Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
ONE WEEK LATER
Samantha
“Hey, baby.” Wes walked over, gripped my hips, and kissed my lips.
“Hey.” I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck. “How was your day?”
“Not bad. I’m starving. How about we go to the Starlight Café for dinner?”
“Really?” I grinned.
“Yeah. Just the three of us.”
“You mean the four of us.”
“Right.” He smiled, placing his hand on my belly.
The three of us climbed into the back of the brand new Escalade, and Ben drove us to the Starlight Cafe.
"Why don’t you join us for dinner, Ben?” Wes asked.
“I’d love to. Thanks, Wes.”
We stepped inside the Starlight Café, and I immediately furrowed my brows for the place was empty except for the staff, Finn, Greta, Kylie, and several of my students from first period. I had no idea what was going on. I glanced at the chalkboard. It took my brain a second to register what it said.
TONIGHT’S SPECIALS
One English teacher.
One former commitment-phobe.
A lifetime of bad literary references.
“Wes, what did you do?” I asked.
Kylie stepped forward, holding a stack of poster boards. My stomach tied itself in knots.
“Oh, no,” I quietly spoke.
“Oh, yes.” Zoey grinned.
Wes took the poster boards one by one from Kylie and held them up in front of me.
Poster one:
YOU WERE RIGHT ABOUT ME.
Poster two:
I WAS AFRAID.
Poster three:
BUT YOU LOVED ME ANYWAY.
Poster four:
YOU GAVE ME A FAMILY.
Poster five:
YOU GAVE ME THE FEELING OF BEING HOME.
Poster six:
YOU GAVE ME A DAUGHTER WHO BULLIES ME DAILY.
“In my defense, you make it easy,” Zoey said, and everyone laughed.
Poster seven:
I DON’T NEED FOREVER TO BE PERFECT.
Poster eight:
I JUST NEED IT TO BE WITH YOU.
He reached into his pocket and got down on one knee.
“I spent years believing love was something people lost. Then you walked into my life and taught me that love isn’t something you lose. It’s something you choose.”
A tear slid down my cheek as he flipped open the lid.
“Samantha Hollis, will you make me the luckiest former commitment-phobe in Manhattan and marry me?”
I let out a laugh as the tears flowed.
“Yes, Wes. I will marry you!”
The entire diner erupted into cheer. He removed the ring from the box and slid it on my ring finger. Standing up, his mouth smashed against mine, as he picked me up and twirled me around.
“I love you so much, baby.” He smiled.
“I love you more.”
“Sam, I want you to know that I fought for a Romeo and Juliet theme, but Zoey said that was too tragic,” Devon said.
“Duh, Devon.” Zoey shook her head, and I laughed.
Everyone congratulated us. I couldn’t believe Wes had brought some of my students in.
“I can’t believe some of my students are here.”
“Well, they’re nosy, opinionated, and have been known to compare me to fictional characters,” he smirked. “Plus, they’ve been with you since the beginning, and I knew they’d want to be a part of it. Okay, everyone, let’s sit down and eat.”
Zoey walked over and hooked her arm around Wes.
“Okay, you did good. I’m proud, Dad.” She grinned.
I swore I saw a tear in his eye.
“Dad?”
“Sure, why not? I figured you’d better start getting used to being called that before the baby comes. And you know—” she paused.
“You don’t have to say it. I already know.” Wes smiled as he hugged her.
Wes and I found out a couple of days ago that we were having a little girl when we went to the doctor for my blood test results.
I was worried he’d be disappointed it wasn’t a boy for the whole heir to the Castile Property thing, but he wasn’t.
He said it didn’t matter because his child, whether a boy or a girl, would be the one to decide what he or she wanted to do in life.
And if it wasn’t taking over Castile Properties one day, he couldn’t have cared less.
We arrived home, and I couldn’t stop looking at my ring. It was perfect with a mix of timeless elegance.
“You have excellent taste, Mr. Castile.”
“You’re welcome,” Zoey zipped by us.
“Stop!” I said. “What do you mean? Did you help him pick it out?”
“Yeah.” She smiled. “I was there to make sure he picked with his heart and not his wallet.”
“And when was this?” She cocked her head.
“The day I told you I was sick. Wes picked me up, and we went to the jewelry store.”
“You weren’t supposed to tell her.” Wes cocked his head.
“Ah, that explains why when I got home, you seemed fine.”
Zoey shrugged. “A girl’s gotta do what she’s gotta do.” She went upstairs.
“And to think we’ll have another daughter,” I sighed, glancing at Wes.
“She’ll probably have the same attitude,” he said.
“Maybe worse.”
“God, don’t say that, Sam.”
I laughed. “Our lives are about to totally change.”
“But in the best way possible.” He leaned in and kissed me.