Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 60081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
“To be fair, he’s not psychotic anymore,” I say, though I confess I don’t have much love for Kyle. He lost the chance to win my heart when he attacked my woman’s ass. “But I get it. People want to donate to save cute, fluffy things. Not a giant turkey with a big red thing hanging over one eye.”
“I don’t know why Kane thought I needed a fundraiser co-chair anyway,” he grumbles. “I’ve handled this on my own for the past four years. And Starling is practically a fetus. What does she know about fundraising?”
“I think she majored in it in college,” I say, chuckling as Christian curses some more.
“Fine, but I was here first, so I’m the boss,” he says. “Which means no turkeys in the flyer.” He starts to cross the lawn, but stops to turn back with a smile, “Oh, and good luck. But you won’t need it. She’s going to say yes, brother. Anyone with eyes can see you’re the love of her life.”
“Thanks, man,” I say, my throat tight again, as a wave of love for my brother—for my whole family—spreads through my chest. That’s the thing about love, the more you give it away, the more it keeps coming back to you, multiplied and even stronger than it was before.
I sniff, pulling myself together as I spot Tatum crossing the lawn, a plate in hand. She arches a brow as she sees the private table with champagne. “Well, well, isn’t this fancy?”
“I thought we could start date night early,” I say, glancing down at the plate, seeing that she got enough for two and picked out all my favorite things. Because she collects little facts about me like most people collect treasure. I have never felt more loved than I do when I’m with her and it isn’t any one big thing, it’s a hundred little things that add up to a new life that would no longer be whole without her.
She sets the plate on the table and reaches for my hand with a worried look. “Are you okay?” She bites her lip. “Did Barrett tell you something? Is he firing Wren? She’s planning to go back to work, but I should warn her if—”
“No, it’s not about Barrett or Wren,” I say, deciding I can’t put this off another second. I wanted to wait until she found the ring herself, but I can’t hold it in a second more. “It’s about you. And me.”
She blinks, nodding slowly as she says, “Okay.”
“I need to discuss something serious with you.”
She nods again, pulling in a deeper breath. “Okay, but first, I have to give you something.” She reaches into her purse and pulls out a plastic bag with a white and pink stick inside. Her lips curve in a nervous smile as she lifts it up and says, “Surprise, my serious thing is more serious than your serious thing! And I guess they weren’t kidding when they said missing one pill could result in pregnancy?” She swallows audibly and babbles on, “I’m so sorry to spring it on you like this. I was going to wait until pizza night tonight when we were alone, but you looked so serious that I wanted to give you some good news. At least, I hope this is good news to you? It’s amazing news for me, because I can’t imagine anything more beautiful than having a baby with you and raising our little one with Sarah Beth, but I could be—”
I cut her off with a kiss, a deep, grateful, elated kiss that I break only when I have to come up for air.
“I’m so happy,” I say, tears streaming down my cheeks. But they’re streaming down Tatum’s, too, so I think it’s okay. “I can’t imagine better news. Unless it’s you telling me you’re having my baby and then saying you’ll marry me.”
Her eyes fly wide.
“Look in the fairy house. And happy belated Mother’s Day. Sarah Beth and I wanted to have it done by last weekend, but we couldn’t get it fired in time.”
“Oh my God,” Tatum whispers, dropping the positive test on the table with shaky hands as she bends, looking into the fairy house. “Oh my God, Drew. Oh my God.” She pulls the ring out, holding it up and immediately dropping it in the grass, she’s shaking so hard. “Oh no!”
“No worries,” I say, bending to collect it and staying there on one knee as I hold the ring up between us. “Margaret Tatum O’Leary, you are the missing piece I longed for every day until I met you. You are my light and my laughter and the best mother any kid could wish for. I’m so grateful you’re in my life. Words can’t express all the things I feel for you. But my actions can, and I intend to show you how deeply you’re loved from this day until the last day I’m lucky enough to breathe the same air as the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. Beautiful, inside and out.”