12. Willow
Chapter 12
Willow
The smell of tuna fish usually doesn’t bother me. Usually. But today, the faintest whiff of it, emanating from my half-constructed tuna salad sandwich, sends a wave of nausea crashing over me. My stomach clenches, a sickening twist that has me sprinting for the bathroom before I can even register what’s happening. I barely make it.
The next few minutes are unpleasant, to say the least. By the time I'm done, I'm weak, drained, and completely lacking any appetite. Forgetting about lunch, I drag myself to the bed. I collapse onto the pillows as exhaustion hits me like a ton of bricks. My ever-present little sidekick snuggles up beside me, his furry warmth a small comfort in my sudden misery. We’re both out cold within minutes.
I wake up to Lennox sitting on the side of the bed, pushing my messy hair out of my face.
“What’s wrong?” His voice is laced with worry, a sharp contrast to the usual, playful teasing I'm accustomed to.
That’s when it hits me. I don’t have time to sit up, or even to think. The words tumble out in a rush, a jumbled confession I didn’t plan, or anticipate.
“I think… I think I’m pregnant,” I blurt out, my voice barely a whisper. This isn't how I wanted to tell him.
Lennox freezes. His eyes widen, his expression shifting from worry to pure, unadulterated joy. I gaze up at him with a huge smile of my own.
"Hell fucking yes.” He moves Chewy out of the way and leans over to kiss me. “I knew my swimmers would get the job done.”
Before I can process anything else, he turns, his movements suddenly filled with a new intensity. He walks across the room, his movements brisk and purposeful. My eyes follow him. I can't believe what's happening.
He stops in front of a beautiful landscape painting hanging on the wall. With a swift, practiced move, he pulls up the picture frame, revealing a hidden safe tucked behind it. My jaw drops. I had no idea it did that.
He opens the safe, his movements precise and efficient. He pulls out a navy-blue velvet ring box and comes back to the bed, his hand trembling a tiny bit as he opens it. Inside, resting on a bed of silk, is a stunning ring. An engagement ring.
My heart hammers against my ribs, a frantic drum solo that completely silences my brain. My mind is utterly speechless. The sheer unexpectedness of it all is overwhelming.
He kneels at the edge of my bed, his eyes burning into mine. He holds the ring box out toward me, his expression soft and hopeful.
"Willow," he says, his voice thick with emotion, "I love you so goddamn much. Will you marry me?"
The words hang in the air, simple yet profound, completely unexpected, and utterly perfect. Tears well up in my eyes, my heart swelling with an overwhelming rush of love, happiness, and a profound sense of overwhelming astonishment .
"I love you, too," I whisper, my voice choked with emotion. "Yes, I’ll marry you. A thousand times, yes."
He smiles a satisfied smile that melts away any lingering doubts or fears. When he slips the stunning ring onto my finger, it fits perfectly.
A thought suddenly occurs to me. “What if I’m not pregnant?” I mean, I’m sick, tired, and my boobs hurt, but I haven’t done a test yet.
He shrugs. “Then we’ll celebrate our engagement by getting your little ass knocked up.”
I love the way he thinks. And I love him more than I ever thought possible.
When Chewy realizes he’s missing out, he climbs over the covers and wiggles his little rear end between us. “I hope you know you’re getting a spoiled rotten little stinker along with me.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Lennox rolls his eyes and lifts Chewy against his chest.
Me neither. Life is freaking perfect.