Chapter 33
KENZIE
It's been a rollercoaster since the infamous Valentine's Day grand re-opening.
I'm only five months along, but Mikael has me cutting my hours. I rub my hand over my tummy, and the little nugget is now showing. Everyone at the shop says I'm glowing.
After months of being sick due to hormonal changes, I'll take any compliment I can get. Mikael tells me I'm gorgeous every day. He brings me white roses, my favorite. The house is littered with Sherlock's stuffed animals that he carries around like a toddler. When he sleeps, one is under his head like a pillow.
The two of them had weekly trips to the frozen pond all winter. Sherlock adores Mikael. We've moved in with him, and we've started on the baby's room. He or she is going to be spoiled from the looks of things. Mikael has gone overboard with a designer for the room. Can you imagine?
Mikael insisted I needed a family vehicle and bought me a new Rover with the best safety record. I’ve never experienced the new car smell before. Bo and I see each other every week and she’s excited to become an auntie. It's great we live close to each other.
My mother has been on me for not being married. I brought the headache of my mother into this because I refuse to keep secrets. I didn't want to rush into marriage when Mikael and I discussed it. He needs time to adjust to all the change and I know firsthand how overwhelming it is to become a parent. The baby news was sprung on us rather quickly.
Mikael learned secrets won't earn my love. I think Cupid decided to make peace with me. I’m happy, and I’m blessed.
It's the hottest month of the summer now, and the baby bump is noticeable.
“I have a surprise for dinner.”
“What is it?”
“It's a destination dinner,” Mikael says with a twinkle in his eye.
“Really? For me?”
“Yep.”
I don’t feel pretty, but Mikael encourages me to wear a pretty summer maternity dress. He seems committed to keeping the surprise as he loads Sherlock and me into the Rover. I have no clue where we’d be going to eat with our dog but I’m happy Sherlock gets to go on the outing with us.
He drives us over country backroads until he veers off. I’ve never been this way before so I’m dying to know what he’s up to. The sun is beginning to set when we reach the first clue of civilization—a sign is ahead. Yeah, my first clue.
But I missed it because he distracted me by asking me to check on Sherlock in the backseat. I’ve tried to coax details out of him all afternoon, and I can’t get him to budge.
I look out the windshield and see a building ahead. It looks like a cozy B&B. It sits on a river. Huge oak trees provide a canopy. It's breathtaking. He stops and helps me out. Sherlock pants at our feet. Mikael leashes Sherlock and walks us toward the open patio in the back that’s illuminated with party lights. The tables all have white pressed linens with white candles on each table top.
Soft music floats on the ephemeral breeze as we enter the patio. I notice handsome men in suits who are here with wives who give us an adoring look.
What is going on?
I'm not that popular, and this is when Finn greets us.
“Fancy seeing you two here,” he chuckles.
Hormones have thrown me for a loop. I have brain fog and assume his presence is a coincidence.
He escorts us to a table.
“This is nice, isn't it, honey?” Mikael smirks. “This is a historic hotel on the river…”
And then it clicks. I join him as we both say, “Captain Nichols Inn. You know, the one where you proposed to me. It was an incredible summer night, and the ambiance of the outdoor lighting and the glow of fireflies were unforgettable.”
I burst into tears and it’s not due to the hormones. My love for this man is the most incredible feeling in the world. Is it fate, luck, or serendipity?
I don’t know.
Mikael kneels and pulls a box out of his pocket.
“Kenzie, I love you. I adore you, and I can't wait to see what our future holds. I want to wake up to you every morning for the rest of my life and return here on our fiftieth anniversary. Will you marry me?”
I can't see him as my eyes are filled with tears.
Sherlock licks my face. Finn hands me a handkerchief, and I blot at my eyes as then I see the huge ring sparkling under the lights.
“Yes,” I gasp. I’m crying again as he slips the ring on my finger, and it's stunning. He pulls me to him and kisses me. My toes curl. The entire patio erupts in clapping, and it's then that I notice his teammates are sitting at the other tables.
After our R-rated kiss, Mikael pulls a bandanna from his pocket and ties it around Sherlock’s neck.
I look at the words stamped on it: My humans are getting married.
Cupid must have forgiven me for doubting her wisdom. Maybe Sherlock knew who he wanted for a daddy when he found Mikael in the park. Was Sherlock my guardian angel?
I’ll never know….