods emphatically. Once he gets himself together, he pulls his daughter in for a hug.
“I love you, Bellamy,” he says.
“You, too, Daddy,” she says, pulling back. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’m the best I’ve been in a long time.” He opens the bag. “Now you two get out of here so I can eat my chicken and watch my show. It’s time for Family Feud.”
Bellamy takes a deep breath. She wants to say something, but she’s struggling to find the words.
I lay an arm around her shoulders.
“I’ll get her out of here,” I tell him. “Enjoy your show.”
He waves his napkin in the air and doesn’t bother to look up.
“That’s our cue to leave,” I whisper to Bellamy.
She doesn’t look ready to go, but I take her hand and lead her out anyway.
I know she’s exhausted. I also know she likes time by herself when she’s overwhelmed, and hearing her dad opt in for the new medicine today undoubtedly overwhelmed her.
We walk toward the backyard. Bellamy doesn’t say anything. She just puts one foot in front of the other.
I stop at the path to the gate. “Want me to head to Mom’s?”
“What? No. I mean unless you want to.”
“You know I don’t want to,” I say, stepping toward her. “I want to be where you are.”
She nibbles her bottom lip before freeing it in a moment of determination. “I want you to be where I am too.”
“Good.” I take her hand and swing it between us as we walk to her house. “I’d have come right back anyway. I would’ve left you alone for ten minutes. Tops.”
She laughs as we enter her house.
“You hungry?” I ask since she didn’t order anything at the chicken place.
She shakes her head. “Do you mind if we just go lie down for a little while? My head hurts.”
“Lady, I never mind getting in your bed.”
We walk down the hallway in silence. We take off our shoes and climb into Bellamy’s bed without saying a word. She curls up next to me with her head in the crook of my arm and sighs.
I close my eyes. Her breathing evens out so smoothly that I wonder if she fell asleep.
I brush her hair off the side of her face so I can see her. Her lashes are so long, her cheeks the prettiest shade of pink.
How did I not realize I was in love with her forever ago?
“I appreciate that you went with us today,” she whispers.
“Stop thanking me.”
“But I … It means a lot to me.”
“Well, you mean a lot to me.”
The question is on the tip of my tongue. Asking Bellamy to be my wife could spill so easily from my lips if I let it. But shouldn’t that kind of thing be done with sparklers and fireworks?
I have no idea how to get engaged. I don’t even have a ring, and if I pop the question—the biggest question of my life—and don’t have Mom help me find the perfect ring, I’ll never hear the end of it.
And it won’t be quite as perfect of a moment.
Bellamy Davenport deserves a perfect moment.
But I’d ask her right now. I’d ask her to be my wife right fucking now. I don’t want to do it after such a bad day, though, and I don’t want her to ever think I did it out of guilt. Or because I’m impulsive. Or that I didn’t mean it.
Because I fucking mean it.
I can’t imagine my life any other way.
“You’ll know, and then it’s over.”
Dad was right. I know. And I’m done. No more running from her or us.
I snuggle her closer.
“I’ll have Bree tomorrow,” she says. “You up for playing catch?”
“I believe I’m teaching her a curveball, but yeah.”
She strokes the spot where Bree nailed me on my first day home. “I can’t believe that didn’t leave a nasty bruise. Hopefully, you can say the same tomorrow.”
“No shit.”
She smiles against me. “I’ve always said I didn’t want kids. When we were growing up, Riss always wanted to play with dolls and babysit other people’s kids. I just wanted to ride bikes or play in the creek.”
“And that’s why I’ve always loved you.”
Her body shakes with a gentle chuckle.
“What?” I ask her.
“I’ll never get tired of hearing you say that.”
“Good. Because I’ll be saying that a lot over the years.”
She raises her head and looks at me with wide eyes as she searches my face.
“You mean that. Don’t you?” Bellamy asks.
“I mean it more than I’ve ever meant anything in my life. I’m going to be here for you. And your dad. And whatever else happens in your life.” I grin. “This has been a long time coming. It’s what should’ve happened years ago. I’m just thankful we’re here now. And if we had to go through all that before just to get here, then I’m glad for it. As long as I have you now. Forever.”
She sits entirely up. Her motion prompts me to sit up too.
She bites her fingernail.
“Stop,” I tell her, chuckling. “You’re making me nervous.”
Her hand drops right away. “At some point in the future, do you want children? Or a child? Any of them?”
That specific question, directed at me, coming from her beautiful lips, stirs something deep inside me.
I shift around in the bed until the tightness eases a bit.
“I’ve never seriously considered having kids,” I tell her. “But, right now, the answer is that I would like to have them. One? Three? Ten? I don’t know. But I think you and I would make pretty spectacular kids together.”
Surprise streaks across her face.
“I know you just said you didn’t want them,” I admit. “And if you don’t, then I don’t. I want you way before I want anything else.”
It’s the most real thing I’ve ever said in my life.
The whole room blurs around Bellamy and me. Nothing else matters.
My chest rises and falls as I wait on her response. But she could take all night, and that would be fine. It doesn’t matter what she says. I’ll give it to her.
“I’d like to have kids with you too,” she whispers. “Someday.”
The vulnerability in her eyes shines like a diamond. The shield she usually throws up when things get serious or hard isn’t there.
Seeing her like this does something to me—something extraordinary and painful all at the same time.
I scoop her up and plant my lips on hers as I lay her on her back.
Her hair fans out around her in a silky cloud. She reaches up and touches the side of my face.
My heart feels like it’s absorbed all my love for this crazy, gorgeous lady, and it’s about to explode.
A smile that I’ve never seen from her sneaks across her cheeks. It’s not wicked or mischievous like usual. It’s wide open. Unguarded. A little shy.