Chapter 33 #2
“You’re my wife,” he says, his voice low and quieter as if I’m sentencing him to a hard judgment.
Life sentence might work better. Till death do us part.
We didn’t say those vows, but it was in my heart.
I’m not giving up on him either. “I want to know where you’d be happiest. Any house you want, I’ll build on the land. If you don’t like that property?—”
“I love that property. It’s beautiful. Peaceful. It’s closer to the ranch and not far from the shop.”
“Less than five miles from Peaches.” He looks shy under the confession. “I checked it the last time I was in town.”
How? Why? “You did that before we were married?”
“Before you came to New York.”
My heart isn’t a traitor when it starts racing for him.
It knows where it belongs. “You were planning our future together before we even knew we had one.” I’ve been so blind to the lengths he’s been taking for us, placing the pieces carefully down before each step we take.
And here I was just enjoying the incredible sex.
“I knew, Shortcake. I knew all along. I was just waiting for you to catch up.”
My throat thickens when I tear up. I laugh, wiping at the corner of my eye, almost embarrassed. “I’m surpris ed I have any tears left.”
“Are they sad?” The worry in his tone has me coming around the counter.
“No.” I need to be close to him. If not in his arms, in his personal space.
Reaching forward, his hand meets mine in the middle.
“They’re happy.” Why am I wasting time when I know how I want this to end?
Screw it. I throw my arms around his middle and embrace him with all that I am.
Resting my cheek on his chest, hearing his heart beating just for me, I’m grateful to have this chance. I’m not going to lose it.
His arms are strong, holding me like he was never going to have the opportunity again. Placing a kiss on my head, he whispers, “I’m sorry. I’ll never hurt you again.”
The pain that was raw, the wounds that I had, start healing from those simple words. Tilting up to look into his eyes, I say, “I forgive you on three conditions.”
“Three? Give ’em to me.”
“No more secrets. No more surprises.” I rest my hand on his chest, and add, “What’s mine is yours?—”
“And everything I have is yours to own, including my heart, baby. I’ll never let you down again.”
Looking into those blue eyes I adore, I believe him.
“Wait,” I say, “I have one more condition.”
“Anything.”
“No more hiding we’re together.”
His right cheek pops into a smirk, and he rubs his thumb over his bottom lip and then mine. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for this.”
I laugh again, the feeling inspiring easier breathing and my body to relax. “And by whole life, you mean last Friday?”
“No, I mean since my mom showed me the photo of you as Miss Peach Festival. You were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. And I’d been to college, so that’s saying something.” His eyes light up as if he has too much to tell me and not enough time.
I can’t restrain my own grin from growing. “That sure is saying something. I guess we can say that your mom knew all along.”
“She sure did. It just took me a few years to catch on, but when I did, I knew you were the one.”
Glancing over from the driver’s seat, he asks, “What made you change your mind and open that door?”
I waggle my eyebrows and giggle. “Being shirtless didn’t hurt your case.”
“I’ll remember that.”
“Truth?” I ask, mimicking him from earlier.
“It better be.” See? He remembers as well. I love that we can turn this around from something negative to enjoy in our own special way.
Leaning my head back on the seat, I soften my smile as I get emotional over it.
Though tears don’t come this time, it hits the same.
“It was the photo. The photo of us at the courthouse. I saw it and realized you were right. When we stood together last Friday in the judge’s office, we were there because we loved each other.
I couldn’t deny that I would have married you even if there were no inconveniences pushing us to do it.
” I reach over and rest my hand on his leg.
His hand finds my lap but travels over, slipping between my thighs to land.
If we weren’t already pulling into my mom’s driveway . . . the things I would do to this man.
“I love you, Baylor.”
“I love you, too.” He leans over and kisses me. Sitting back, he asks, “You ready to do this?” I nod, still so unsure how to break the news to her. “I’m going to let you lead.”
I burst out laughing as I pop the door open. “Are you scared of my mom?”
“Not usually, but I also hadn’t married her daughter without prior knowledge either.”
“That’s fair.” We shut the doors and walk to the front of the house together. “I’ll lead.”
I knock before opening the door as if I don’t still technically live here. “Mom?” We scoot inside, and he shuts the door behind us.
“In the kitchen, honey.”
I glance back at Baylor, who cringes, which makes me giggle. “It’s going to be fine,” I whisper. “Come on.”
We walk into the living room to find her cooking at the stove. “Will you be eating here—Baylor?” She smiles when she sees us. “I didn’t know you were bringing company. I didn’t know you were coming over at all.” She wipes her hands on her apron. “I can make more for the three of us?”
“No, it’s okay, Mom. We’re not staying long.”
“Heading to the ranch?”
Baylor replies, “It’s our next stop. You should come out sometime. I know my dad would love to see you again.”
“That would be nice. I can bring strawberry shortcake since you said they love them so much.”
I see Baylor trying his hardest not to laugh. No way does Mom ever need to know that inside joke. Tapping his foot with mine, he gets the message.
Looking between us, she asks, “What brings you by?”
My mind goes blank. How do I start this without her ending up hurt for not being invited. Baylor rubs my shoulder, which is not lost on my mom. “I think what Sh—Lauralee is trying to say is?—”
“You eloped and got married?” With a knowing smile, she says, “I knew you were in New York.”
“How?” I ask, resting my forearms on the tall bar between us.
“Because one of the friends you were supposedly staying with in Austin came home for the weekend to visit her folks in the next town over. She was buying some cobbler to surprise them with.”
“Ah. Well, I guess I’m not so sneaky.”
She rests her hands on the edge of the counter, and says, “You weren’t in high school either.”
“Wow, way to call me out like that.”
Baylor chuckles. At least he thinks it’s funny.
But then my mom says, “I also saw the rings on your finger when I stopped by earlier. It’s hard to miss that many diamonds sparkling on your hand.” I didn’t even think about hiding them when she came by. They’re just a part of who I am now. Looking at Baylor, she smiles. “You did really well.”
“Thank you, Peaches. We also got married on the spur of the moment. We would have had you there if it were planned.”
“Does your family know?”
“No, we wanted to stop by here first.”
Coming around the counter, she holds her arms out for me.
“I appreciate that.” She hugs me. I close my eyes, appreciating everything she’s done for me to get me to this point in life.
I know how things will change for all of us.
I know it will be for the better, but it’s still kind of sad to be leaving your childhood behind, even at twenty-nine.
“I’m also happy for you both.” She turns to Baylor, and they embrace.
“I figured you two haven’t been together long, but I could see the change in my daughter. The joy you’ve brought her. ”
“I love you, Mom.” I give her another quick hug before adding, “We need to go break the news to the others.”
“I love you, honey.” Pointing at Baylor, she fake scowls. “Take care of my girl.”
He slips his hand around mine, bringing it to his chest to hold over his heart. “It will be my greatest honor.”
My phone vibrates in my back pocket, surprising me. I reach for it just as Baylor reaches for his. When I look at the text from Christine, it reads: I’m having my baby.
“Oh my God?—”
“My sister’s gone into labor.” His eyes fasten to mine. “Detour to the hospital?”