Chapter 36
CHAPTER 36
Roman
“What a game!” Parker grinned.
“I gotta say you’ve really upped your golfing skills, bro.” Julian hooked his arm around him.
“Now that we’re done, we have to get painting the nursery. So, let’s go.”
“Can’t it wait until tomorrow?” Julian asked.
“No. I promised Morgan we’d start today. She and the moms are out looking at baby furniture. We need to get it done.”
We left the golf course and headed home. After changing into some old clothing, I set up the paint in the room.
“Okay. Let’s get this over with,” Parker said, grabbing a paint roller.
“I’m going to ask Morgan to marry me,” I blurted out.
“Excuse me?” Julian said.
“Don’t you think it’s a little too soon for that?” Parker asked.
“Not at all. I love her more than life. She’s having my baby, and I’m ready to make her my wife. ”
“Did you get a ring yet?” Julian asked.
“No. We have an appointment tomorrow at eleven o’clock at Cartier.”
“Oh, so she knows you’re proposing?” Parker asked.
“No. Why would I tell her before I have a ring?”
“Bro, you just said you two have an appointment tomorrow at eleven o’clock.”
“We do. The three of us.”
“Why do we have to go?” Parker asked.
“Because I want your opinions.”
“No can do. I have plans tonight with someone, and it could linger into tomorrow,” Julian said.
“Oh, please. You’ll go out tonight, have sex, and kick her out. There will be no lingering into tomorrow.”
“Ain’t that right.” Parker chuckled.
“Shut up, douchebag.” Julian’s brows furrowed.
“What is this paint over here?” Parker asked, pointing to the can in the corner.
“That’s for the accent wall. You can do that wall while we finish up on this side,” I said.
“And which one is the accent wall?” he asked.
“This one.” I pointed.
Parker stood in the middle of the room, furrowing his brows. “Are you sure? That doesn’t make sense. I would make this wall the accent wall.”
“Morgan said she wants the accent wall over here.”
“You’re sure about that?” he asked.
“Yes. I’m positive. I listen to my girlfriend when she speaks.” I smirked.
“Okay.” Parker sighed.
After a few hours, the room was painted. I went downstairs, grabbed some beers from the fridge, and the three of us sat on the paint tarps in the middle of the floor .
“Roman?” I heard the front door open.
“Upstairs in the nursery, babe,” I shouted, standing up.
She walked in, kissed my lips, and looked around.
“Wow. It looks great in here. But why did you make that the accent wall?” She pointed. “It’s supposed to be this wall. This is where the crib is going.”
“Ha!” Parker pointed at me. “I told you!”
“So much for you always listening when she speaks,” Julian whispered.
“Shut the fuck up. Babe, you said this wall would be the accent wall.”
“No, I didn’t, Roman. You weren’t listening because you were reading an email from one of your clients when we were in here discussing it.”
“I think the accent wall is fine where it is, babe.”
“And I think you better prime that wall and repaint it. Then, you’re going to repaint this wall as the accent wall.”
“As much as I’d love to stay, I have to go home and get ready for my date.” Julian walked over and kissed Morgan’s cheek. “Love you.”
“I have to go, too.” Parker patted my back. “Have fun painting.” He grinned and left the room.
I stood there, my hands on my hips, staring at the walls.
“I’ll repaint tomorrow.”
“No. You’re finishing today. Why clean all this mess up and get it back out tomorrow? I’ll go change and help you.”
Sighing, I grabbed the roller and started rolling primer over the accent wall that wasn’t supposed to be the accent wall. A few moments later, Morgan walked in and grabbed a paint roller.
“Did you find any furniture?” I asked.
“I did.” She turned and grinned at me. “It’ll be here on Tuesday. Your moms bought everything. They wouldn’t let me pay for one single piece, not even the area rug. I felt bad.”
“Don’t feel bad. This is what they do. You know how excited they are about the baby. They probably thought they’d never have grandchildren.”
“But it was so expensive, Roman.”
“I’ll offer them some money, but I know they won’t take it. Let them spoil their granddaughter. Don’t forget, they’ve only ever had us three boys.”
After the primer dried, I painted the wall the right color while Morgan painted the accent wall. We stood in the middle of the room, holding hands and staring at the room that would soon be filled with baby furniture.
“I’ll be right back. Stay where you’re at.” I smiled, leaving the room.
I grabbed the music remote from the nightstand when I entered our bedroom. Walking back to the nursery, I hit the play button, and the song “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims began to play.
“May I have this dance?” I extended my hand with a smile.
“You may.” She placed her hand in mine.
Our eyes stayed locked on each other. She was so beautiful, even with specks of paint on her face.
“How did we get here?” Her smile brightened as we swayed back and forth to the music.
“Well, I always get what I want. And what I wanted was you from the moment I laid eyes on you at the beach in Turks and Caicos. The rest is history.”
“You’re so romantic.” Her lips tenderly touched mine.
“You bring it out in me.”
“Oh my God!” She placed her one on her belly.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay? ”
“She kicked, Roman.” She grabbed my hand and placed it on her belly.
The sudden, gentle, yet powerful flutter against my palm reminded me of the life growing inside her. I grinned as she held my gaze. Bending over, I lifted her shirt and pressed my lips against her growing belly, letting my daughter know that I was there and how much I already loved her.
I climbed into my car, drove down the street, and picked up my brothers. As far as Morgan was concerned, my brothers and I were going golfing again.
We sat inside a private room adorned with professional photographs of diamond jewelry hanging on the walls. The blue chairs we sat in were plush and comfortable while we waited for Roberto to bring in some rings. I glanced over at Julian. This bothered him. I could tell. Perhaps, I shouldn’t have made him come.
“Julian, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking when I asked you to come along.”
“Nah, bro. I’m fine. I want to be here with you. No brother left behind, right?”
“Right.” I smiled.
Roberto walked in carrying a blue velvet pillow with five engagement rings.
“These are from our newest collection. Your eyes are the first to see it. We aren’t displaying them for a couple of more weeks.”
I picked up one and studied it.
“That one is a total of six carats, the center diamond being four,” he said.
I felt something when I stared at it, and I knew this was the one. After looking at the others, I picked the first one back up.
“What do you two think?” I asked, glancing at my brothers.
“It’s beautiful. Morgan will love it.”
“I’ll take this one. Do you have it in a size 6?”
“This one happens to be a size 6.” Roberto grinned.
“How do you know Morgan’s ring size? Did you come out and ask her?”
“No. I ordered one of those ring sizers from Amazon and slipped the ring she always wears on her right hand to find out her size.”
“Damn, bro. That was smart.” Parker grinned.
“Thank you.”
After grabbing some lunch, I dropped them off and went home.