Chapter Twenty-Eight Connor
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CONNOR
The Snowflake Festival was in full swing on Christmas Day.
We woke up at Laney’s parents’ house, surrounded by presents.
None of them were for us though. All of them were for our unborn child.
It was too early to tell the gender, but the local doctor was able to fit Laney in on Christmas Eve and confirm that the baby was healthy and strong.
Laney was nine weeks along—so we weren’t going to share our news with anyone outside of her parents and Sophia, and that was fine with me.
Oh. And Petra, who sat at Laney’s parents’ kitchen table in an uncharacteristic ugly sweater.
“Small-town life suits you,” I said, holding up a mug of coffee. “You might not be all robot.”
“If I think too hard about what I’m doing here, I freak out. But I slept in flannel pajamas. A guy in glasses took me to dinner and bought me a present after knowing me for two weeks. My life is a weird Hallmark movie. It’s giving me hives.”
I chuckled as I poured Laney a cup of coffee. She was allowed two hundred milligrams of caffeine a day, and she assured me she’d use every one.
“I have conflicted feelings about Matt, but he seems like a solid guy.”
“He’s annoyingly wonderful.”
“Who is?” Laney walked into the kitchen wearing ripped jeans, a worn hoodie, and the biggest smile.
It was her joy that had attracted me to her, but now it held me captive. Hot coffee spilled on my hand as I realized I had forgotten to stop pouring. “Shit!”
“Hon.” Laney grabbed a towel and wiped my hand. “Careful.”
“He was staring at you,” Petra chimed in.
I narrowed my gaze at her, but she smiled. Laney blushed as she brought my hand to her mouth and kissed the back.
“You look beautiful.”
“You saw me ten minutes ago.”
“Doesn’t matter.” I kissed her forehead. “You feeling okay? Need toast? Pancakes?”
“Nah, I’m okay. My dad will cook his buffet lunch in a few hours. I call dibs on all the potatoes.”
“You can eat every one, Laney,” her mom said as she walked in, also smiling, and waved at Petra. “Matt is quite smitten with you. I ran into him at the bakery this morning, and he asked if you were celebrating with us.”
“Jesus, this guy.”
“He is wonderful,” Laney said, wiggling her brows. “He’s like a happy, loyal puppy.”
I grunted. I knew my wife didn’t have feelings for the guy, but I resented that he had been there for her that night. I’d never be able to thank him for that, nor forgive myself.
Laney slid her arm around my middle and leaned her head on me.
“No grumbles, my sexy Grinch. Matt is harmless.”
“He is harmless.” Her mom bustled around the kitchen wearing a bright red sweater. “Okay, the plan is to head to the town center in an hour for photos and the gift exchange. Then half the town will stop in at the shop for the potluck.”
“You have that many strangers come and eat your food?” Petra’s eyebrows rose.
“They aren’t strangers. I know everyone here,” my mother-in-law boasted proudly. “It’s a tradition. Everyone chips in for the food, and we hang out there for hours. Kids play, someone dresses as Santa. It’s amazing.”
“It really is. This place celebrates Christmas together, not in their houses alone. Too bad there isn’t snow for a snowball fight.” Laney sipped her coffee, her hazel eyes glowing. “That’s always fun.”
“Not sure you can this year, anyway.” I bumped my hip against hers. “Gotta protect my baby.”
She rolled her eyes.
“This is gonna be a long nine months.”
“I know. I’m already stressing.”
I got the women to laugh, like I meant to, and rubbed my hand down Laney’s spine.
“Can I steal you away for twenty minutes?” I whispered into her ear.
Goose bumps spilled down her neck. I’d never tire of her body’s reaction to me.
“Of course.” She smiled up at me, mischief on her face. “For something naughty?”
“No. For something nice.” I chuckled again. I’d laughed more the last week than I had in the last year.
She winked and moved to help her mom pull some pots and pans from the dishwasher. Laney’s dad had instructed them to bring ten sheet pans to the hardware store when they were ready.
“How can I help today?” Petra asked, setting her mug on the counter with a hesitant smile.
“Oh, hon, we always need servers. Want to help at the store?”
“Serving food?”
“Yeah. Just plop some potatoes or eggs on people’s plates. Super easy. We need adults manning the food though, ’cause the youths go wild.”
“Yeah, I can do that.” She nodded. “Thank you for letting me crash your morning. It was so kind of you.” She said the words to Laney’s mom, but her gaze was on my wife. “Unexpectedly kind.”
“Nonsense. The more the merrier. Laney, I’m gonna load the car. You stop helping.”
“I am totally capable of lifting a pan, Mom. My goodness.” Laney rolled her eyes but plopped down onto the stool instead of lifting the dishes. My wife was stubborn and hated being helpless, but it was nice to see everyone cater to her. “This is ridiculous.”
“It’s us loving you,” I said.
“Love me less.”
“Not possible.”
She scoffed, but I noticed the twinkle in her eye. While her mom and Petra loaded the car, I went over the plan in my head. I couldn’t fuck this up. I’d been worrying, trying to get all the details perfect, to the point that Laney noticed I had seemed tired this morning.
It wasn’t every day that I was going to propose again to my wife.
Everyone prepared for the lunch, and Petra offered to drive Laney’s mom there, which was appreciated because I wanted time alone with my wife. They walked out, and when the door shut, I wiped my palms on my pants. They were sweatier than they should be.
“This might be my favorite Christmas ever.” Laney twirled in the living room with her eyes closed, her hand reaching out to me. “Kiss me, Connor.”
I tugged her to me, taking my time studying all her features. Her inky eyelashes, the freckles, the perfect cheekbones and full lips.
“Gladly, wife.”
Her arms came around my neck as I kissed her, slowly. She tasted like coffee and smelled like heaven. Her body pressed against mine, her heat surrounding me, and I gripped her lower back, pulling her closer to me. She moaned, the little sound my favorite thing in the world.
“I love you,” she whispered, her lips brushing mine. “Merry Christmas, Connor.”
“Merry Christmas, baby.” I cupped her face with both hands, my heart beating so fast it physically hurt. “Can we go for a walk?”
She scrunched her nose. “Right now?”
I nodded, unable to talk without giving away my nerves. I kissed her nose before pulling her coat off the hanger and helping her into it.
“We’ll only be outside ten minutes.”
“Hmm, this is weird, but you seem tense, so I’m game.”
“I’m not tense.”
“Only a tense person would say that,” she retorted.
I pinched her side, my worry lessening with her joke.
“You dork.”
“Maybe, but I’m your dork.”
She put a knit cap on and pulled gloves out of her pockets, slipping them on. “Where to, boss?”
It took me thirty seconds to put on my coat and gloves. Then we were out the door.
“We’re walking around the block. I need fresh air.”
“Okie dokie. The cool air feels good in my lungs. Less nauseous when I’m cold.”
My muscles clenched. “Stomach still upsetting you?”
“The medicine helped, yes, but the gross feeling is still there. Not as bad, but when the heat is up and there are people everywhere, I feel uncomfortably hot.”
“Let me know if you’re feeling that at all today, and we can sneak away.”
“Sure will.” She intertwined her arm with mine, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath.
I swear to God, a snowflake landed on her face. Then another one did.
“It’s snowing.”
“No way!” She screeched and stuck her tongue out. “This is perfect. White Christmases here are a dream. Oh, Connor, this is such a good sign.”
My throat tightened as we neared the house for sale. This was the first surprise for us.
She laughed as the snow picked up, and she grinned at me. “Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Because I’m obsessed with you.” I shrugged. The statement was true. “And, well, I have a surprise for you.”
“Ooh, is this a gift?” Her eyes sparked with hope.
“It’s a promise to you.” I jutted my chin toward the house behind her. She glanced at it, her brows furrowing.
“I spoke to a Realtor earlier this week and asked for a major favor. It’s Daniel, by the way. A former teacher of yours. He gave me this.”
She glanced at me again. “A key?”
“I refused to buy the house without you seeing it because I’m not making decisions without us both being all in. Even if it’s a surprise, we both will talk everything out, and it took every urge in me to not buy this.”
“Connor.” She sucked in a breath.
“We can tour the house right now, and if you love it, he’s expecting my call tomorrow. It can be ours.”
“It’s a short walk to my parents.” Her eyes watered, and her lip trembled. “It’s five minutes to Main Street.”
“It has four bedrooms and a basement. A large backyard too. Perfect for a family.”
She rubbed her lips together, her tears spilling over her cheeks. “Are you for real?”
This was it. I took a breath and got down on one knee. Laney covered her mouth with her gloved hands, her eyes widening as I pulled out a ring from my pocket. It was her old ring, but I had work done on it. Rubies now surrounded the diamond.
“Rubies are the second strongest gem besides diamonds, and I wanted to ask you, again, to be my wife. I will never make you feel second. I’m going to protect you, your heart, your love as long as you let me.
I love you so much and chose you. I will always choose you.
Now, tomorrow, forever. Will you please stay my wife? ”
Her face crumbled in a soft cry as she fell to her knees and threw her arms around my neck, quietly crying into my shoulder.
“Connor, this is… are you… of course I’m staying your wife! That wasn’t in question.”
“But it was, baby. For a little bit, and that’s too much for me.
We love the winter. We both love cold nights and the holidays, but for different reasons.
This is me vowing to you that our life is better than anything I could dream up.
You, our baby,” I put my hand on her stomach, “are my future. My everything. I want our kid growing up with your parents showering them with love. I want you happy when I have to work. I want you comfortable and safe. Our future is here, in Cherrywood. It’s where I got a second chance with you. ”
“Oh my God.” She cried against me, her fingers digging hard into my back as she nodded. “Yes, yes, I love you so much, oh my God.”
I laughed as my own eyes prickled.
“Also,” I said, my voice returning to normal, “I’m fucking sick of seeing your ring finger bare.”
“There he is.” She snorted and lifted her tearstained face. “My possessive husband.”
“I’m always in there.” I kissed her. “But I needed to do this right.”
“You did so well, it’s not even funny. I want the ring, please.” She held her hand between us, and I slipped it back on her finger.
The pain from seeing it left behind on the table at our old place disappeared. The agony of her leaving was gone. We were stronger. Better. Realigned in our priorities. I kissed her wrist and squeezed it six times.
“I love you so fucking much.”
“Is that our new thing?” She grinned, staring at her ring. “Six squeezes now?”
“Yes, because it’s true.” I pushed up to one knee, helping her stand. “Want to look at our future house?”
“What if we don’t like it?”
“Baby.” I took her hand and laughed. “I guarantee we’re going to like it. Now, let’s go see all the new places I get to defile you on.”
She tossed her head back and laughed, the sound echoing through the quiet, perfect neighborhood.
“Do they have cameras in there? Could… we?”
“You’re perfect. Jesus.” I groaned, tugging her with me toward the door. I unlocked it, pushing it open and smiling at her.
“After you, wife. Let’s see what our new home looks like.”
“Oh my God, Connor!”