Chapter 37
ARCHER
It’s been seven days since Darcy broke the news I hadn’t seen coming.
Maybe I should’ve thought through the practicalities of her staying in the USA and being unable to work after she had our baby, although it’s probably fair to say I’ve been too caught up in falling in love and winning the heart of the girl lying next to me.
And now that I have her? I’m not giving her up. Perhaps to Darcy and her mom, this is a problem not easily solved, but to me, the answer is clear as fucking day.
All I needed to do was check out some facts and make a couple of arrangements.
We’ve got forty-eight hours—the time I have before I need to be back at the rink for next practice, as Jon gave us two days’ rest before Tommy Schneider starts training with the team, and Darcy is due in work.
“Wake up for me, Doll,” I murmur against the soft skin of her neck.
She turns in my arms to face me, yawning the whole way.
I can’t help but smile as she cracks an eye open, her yawn morphing to a groan. “What time is it?”
“Really early,” I reply. “It’s still dark outside.”
She groans again, and I kiss the underside of her chin.
“Then what are we doing awake? I need to conserve my energy for the mall you’re determined to take me to today.” She giggles, fully acknowledging that shopping is one of her favorite things.
Wrapping my leg over hers and my arm around her waist, I pull Darcy into me.
Here goes fucking nothing.
“Yeah, well, here’s the thing. I still plan to take you somewhere. It’s just a little bit farther than the mall.”
Sleepy Darcy immediately springs to life. “What do you mean?”
I lean further into her until my mouth brushes the shell of her ear. “Get on a plane and come away with me,” I whisper. “Just the two of us, for forty-eight hours, in Miami.”
She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.
And this is news to her?
“Archer. W-what are you talking about?”
I push a few strands of hair away from her face, biting the inside of my cheek to steady my nerves. “There’s a way to keep you here, in New York.”
I know she’ll have considered this option, but I also know Darcy would never be the one to approach it.
“What are you suggesting?”
I can’t keep my mouth off this girl, and my cock stirs to life. “Remember when I told you confessing my feelings was brought forward when I found out you were pregnant with my baby?”
She rolls her lips together, nodding her head.
“Well, this dilemma we’re facing with your visa just sped up what I already want, but haven’t asked you yet.
” My stomach swirls with anticipation and excitement as I pull air into my lungs.
“Be my wife, Darcy. Marry me and wear my ring on your left hand. You already own my heart, so go ahead and take my last name too.”
For a couple of beats, she studies me carefully. “But there’s still a waiting period for marriage green cards to be accepted.”
I smile because, fuck, she has thought about being my wife.
“Please don’t be mad at me …” I pause and dare a glance at her. She already looks pissed, but I continue anyway, “I spoke to Janine and told her everything.”
She gasps, throwing a hand over her mouth.
I pull it away, kissing her palm. “She told me she fell pregnant unexpectedly with her daughter, and it left her in a financial bind when she was younger, so she can relate to curveballs in life. She will talk to you about the logistics of maternity leave when you head into work on Monday, but the bottom line is, she isn’t terminating your contract early.
There’s enough time for the green card to be granted. ”
She puffs out a breath, and I spread my palm across her growing stomach.
“So, what do you say? Pip and I are waiting for an answer.”
Her eyes are glassy, and my breathing is ragged while I wait for her to speak.
“Yes, I’ll marry you, Archer.” Her face blooms into the smile I know and love, one that she saves especially for me.
I grip her tightly against my body as I roll us over so she’s looking up at me. There are so many words I could say in this moment. Lines about spending the rest of our lives together and growing old, watching our favorite movies in the back of packed theaters.
None of those could do justice to the euphoria as it washes over me.
I’m turning my dream girl into my wife.
My fiancée holds up a finger. “I have to ask, though, why Miami?”
I knew she’d be curious about that. “Because I want to take you away where it’s only the two of us. I’d take you to Paris if we had the time between our jobs.”
Her body melts into me and I consider the option of getting married in this bed and never moving.
If only.
“I love you—so fucking much.” I kiss the tip of her nose. “And when we get home, I think we should tell your brother. Shit is going down in the team right now, and I didn’t want to add to it, but I think it’s time we said something.” I hesitate. “If that’s okay with you?”
She cups my face in her warm palm, and my eyelids flutter close. This is what true love feels like.
“I agree; it’s time. Have you told your mom or family that you planned to propose to me?”
“I’ll tell my mom when we tell your family.
Plus, my sister is coming to visit soon to watch our game against the Philly Bolts, so you can meet her then, and I’ll drop the baby and marriage bomb.
” I chuckle. “Emma loves a good surprise. And Dad …” I blow out a breath.
“I guess I’ll tell him when we next speak. ”
“Is your sister as nice as your mum?” Darcy asks.
The way this woman is so keen to embrace my entire family. This alone is reason enough to love her for the rest of my life.
“She is, but we aren’t as close as you are to Jack. It’s just the way our family is.”
Darcy shifts slightly. “I’m not sure how close I am to Jack anymore, to be honest. I feel like we’ve drifted, and life has changed for both of us. He wanted to meet up for lunch, but that didn’t happen, and I didn’t push it either. It felt awkward to be around him with everything going on.”
I tip her chin up to look at me. “We can call and tell him right now if you want. Lay it all out for him.” My lip quirks up. “I’ll take the beating like a man and marry you with two black eyes if that’s what it takes.”
I can see that she’s considering my suggestion, but finally shakes her head. “No. It would be the worst timing; it needs to be face-to-face and …” Softness overtakes her eyes as she pauses. “I think I want just two more days like this.”
“Like what, Darcy Doll?”
“Like this,” she repeats. “You and me, living in our peaceful bubble. No outside noise, just us.”
My lips brush over hers. I’m in so far that I feel sure my love for Darcy rests at the bottom of the deepest ocean.
“It’s always been just you and me, Darcy.
Even before you knew it. We’ve been falling in love for a long time, in secret.
Preparing for our first child together, in secret.
And tomorrow afternoon, in Miami, I’ll make you my wife, in secret.
The truth is, we don’t need a witness or for anyone to validate the way I love you.
I’ll take whatever’s coming from your brother and Coach on the chin because despite what they might think, I know I’m the only man for you.
I’m going to light up your already-bright world every damn day, for the rest of my life. ”
I’m back to kissing her jaw when she shifts slightly.
“I want to tell my mum now, but I’m going to wait until we get back.
I’ve asked her to keep enough secrets from Jon when they usually tell each other everything, and it feels unfair to burden her with something else.
Same with the girls—I’ll tell them when we get back.
Anyway, Kendra is in Spain at the moment, watching her brother’s football game.
Sorry, soccer game,” she corrects, shaking her head at the constant debate we witness between Jack and Kendra over what the sport is actually called.
Holding her in my arms, I spend the next few minutes making out with my girl. Languid kisses that pull me deeper into her world.
“I know this might not be the wedding you wanted,” I say, resting my forehead against hers when we finally break for air.
“Hey, look at me, Archer.”
With our eyeballs practically touching, I do as she asks.
I’ll do anything she asks.
“What exactly defines the perfect wedding? Because I, for one, think it has nothing to do with the day and everything to do with the person you’re marrying.”
I can’t help but smirk. “I’m not sure your stepdad would agree. I’ve heard he’s all about the grandeur.”
Darcy rolls her eyes, sinking further into my body. “I think he’s almost as crazy as you are.”
Tipping her chin up, she looks at me, and we share another kiss that I’m desperate to turn into more, but we’re already running short on time.
“We need to head to the airport,” I murmur against her mouth. “I booked a private jet, and it leaves in two hours.”
Throwing the duvet back, she bolts right up in bed. “Oh Jesus. I haven’t got anything packed, Archer. Not even my toothbrush! And what am I going to wear?”
I wrap a hand around her arm, pulling her back down to the bed. “I’ve got it all handled. Your bags are packed and set to one side in my closet.”
“B-but … I don’t have many clothes here and …”
I silence her rambling with a finger to her lips.
“I bought you an entire new wardrobe.” Her eyes flare when I smooth my thumb across her bottom lip. “Jimmy Choo, Prada, Gucci. All of it. I have your engagement ring already, but I have a plan for that too.”
“Are you for real?”
Rolling onto my back, I pull her on top of me before cocooning us under the bedsheets.
“It’s funny you should say that. Because I’ve been thinking that exact same thing about you.
” I pull my bottom lip between my teeth, plastering on a pained expression.
“I do need you to know something before we do this though, about me.”
With one brow raised, sass rolls off her. “Is this another Archer Moore lesson?”
I chuckle. “Yeah, I guess you could think of it in that way.” I take her hand in mine. “I know this is going to be difficult for you to take, but I genuinely believe we can work through it.”
“Archer,” she drawls, “what the fuck are you about to tell me?”
I blow out a long breath. “I-I can’t stand tea, any kind of tea. It makes me gag.”