17. Drew
Drew
T he look on Leila Grace’s face would be comical if it wasn’t directed at me.
“I’m sorry. You what? When? What—”
When she pushes away from me this time, I let her go enough for her to look up at me but keep her close.
The gears are turning, and I’m not sure I want to know her thoughts.
But it’s time to get everything in the open.
If we are really giving ourselves another shot at a relationship, one not clouded by secrets and hiding, albeit poorly, from our families, then it’s time to tell her.
“But you live above the gym. If you bought a house, why—”
“I bought the house for us . In the hopes that I could convince you to move back home. But then Declan caught us sneaking around, I let my pride win out, and then when I made plans to come back to you, everything fell apart.
“You bought a house.”
I nod. “Yep.”
“For us. Even though I was in a different state.”
“I’d hoped to convince you. Gavin had said—”
“Whoa. Wait, what?”
Ah, shit. Leila pieces it together. I can literally see the puzzle pieces fitting in her mind.
“You’re telling me that Gavin, my big brother, that tall broody overprotective grump of a man, knew you’d bought a house for us , but neither of you thought it needed mentioning? What the heck, Drew?”
I decide to keep it to myself that I was going to ask her to marry me. Maybe now isn’t the best time. Besides, I didn’t mean to throw Gavin under the bus. Sometimes my mouth moves faster than my brain.
“Wait. So, everyone knew about us except for Declan? And nobody bothered to say anything?”
“What do you mean by everyone? I only told Gavin because I wanted him to have a heads up.”
“If Gavin knew, then Kelsey knew. And your mom and Kristen already confirmed that they all knew. Well, I guess I technically told Kristen, but I think she’d guessed it anyway.”
So, Declan and Jace. That makes me feel like a shit friend. Instead of focusing on it, I push forward.
“I’m done hiding from this. From us. I’ve known since we were kids that you were it for me.
No one else could ever make me feel the way you do, sunshine.
You can argue it all you want,” I say when she opens her mouth to do just that.
“Tell me you’re just in Havenwood for Kaia’s sake.
Tell me what we had all these years wasn’t real, or that you don’t feel the same way.
That those moments in that hallway bathroom this afternoon meant nothing to you.
But the truth is, if you say any of that, you’d be lying.
And, Leila Grace, you are many, many glorious things, but a liar is not one of them. ”
Leila’s eyes get that glassy sheen that says she’s fighting for control over her emotions, wanting to lock down whatever she deems as weakness in this moment.
I want her to lay it all out there for me. Every fear. Every anxious thought. Every idea. Everything.
“So, yes. I bought a house for us. It’s small, three bedrooms. Five acres on the backside of my parents’ lot.
It has a fenced yard and a porch swing that is perfect for watching the sun set.
Already furnished and ready to go. We don’t have to share a room, I can be there to help you with Kaia without risking my spine on this ancient thing Gavin calls a couch, and you can get out of Gavin’s space like you wanted to. ”
She snorts a laugh, and damn did I miss that sound. “I’m not going to move out of Gavin’s house just to burden you with the stress of living with an infant,” she says. “I’m not saddling you with that kind of trouble.”
“It isn’t trouble when it’s the two girls who matter most.”
“I still have nightmares. Ugly ones that are…not fun. Especially when they wake Kaia.”
“All the more reason to move in.”
She’s searching her brain for any possible reason to say no, so I keep pressing and hoping my luck doesn’t run out.
“Move in with me,” I beg. I am seconds away from dropping to my knees before her.
“Gavin will be right down the road instead of down the hall. I get to spoil my girls 24-7.” I slide the hand on her cheek over her shoulder and cradle her head, my fingers resting at the base of her neck.
“Kaia gets both parents under the same roof.”
I tug her closer, my forehead resting against hers, and I want nothing more than to lean forward and brush my lips across hers. But I know that’d be pushing my luck a little too far.
“And hopefully,” I whisper. “Hopefully, I get to prove that I’m all in for the both of you.”
“Drew,” she says just as softly.
“If I thought you’d agree, I’d drag us both down to the courthouse first thing tomorrow morning and marry you.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking,” she says, the words almost sounding pained. As if she’s forcing them out but doesn’t fully believe them. Good. She should know by now that I am a man of my word. I know exactly what I’m asking of her.
“You let me be the judge of that, sunshine. I made the mistake of walking away once before. I won’t let it happen again.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say okay.”
She tries to look away from me, but this time, I do drop to my knees. Her eyes widen as she takes in the scenario.
“We’ve got this, sunshine. Let me prove it.”
For a moment, I wonder if I judged this wrong. If she’s going to kick me out and run back to Tennessee.
But then she huffs a breath and nods. “Okay.”
My head shoots up, and I can’t contain the grin that splits across my face. “Yeah?”
She nods, my smile clearly contagious. “But don’t you dare drag me to the courthouse in the morning.”
I stand, slipping my hands under her hair and cradling the back of her neck. “I’m going to kiss you now, Leila Grace Barrett,” I whisper.
“Damn right, you’re going to kiss me now,” she says before pressing her lips to mine.
And for the first time in eleven months and twenty-seven days, all is right in my world.