“Peggy? Judge Mycella? The judge who married us?”
“Yes.” He smiles. “She worked in family court back then. She was the one who told me my grandmother wanted nothing to do with me.”
“I’m sorry, Graham.” I step closer to him. “I’m so sorry.”
He drops his gaze. “Lloyd and Sela turned my life around. I was fifteen when we met. I don’t know where I’d be today if it weren’t for them.”
“Lloyd is a good man,” I reiterate.
Graham glances at me. “He’s the best man I’ve ever known.”
“You’re like a son to him.”
He shoves a hand through his hair. “I found out tonight that Lloyd had a son who died.”
My gaze searches his face. “What?”
“The doctor let it slip.” He locks eyes with me. “He said that Lloyd has been going to a memorial park in New Jersey to visit the spot where he scattered the ashes of his wife and his son.”
“I didn’t know,” I whisper.
“Neither did I.”
“He needs us, Graham.” I take both his hands in mine. “He needs us to help him. We are his family.”
“We are,” he agrees. “Thank you for agreeing to marry me, Trina Shaw. You’ve brought so much to my life and Lloyd’s life.”
“Trina Locke,” I correct him. “First thing tomorrow morning, I’m going to start the process to change my name to Trina Locke legally.”
I glance down when my phone vibrates in my hand. The nurse warned me to turn it off, but I wanted to keep it on if Aurora or Eldon needed me.
Graham and I just watched Lloyd being taken to the operating room. He agreed to the procedure and to whatever else he needs to do to get better.
Now, it’s a waiting game.
Dr. Morgan assured us the procedure wouldn’t take long and that he’d have Lloyd back in his room once he spent some time in recovery.
“Is everything all right?” Graham asks from where he’s standing next to me.
“I brought my friend to the emergency department earlier.” I sigh. “She wasn’t feeling well.”
“You brought her into the ER here? Is she okay?”
“She found out tonight that she’s pregnant,” I tell him. “She’s being discharged. Her boyfriend is texting me to ask if I want to see her before they leave the hospital.”
Graham reaches for my hand. “Let’s go.”
“We should wait here for Lloyd.” I don’t move. “I think we need to be here in case Dr. Morgan has to talk to you.”
He shakes his head. “I think Lloyd’s procedure will go off without a hitch. Let’s go see your friend.”
I nod. “Can we do one thing first?”
“Anything.” He perks a brow. “Do you want to find a supply closet for a not-so-quickie?”
Tapping my left hand on his chest, I laugh. “I want that, but the nurse will ban us from the hospital forever.”
His gaze falls to my hand. “I think I know what you want.”
Before I can say it, he’s dropped to one knee in the middle of the corridor.
A collective gasp escapes the three nurses behind the desk.
“Trina, my beautiful wife. Please do me the honor of being my partner in life.” His hand dives into his pocket to retrieve both rings. “Stay married to me forever. Have children with me. Let me do whatever I can to help you live the life you are meant to live. Let me love you every second of every hour of every day until we leave this earth.”
Applause erupts before I can even say yes.
But I do.
I nod, yell out my answer, and cry as my husband slips my rings back on my finger before he dips me into a breathtaking kiss.
Chapter Fifty-Six
Graham
My wife has her rings back on her finger. My heart belongs to her. Lloyd is in surgery, and I’m on my way to meet Trina’s friends.
I don’t know how this night can get better, but it will.
Once Lloyd is back in his room and settled, I plan on taking Trina home.
I’ll carry her over the threshold, drop her in bed and keep her there for hours.
I don’t know how it’s possible that I’ve become this fortunate.
I’m a lucky bastard, and I’ll never forget it.
As we wait for the elevator to take us to the ED, Trina glances at me. “You got that tattoo on your arm to cover your bull tattoo, didn’t you?”
Lloyd must have spilled those beans earlier, but I’m not mad.
My life is an open book now. I want Trina to know everything there is to know about me.
“I got the bull tattoo when I was thirteen.”
“Is that legal?”
“Not even a little bit.” I laugh. “I was placed in a home with another kid who was seventeen. He knew a guy who did tattoos in the back of a pancake restaurant.”
She holds in a laugh. “That should have been your first clue that it was a bad idea.”
“You think?” I quip. “Anyways, I gave him forty bucks, and he gave me a tattoo that I thought was cool at the time.”
She purses her lips. “I’d give almost anything to see that bull tattoo.”
The elevator dings signaling its arrival on our floor, so I lean close and press my lips to her ear. “Blow me, and I’ll show you a picture.”
She turns to lock her eyes on mine. “Deal.”
I trail her as she boards the elevator and presses the button for the main floor. “Being married to you is the best adventure I’ve ever had, Graham. I can’t wait for the future.”
I reach for her hand, draw it up to my lips and kiss it. “Being married to you is the greatest gift I’ve ever been given.”
“I’m Eldon Breckton.” A brown-haired guy in a police officer’s uniform shakes my hand. “It’s good to meet you, sir.”
I may have a few years on him, but I don’t fall into that category. “It’s Graham. Call me Graham.”
He gives me a curt nod before he shifts his attention back to Trina. “Thanks again for bringing her in.”
Trina smiles. “I’m glad I was there. How is she?”
“She’s great.” He beams with a broad smile. “She’s getting dressed. I told her I’d order an Uber to get us home. We’re both tired as hell, but happy. She told me you know, Trina. You know about the baby.”
Trina nods her head. “I know.”
Eldon huffs out a laugh. “A baby, Trina. How fucking awesome is that?”
She wraps her arms around him for a hug. “I’m so happy for you both.”
He pats the center of Trina’s back. “I asked her to marry me tonight. I never expected to do it in a hospital, but life is full of surprises, right?”
“Graham asked me to marry him tonight too.” Trina waves her left hand in the air. “We’re actually already married.”
“You got married tonight?” He huffs out a laugh. “When? Where?”
“No.” Trina chuckles. “We’ve been married for a while. It’s a long story, but it’s time everyone I care about knows that I married the most amazing man in the world.”