46. Isabella
46
ISABELLA
B ella closed her eyes and rested her head in her hands as the truck bumped along the path leading to her cabin. It had been days since she’d been home. How could she have known to expect this gut-wrenching when passing the place where Gunner and Switch had attacked them?
Travis squeezed her other hand. “Are you okay?” His soft tone was completely different from the determined warrior who saved her life that day. He’d literally fought for her. He’d killed for her. He’d put himself between her and danger, all to save her.
He’d taken her burden and made it his own. She’d been torn up when she thought she killed Gunner, but Travis did the unthinkable to protect her.
“I’m okay. You?”
Travis glanced over at her, and a small grin lifted his cheeks before he turned back to the road ahead. “I’m great.”
“Great? Don’t you think that’s a stretch?” How could he be great when he was still grappling with what they went through?
“My girls are home safe. That’s all I want.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.
Okay. That was seriously sweet and made her heart melt.
Maybe Travis had a point. When he put it that way, they did have a lot to be grateful for today. Bella rubbed her hand over her belly, feeling the tiny hiccups of her baby–her safe, healthy baby.
“I’m glad I have you to help me remember to be optimistic.”
“Happy to be of service,” he said with a squeeze of her hand.
The cabin came into view, and her muscles relaxed on instinct.
“There’s a surprise for you inside,” Travis casually said.
Bella sat up straighter in her seat. “What is it?”
“A surprise. I just told you.”
Bella sighed. “I mean what’s the surprise?”
“You’ll have to see for yourself.”
As soon as he parked the truck, Travis jumped out and jogged around to her side. He helped her out and stood by her as she slowly made her way inside. It was a miracle her ribs weren’t broken, but the bruising made simple things like walking and laughing painful.
Travis opened the door and stepped aside so she could enter first. He was a master of surprises, and her heart could barely take the suspense.
Bella gasped as soon as she saw the living room—and instantly regretted it. Pain shot through her side, but it did nothing to distract her from the surprise.
Someone had decorated the entire place. Matching dark-wood end tables sat on either side of the couch with cream-colored lamps on top of them. A fluffy brown blanket was draped over the back of the couch, and two accent pillows sat on either side. A changing table was pushed against one wall with a diaper pail beside it.
“This is amazing!” Bella turned to Travis and covered her gaping mouth.
“That’s not all.” He took her hand and led her to the kitchen.
Two things sat on the counter with a pink bow on top of each. “What are those?”
“These are from Olivia. She said one is a bottle warmer and one is a bottle sanitizer.”
Bella gaped. “Are you serious! That’s amazing, but those are baby shower things, right?”
“Anna and Hadley are still planning the baby shower, but everyone got a little worried that the baby would come early.”
“Everyone?” Bella had done enough worrying for the entire town. No one could have been more worked up than she’d been the first day at the hospital.
“The surprises aren’t from me. Everybody pitched in.”
“Really? That’s amazing.”
“Oh, check the freezer,” Travis said.
Bella jerked the door open and squealed. There were six trays of frozen meals stacked neatly to one side.
“There’s more where that came from. Anna said she made your favorites.”
“This is amazing. I have to call everyone.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket but stopped before unlocking it. “Oh, I told Anna about the baby name today.”
They’d been keeping baby Ariana’s name a secret, and their friends were all dying to know.
Travis stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. “What did she think?”
Bella rested her cheek against his chest as he gently rocked them from side to side. “She loves it. I knew she would. She cried a little.”
“I could have seen that coming,” Travis said as he tightened his hold on her and rubbed circles on her back.
The baby’s name was perfect. Bella had been thinking of her as Ariana for weeks. Now that her baby’s biological father was gone, she could take Bella’s last name when she was born.
But even that didn’t feel right. Travis was already a great father. He’d been a perfect partner even before they’d defined a relationship between them. He’d taken her to appointments, brought her vitamins and food, and he’d built her a house–not just the structure, but a home she loved.
He was her home. He was her safe place where she was loved more than she could ever understand.
“I love you,” she said against his flannel shirt. “I love you so much. Do you know that?”
Travis chuckled. “I know. You tell me all the time.”
“But I can’t tell you enough.” She lifted her head to look up at him. “You’re the best man I’ve ever met, and I wish this baby had your last name.”
Travis’s lips spread into a heart-stopping smile. “Then marry me.”
Bella blinked a few times, turning over his words in her head. “What?”
“Marry me. I wish both of you could have my last name. You have my heart. Take my name. If I could give you more, I would. I’ll give you everything I have.”
“I–I–”
“I know. You don’t want things. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about you, it’s that you aren’t materialistic.”
He took her hands in his and knelt at her feet. Bella sucked in a breath that hitched when the pain shot through her ribs.
Travis gripped her hand tighter. “So I’m offering myself. I want to bind myself to you. I want to share life with you. I want to devote myself to making you happy and building a home with you.”
“Did… I didn’t pressure you into this because of what I said, did I? I wasn’t–”
“You didn’t. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I want to be with you all the time. I don’t want to go home without you. I’ve just been waiting until I thought you were ready.”
“I’m ready!” Bella said. “I’m so ready.”
Travis’s eyes widened. “You are?”
“Yes!”
He was on his feet in a second, and his lips pressed firmly to hers. His strong arms surrounded her, and she relaxed into his hold as he sealed his promises with a fervent kiss.
Travis broke the kiss to say, “I’m so glad you said yes.”
“I’m so glad you asked!”
They both laughed until Bella pressed a hand to her aching side.
“Sorry. I know that hurts.”
“It’s fine. I’m so happy, I don’t even care that it hurts.”
He pressed his head to hers and released a deep exhale. “I have a ring, but it’s at my house.”
“I just need you right now. I’m sure it’s beautiful, but you mean more to me than any ring.”
He kissed her cheek, then her jaw, then her neck where bruises still colored her skin. “We can go get it later if you want.”
Bella pulled away from his tingling kisses. “The first thing I’m doing is getting a shower. You should too. We’ve been at the hospital for days.”
“I showered. Some,” Travis said halfheartedly.
“I know, but showering at home is so much better.”
“Speaking of home, where do you want to live?” he asked.
Wow. She was still getting over the shock of his proposal. She hadn’t even thought about living together yet.
Marriage to Travis was going to be amazing.
“Well, what do you think?” she asked.
“Gage will be moving out of my place soon, but your place is closer to work.”
She’d been to his house a few times, but they’d spent most of their time at her cabin. “I’ll live wherever you want.”
Travis leaned closer, studying her eyes for truth. “But where do you want to live?”
He was asking her for honesty, and that was one thing she would always give him. “Here,” she whispered.
“I was hoping you’d say that. We can sell my house when Gage and I move out and save up for a bigger place when we grow out of this one.”
Bella scrunched her nose. “I don’t want to outgrow this cabin. It’s–”
“Home?” Travis finished.
“Yeah. It’s home.”
“Maybe I could build onto it. Add another room and bathroom.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, everything is perfect.”