Chapter 41
Chapter forty-one
After Gage dropped me back at work, we sat in Caleb’s office to video chat with the rest of their family and tell them the news.
I was relieved when the doctor told us the baby was measuring in a perfectly average range.
I’m five-foot-one, Gage is six-foot-five, and I was low-key dreading a big baby.
I don’t know how the female body does it, but there’s no denying pregnancy is a whole other level of queenhood.
Mason has been giving us hourly updates on how his hearing is returning after Beth screamed into them from sheer excitement.
We made calls to my family after that, then Gage reluctantly left so I could get back to doing actual work. He said he had some things to organise. Sending me a bouquet of pink tulips and a pink iced cupcake an hour later was apparently one of those things.
It’s just after five p.m. when I pull into our driveway. I make my way through the garden path to the side door, rubbing my bump as I go. I can see Gage pacing in the kitchen through the glass panels on the door, and I pick up my pace a little.
He’s muttering to himself when I get inside. Tiny’s sitting patiently at his feet as if he’s used to this behaviour, while Hallie is sprawled out on her side, her yellow eyes narrowed as she follows Gage’s feet.
“Hey,” I say tentatively, and three sets of eyes turn to me. “Everything good?”
Gage makes his way over to me. He smells like his body wash and cologne, and his hair is slightly damp. He’s wearing black jeans, a dark green hoodie and his usual black lace-up boots.
He doesn’t say anything, just grabs my face in both his hands and lays a kiss on my lips that I can’t help but melt into.
“How was the rest of your day?” His words come out breathy and rushed. I hold onto his wrists, brushing my thumb over the backs of his hands.
“It was good. How was yours?”
He nods, but I can tell the sincerity is fake.
“Did something happen?”
“No.” The word comes out squeaky, and I call bullshit. Gage clears his throat, laughing it off. “I was just thinking if you’re not too tired, we could go for a drive?”
“Can I change into sweats and Ugg boots?”
He smiles for real now, and as hot as he looks when he’s rocking a scowl, his smiles just might be my favourite.
“Of course.” He kisses my cheek, then squats down, hands rubbing my stomach as he presses a kiss there too. “How’s my little girl?”
I grab onto his hand, shifting it lower on my left side where she’s kicking. “Anything?”
He waits for a few moments before his shoulders sink and he shakes his head. “No. But I’m sure it’ll be soon.” He kisses my stomach one more time before standing.
“I’ll be quick,” I say, scratching Tiny on the head as I drop my purse on the bench.
Hallie jumps up, rubbing herself against my arm and demanding some of the attention for herself. I tickle my fingers under her chin, earning a purr.
Making my way to the bedroom, I quickly change, pull my hair free from the scrunchie, and five minutes later, I meet Gage back at the kitchen door.
He’s doing that thing where he flicks his lip ring back and forth with his tongue.
I’m sure he doesn’t realise it’s weirdly hot, but in the times I’ve seen him do it, I get the sense he does it when he’s anxious or overthinking.
I stand beside him, resting a hand on his bicep. “I’m ready.”
He looks at me as though there are a hundred thoughts racing through his mind. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Never better.” He kisses my cheek, then nods to the door. “Let’s go.”
Taking me by the hand, Gage walks us out, locking the door behind him, then takes us over to his ute. As always, he helps me in, buckles my seatbelt and kisses my stomach.
“Are you hungry now, or can you wait for a bit?” he asks a few minutes into our drive.
I shrug. “I can wait a bit.”
“I just want to take you somewhere first.”
Twisting in my chair, I turn to face him with a grin.
“Another surprise? You’re acting very strange.
What are you hiding up your sleeves?” I push the sleeve of his hoodie up, staring down at the shaded Grim Reaper standing amongst smoke and vines that stretch down until they meet the rose on his hand. “Apart from your tattoos.”
Gage turns quickly to wink at me, then puts on his indicator, looking in his rear vision mirror before pulling over.
The sun’s just finished setting, but I can make out enough details to see we’re not anywhere particularly special.
Gage leans over me, pulling open the glovebox, and holds up a blindfold.
“Is this something you picked up at the club?” I gasp. “Are we going to Nella Notte?”
His face sours. “I’m not taking my pregnant wife to Nella Notte.”
I bite my lip and flutter my eyelashes in jest. “I’m not your wife.”
“Ah, w-well,” he stammers.
Humming, I lean my back against the headrest. “Those were some good times.”
“That’s not where we’re going. And stop distracting me.” He holds out the mask, which I take and fasten over my eyes.
“How many fingers?”
“Can’t see a thing, Grim.”
I hear him blow out a breath, and then the car starts moving.
We drive for what feels like forever with the radio on low.
Halfway through, I reach over, searching for Gage’s hand.
I lace our fingers together, instantly settling with the feel of his warm, rough palms in mine.
He gives my hand a quick squeeze, keeping our hands locked together until it feels like we drive over gravel.
Gage’s door opens, and a few seconds later, mine does too. A kiss is left against my lips before my seatbelt is removed and I’m lifted out of the car. On unsteady feet, I’m guided across a rocky path, the sound of chains follows, then the groaning of a gate.
My brows pinch as I try to figure out where on Earth we are. Gage pulls me along once again, making me laugh.
“Where are we?”
“Almost there.” I can hear the smile in his voice, and it’s enough to set me at ease. Whatever it is, it must be good.
The air around me shifts, and I can feel the hardness of Gage’s chest as he stands behind my back now. His hands move to the blindfold, pausing before they slide up. I blink a few times, confused but intrigued as to why we’re standing in the middle of Thistle Theory.
We’re in the back section, close to the café, where there’s an open grassed area and a long covered path.
It’s not in season for the wisteria that climbs over the verandah to be flowering, but the long green vines still look stunning as they’re joined by twinkle lights wound around the posts and branches.
A trail of white petals starts at our feet and curves around the corner, leading into the greenhouse where the classes and events are held.
I turn around, a smile starting to form as I stare up at Gage. “What is this?” I ask because it really looks like a proposal, but I don’t want to get my hopes up.
Is this actually happening? I feel like I must have slipped into another dimension if Gage is already at the stage of proposing.
I know we love each other, and I know he’s committed to me just as much as I am to him.
I don’t need anything more than what he’s given me, but if he’s asking, it’s a hell yes from me.
“Your surprise.” He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. “Follow me?”
“Anywhere.”
He smiles and links our fingers together, leading me down the floral path.
When the greenhouse comes into sight, I can see the entire thing is full of candles.
I flex my fingers, fighting off the tingles that have started.
My heart is in my throat as Gage looks down at me and winks, then crosses the threshold.
More white petals cover the concrete, forming a circle in the centre of the space, and more candles are scattered around the border.
He pulls me into the middle, bringing us face to face.
“Isabelle.” My eyes are already starting to fill as I take a deep breath, waiting for what’s next.
“I didn’t give much thought to my life beyond getting through the day.
It was full of darkness and regret, and wishing I could have a chance to do things over.
The first moment I saw you, it was like the clouds parted and let in the sunshine.
I started hoping for the next day, wishing for a tomorrow where I might see you again.
I wanted to hold onto moments and let them linger.
Instead of taking life at face value, I started living it.
Meeting you brought to life a feeling I thought lay dormant.
Something I gave up on, something I didn’t even realise was missing.
Falling in love with you became the bravest thing I ever did, and at the same time, the easiest. Being loved by you has become the proudest thing I’ve ever achieved in life, and it’s the one thing I never want to lose, never want to spend a day without.”
With his eyes on me, Gage lowers down to one knee. I taste the tears as they fall onto my lips.
“Isabelle Kathryn Asher, will you marry me?”
Breath escapes me as I sit on his bent knee, throwing my arms around his neck.
“Yes.” My vision is blurry, but I still manage to catch the beaming smile Gage gives me before he wraps an arm around my back and presses his lips to mine.
He chuckles against my mouth as my cries grow deeper, overwhelmed by the love in my heart.
Gage pulls back, looking down at his hand, and my gaze follows his to the velvet box held between his fingers.
A yellow diamond sparkles in the centre, with smaller white diamonds bordering it like a halo. More diamonds sit along a white gold band, and it’s the most stunning thing I’ve ever seen.
I look back up at Gage, chewing my lip. “Really? It’s not just about the baby, is it? Cos I’m happy to wait.”
Gage stops me with a finger against my mouth.
“I’ve waited my whole life for you. I don’t want to waste another minute.”
I nod, and he pulls the ring out, placing it on my finger.
I kiss him again, and a sharp whistle sounds in the distance, followed by a fizzling pop. Our heads pull apart in search. Through the glasshouse roof, I watch in awe as the inky black sky is filled with fireworks like a dazzling kaleidoscope of colours and shapes.
With my hand on his cheek, I look at Gage, stunned. “You did all this?”
“You say that like there’s a limit to what I would do for you.” He rubs a hand over my stomach.
“There’s not?” I smile.
“Eternity has no limit. That’s what I want with you.”