I giggle. “Deal.”

We are saying hiya to a number of buddies as we make our method to the makeshift dance ground. When Beck pulls me into his loving arms, the whole lot else disappears. I don’t understand how he does it, however this man has a manner of constructing me really feel like there’s nothing we will’t deal with, so long as we now have one another. Initially, I used to be upset after I realized I used to be pregnant. I’d be mendacity if I stated I wasn’t scared, however that doesn’t imply I’m not joyful about it. Beck was proper; we’re authorized adults, and this child was conceived in love. She or he is a product of our love. Loads of kids have been introduced into the world underneath lesser circumstances.

Beck’s hand strikes from my hip over to my child bump. I’m undecided if it’s a aware transfer, however he’s been doing that so much currently. I don’t know what number of songs we’ve danced to at this level, however we haven’t moved out of our shut embrace, whatever the music’s tempo.

He rests his cheek towards mine and whispers, “You and this child are the whole lot to me, Pres. I can’t wait to formally make you mine.”

I tighten my maintain on him. “I’ve been yours since we have been 5 years outdated, Beck.”

He pulls again and smiles. “You wanna get out of right here?”

“Positive.” I take his hand as he leads me out of the constructing. I had assumed we have been heading to the parking zone, so I’m confused when he takes me to the soccer subject. “What’re we doing right here?”

Beck walks backward, nonetheless holding my hand till our toes contact the sideline. “I can’t wait any longer to do that, however I didn’t need an viewers. This needs to be ours.”

My eyebrows pinch collectively. “What needs to be ours?”

I determine it out rapidly sufficient when he will get down on one knee and produces a small velvet field from his jacket pocket. “Presley Anne James, I’ve been in love with you virtually my entire life. You’re the rationale I stay up for every new day. You’re the rationale I try to be a greater man.” He briefly glances at my abdomen. “You’ve given me the last word reward, and I can’t wait to indicate you the way grateful I’m by being one of the best daddy that I will be. Pres, you’re my finest buddy, and I might be honored when you’d even be my spouse. Will you marry me?”

I nod furiously as tears drip down my face. Marrying Beck was all the time a when, not an if, however having an precise proposal makes it official.

“Sure, Beckett. I’d marry you ten instances over when you requested me to.”

He jumps to his toes and slides a stupendous diamond ring onto my trembling hand. “It’s not a lot—it’s all I can afford proper now, however I promise to get you an even bigger diamond at some point.”

I shake my head as I stare on the skinny platinum band with a small spherical diamond within the center. “I don’t need one other one, Beck. That is good.”

He grins. “Yeah?”

I sniffle. “Yeah. I adore it, Beckett. A lot.”

He cups my face in his palms. “I really like you, Pres. A lot.”

“I really like you a lot.”

He pulls me right into a candy kiss. Once we break free, he says, “I would like you to be my spouse earlier than the newborn is born. What do you concentrate on making it official this summer time? We will have a small ceremony on the ranch—only a few family and friends.”

“That sounds good, Beck. Completely good.”

Chapter Eighteen

Presley

“You have been so good to me over time, outdated woman. I’m sorry it took me this lengthy to return again to you.”

Magnolia eagerly takes the sugar dice from my flattened palm whereas I stroke her forelock. Now that my bruises have light sufficient to cover with strategically utilized make-up, I can roam freely across the ranch. Unsurprisingly, the stables have been the primary place I gravitated towards. Being right here, smelling the horses and the hay brings me a way of peace I haven’t identified in far too lengthy. I spent my complete childhood on this land, interacting with the animals each day. I by no means realized how a lot I missed this till now. How a lot I wanted it.

I shut my eyes and suppress a shiver as electrical energy instantly shoots via my veins. My coronary heart is thrashing wildly. My lungs are momentarily robbed of breath. I’m now not the one particular person standing on this secure—of that, I’ve little doubt. I can really feel each atom in my physique lighting up like a summer time storm. I knew this second was inevitable—I’ve been anticipating it—however the considered dealing with Beckett Armstrong in spite of everything these years terrifies me. But… I’d be mendacity if I stated there wasn’t additionally some underlying pleasure. I can’t keep in mind the final time I seemed ahead to something, however having him this shut, is nearly… exhilarating. I’ve few recollections of my childhood that don’t embrace this man. He was the love of my life. I gave him all of my firsts. He breathed life into me by merely current. After I left this city, I not solely left items of my coronary heart behind; I left a part of my soul, too. I simply didn’t understand how a lot of it till this very second.

I take a fortifying breath as I step away from Magazine’s stall.

“So the rumors are true.”

The timbre of his voice is far deeper than I keep in mind. That southern twang rolls over me like Tupelo honey—thick and candy and oh, so seductive. I labored actually laborious on ditching my accent after I first moved to New York, however Beck’s time away appeared to do nothing to decrease his.

“What rumors?” I slowly flip round and do my finest to quell the shock from seeing him within the flesh.

Neither one in all us dares to look away. It’s just like the house between us is shrinking, though we’re each frozen in place. The wasted time, the buckets of tears, the ache of longing. It’s all passing between us proper now, zinging backwards and forwards, hitting its mark, driving the ache of our shared loss deeper and deeper. Numerous what-ifs and never-beens thicken the air, making it practically not possible to breathe.

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