Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Carly
“Ava! It’s almost time for happy hour!” I call out as I change into a dress. Al sent out a message that he wants to try a themed happy hour tonight. So, I’m dressed up like I’m going to a formal summer party in the Hamptons.
Ava comes out of her room and twirls her dress. “Mommy? Can I go help Mr. Al set up?”
I look at the time. “Sure,” I say as she claps her hands and runs out the door. I finish putting on fresh makeup and give myself a once-over. I actually look good. I haven’t dressed up since Cam’s wedding five weeks ago. I look at my profile in the mirror and suck in my belly.
I’ve known for ten days. And I haven’t told a soul. I know I need to tell Bray, but I’m terrified. This is all happening so fast. We haven’t even discussed where our relationship goes from here and now…I’m pregnant.
Even my doctor was shocked that it could happen. Happy, but shocked.
Ava is going to go crazy when she finds out. She’s been bugging me for a sibling for about as long as she’s been talking.
I cradle the belly that’s just starting to grow. It’s not obvious to anyone yet, but it will be soon.
“OK, little one, let’s find a way not to drink this week,” I say. Last week, I used the excuse that I had a migraine to get out of happy hour, but if I do that again, people will start to get suspicious.
I slowly make my way up to the rooftop. Al pushed back our start time a little, so the sky is beginning to light up with colors. That should make for a pretty evening.
I push open the door and freeze.
The rooftop is completely transformed. There are pink roses everywhere, along with pink tulips, snapdragons, and a dozen other types of flowers, some of which I don’t even recognize.
Bray is standing by the bar area in a suit with a pink pocket square poking out that perfectly matches the new dress he bought Ava, which she’s wearing as she bounces from one leg to the other while standing next to him.
I look around to see all our friends gathered in a crowd to the side.
The bar has a giant chocolate fountain going and is lined with bottles of champagne. And a few sparkling ciders.
Then I see my sister, and I frown. What the heck is happening?
I walk toward Bray as a hush falls over the crowd.
Bray falls to his knee in front of me and takes my hand, and I gasp.
“Carly Aileen Maxwell, I’ve been in love with you since the first moment you walked through that door over there and into our lives.
You and Ava”—he turns to wink at Ava, who grins at him as if he’s the center of her universe—“are everything to me. I want us to be a family. I want to sit on the park bench, get our coffee at Cam’s Cafe, have drinks on this rooftop every week, and journey through this crazy adventure called life together.
I’m not perfect, and I took too long to figure out that I don’t just love you, I’m in love with you.
And I know it’s only been a little over a month, but I don’t want to waste any more time.
I want us to start our happily ever after now, or soon.
You saved me, you and Ava both. I wasn’t living until I allowed myself to fully love you,” he says, and I grin down at him.
“Will you do me the great honor of being my wife, my partner, my everything?”
I look toward Ava, and she squeals in excitement and nods as everyone else laughs at her adorable behavior.
He glances at Ava and smiles. “Ava has already said she is one hundred percent on board with the idea.”
“Oh?” I manage through tears of joy and probably hormones.
He nods and gazes back up at me.
“So what do you say, Carls?”
I smile back at him and nod. “Yes,” I whisper. “I want all of that.”
He opens a dark blue velvet box, and I gasp as I see a pink diamond in a band of gold. He slides it on my finger, and I fall into his arms, hugging him as we kiss.
Everyone is clapping and cheering. When I pull away, he removes another small box and opens it. It’s a matching necklace.
“Ava, this one’s for you,” he says, and she walks over and looks at it.
“Here,” he says as he takes it out while balancing me on his knee. He fastens it around Ava’s neck, and she twirls with it on.
“You are my princess,” he declares, and she grins at him and then jumps into our open arms. We all hug, and I hear a few of our friends sniffling with the same happy tears I feel running down my face.
When I pull back, Al is standing nearby with champagne flutes. He goes to hand them to us as well. I take mine awkwardly as Al turns to everyone else. Somehow, they have all gotten their champagne already.
“To the happy couple!” he yells to a round of cheers. We raise our glasses, but I don’t take a sip. Bray stops drinking and looks at me.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
“I…uh, so…I’m pregnant,” I whisper.
His eyes widen. “I didn’t think…how?”
I give him a pointed look, and he laughs. “I mean, how is it possible?”
Shrugging, I say, “I have no idea. My doctor said it was a one-in-a-million chance, but it happened, likely in Italy. I was late last week and went to see him. And he confirmed it. I mean, it’s very early, but so far, everything is going well.”
He sets down his glass, and his hands fall to my belly. I see a tear fall from his eye, and then he looks back into mine.
“Are those happy tears or sad tears?” I ask as I wipe his tear away.
“The happiest tears in the world,” he says. And then he turns to everyone, “We’re having a baby!” he exclaims to hoots and hollers of congratulations.
“I’m gonna be a big sister?” Ava screams.
I’m a little nervous because things could still go wrong, but I decide to let myself enjoy this for a moment. I’ll explain more to her later. So, I nod, and she runs at me and throws her arms around my belly.
I can see Bray start to say something, probably to tell her to be careful, but I shake my head at him. “We got this. Little cashew is just fine in there,” I assure him.
“Little cashew?” he asks.
I nod. “I mean, we should probably stick with the nut family,” I tease.
“What do you say about getting married next month and then taking your winter break in Paris for a honeymoon?” he asks.
“Really?” I ask.
He nods. “I love that idea.”
Cam walks toward us, and I notice she doesn’t have a champagne glass. She looks down at my belly and back at hers, and my eyes widen.
“No,” I whisper.
She grins. “Yes,” she says as I throw my arms around her neck and squeeze. We both start crying and laughing.
“Two babies!” Ava exclaims as if she’s won the baby jackpot.
There’s more excitement from our friends and family. Anne walks over, and we hug. And then someone turns their phone around to show Bray’s family on video chat. We talk with them for a moment, and then we are bombarded by hugs of congratulations from the remainder of our friends.
Once everything dies down, I turn to Bray, and he wraps his arms around me.
“I can’t believe all of this,” I whisper.
“Me either,” he laughs as his right hand comes back over my barely existent bump.
“You know,” I start. “You saved me, too. You fixed all my wounds, the ones I didn’t know I even had. You made me believe in love again. You saved me in every possible way,” I whisper.
“Right back at you,” he replies as he leans in and kisses me. And just like that, I realize I do get a happily ever after, and it starts right now.