Then Mother snaps, “Dolly? Fiancé?” Her eyes drop to my fingers, cradling my stomach, and her jaw drops open. “You modified your title, and also you’re engaged and…pregnant? Very pregnant.”

I smile, and Wyatt slides his hand over mine, resting on my stomach. I skip over correcting the bit about being engaged since he nonetheless hasn’t really requested me to be his spouse but and say, “A brand new title for a brand new life. I met Wyatt on the truck cease—you already know the one closest to the home? He let me hitch a experience. We obtained…shut…and I made a decision to stick with him when his journey was up. He’s a superb man. The most effective man I’ve ever recognized.”

“However…he’s a lot older.” She leans in and whispers it prefer it’s a secret. She eyes him up and down, clearly in shock.

Wyatt snorts, and I giggle regardless of the seriousness of our dialog. “Yeah, however that doesn’t change how we really feel about one another. I’m blissful, Mother. We’re blissful.”

She smiles awkwardly at first, clearly uncomfortable, however it turns honest when she research my face, seeing for herself how genuinely blissful I’m with Wyatt by my facet. It should settle one thing inside her as a result of she takes his hand between each of hers and quietly says, “Thanks for taking good care of her, Wyatt. I’ll endlessly be grateful.”

“I’ll all the time deal with her. You’ve got my phrase.”

“Mother, you by no means answered my query. How did you discover me?”

“I used to be your father’s emergency contact, and the Sheriff referred to as me after…after the whole lot that occurred final night time. He instructed me what your father had accomplished and knowledgeable me that he…died. He additionally instructed me which hospital you had been taken to and that you just had been okay. Frightened however unhurt. I had been staying at a resort close to the final truck cease you had been noticed at, so I wasn’t too far-off and drove by means of the night time to get right here. I’m so glad I discovered you, Dolly,” she finishes with a whisper.

Listening to her use my new title, I’m hopeful that we’ll each be capable to go away our pasts behind for good and dwell this new, fantastic life collectively.

Chapter 30

Wyatt

It took a couple of weeks after Dolly’s mother flew again house for her home to promote. Along with her asshole husband now not within the image, she was in a position to pack up her life as quickly because the paperwork was signed and transfer to Texas. We supplied to let her transfer in with us, however she took up Mama’s candy supply to maneuver in along with her till she will get settled within the space. Mama declared, nonetheless, that she by no means has to depart if she doesn’t need to as a result of she’s tickled pink to have a live-in finest pal.

Now, there’s just one very last thing I’ve to do earlier than our child arrives—marry the love of my life and provides her my final title.

I proposed to Dolly the night time we obtained house from the hospital after the assault, slipping the ring on her finger as she slept beside me. I had been carrying round her engagement ring for months, having bought it the day I dropped her off for her first shift on the diner with out me. I needed to suggest to her that night time however thought it is perhaps too quick for her. So I put it off, ready for a time after I thought she would say sure, however then we discovered she was pregnant. I didn’t need her to assume I used to be solely proposing as a result of she obtained pregnant, which was silly on my half since that’s precisely what I instructed her I might do inside days of assembly her. I used to be all the time planning on following by means of with my promise, however I used to be dumb for ready so lengthy, too frightened of her saying no.

When the nurse tried to maintain me away from Dolly on the hospital since we weren’t legally household but, it actually drove house what a colossal mistake it was for me to let my nerves get the most effective of me.

I figured Dolly may struggle me on the engagement when she awoke with my ring on her finger, and I deliberate on fucking any arguments out of her if want be. As a substitute, she had rolled over and whispered, “Sure, sure, sure,” then straddled me, and we made love, candy and gradual.

It was among the finest moments of my life, and I took an image of us cuddled in mattress afterward, holding the telephone far sufficient away to get the whole lot I needed within the body. I had the sheet pushed low to disclose the attractive curve of her rounded stomach. Her hand was resting on my chest, the diamond engagement ring shining brightly on her left ring finger. There’s not an hour that goes by with out me pulling out my telephone to take a look at our image and the radiant smile on Dolly’s face as we each stare into one another’s eyes.

* * *

Mama has a ravishing piece of property behind her home peppered with outdated, sprawling oak timber that I used to climb as a baby. So though it’s hotter than hell this time of 12 months, Dolly insisted we get married exterior, standing below the shade of the biggest tree.

What my babygirl needs, my babygirl will get.

I regulate my tie for the hundredth time, unused to carrying fits, particularly on this warmth. I stand on the raised wooden platform beneath the arch Jared, my finest pal and Greatest Man, helped me construct. He slaps me on the again, smiles broadly, and asks, “You prepared, brother?”

I grin, rubbing my fingers collectively, able to get the present on the highway and see my bride stroll down the aisle. “I used to be prepared the day I introduced her house.”

He snorts. “Yeah, I do know what you imply. It was the identical for me with Violet. Greatest choice I ever made was locking her down as quickly as attainable. I couldn’t ask for a greater life.” He subtly wipes the nook of his eye, getting emotional simply fascinated by his spouse and the way blissful they’re collectively.

I look out in any respect our family and friends gathered on the garden. Granny shut down the diner for the day so Dolly’s coworkers may attend. Layla, the latest waitress at Granny’s, is seated subsequent to Faye, the 2 of them laughing like college ladies. I don’t miss the pink creeping up Harold’s face each time Layla catches him looking at Faye, which is about each three seconds.

Just a few of the blokes I work with are right here, too. Russell, my boss and the proprietor of Berenson Trucking, can’t appear to cease staring on the ladies both, although he solely has eyes for Layla. When she turns her head, he shortly averts his gaze, and I wink when he catches me watching. I chuckle as his ears flip pink, and he suggestions his head again and closes his eyes.

I spot Sheriff Gibson and his spouse, Sheila, within the crowd, in addition to a number of of the deputies and EMTs who had been there the night time of Dolly’s assault. I nod to the Sheriff, grateful for the whole lot he did for us within the aftermath of the assault.

Davis, the guy trucker at Berenson who took over my long-hauls, can be right here, barely recognizable with out considered one of his ball caps. Mama lit up like a Christmas tree when Davis wheeled his dad, Mr. Freeman, down the aisle to sit down behind her in her place of honor within the entrance row. Mama and Mr. Freeman grew up going to highschool collectively, and I even heard rumors they had been sweethearts earlier than Pops got here into the image.

Mama twists in her seat, and Mr. Freeman leans ahead in his wheelchair. They dip their heads towards each other and discuss animatedly with matching smiles. I increase my forehead at Davis. He additionally notices how pleasant they’re being, and he smiles and shrugs his shoulders.

Mopping the sweat from my forehead with the handkerchief I pull from my go well with jacket, I begin dancing from foot to foot, impatient to put eyes on my girl. “Lastly,” I growl because the violinist we employed picks up her instrument and begins her rendition of the traditional wedding ceremony march.

Violet, Dolly’s Matron-of-Honor and finest pal, slips by means of the French doorways behind Mama’s home and begins her gradual trek down the white aisle runner in her pale purple bridesmaid costume. She’s nothing however a blur as all my focus is zeroed in on the doorways, ready for my bride to seem.

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