Page 51 of Finding His Fire

He saw the tears fill her eyes and escape down her cheeks as she stared at the box. Her shaking fingers lifted the chain with the diamond encrusted necklace from it. The diamonds glittered in the sunlight, raining sparkles on her face and hair, across her chest and arms. Laying on the cross was the diamond ring he'd bought for her.

"Where did you get this?"

"Waylon stole it. I found it in the shack, but he'd pried most of the diamonds from it, probably to sell. I took it to a jeweler and had it repaired and the ring made to match it."

Swallowing profusely, she lay the cross in her hand and fingered the ring. The full two carat diamond in the center was held in place by the matching filigree on the cross, diamonds set into the band matching her prized possession.

"Oh. My. God." She whispered it, but they all heard. His heart pounded as he watched the emotions in her dazzling face. Clasping the cross and the ring tightly in her fist, she held them to her heart, a sob escaping as she tried holding it in. Her watery eyes captured his and held. Softly, she said, "Yes." She pulled him up with her free hand and wrapped both arms around his neck, squeezing her body to his. "Yes, we will marry you."

He pulled back, his brows furrowed, seeking clarification. Her bright eyes danced back and forth as she stared into his eyes. "I'm pregnant. We're pregnant."

He whooped loud into the air, their audience cheered as they were enveloped in the many arms of his loving family. Hugs and kisses aplenty.

* * *

Enjoying their after-breakfast routine of sitting at the kitchen table with their laptops, he looked up from the email he read from his battle brother, Lincoln.

"Lincoln wants to join forces with me and open an agency. We'll employ bounty hunters and spread out all over the country finding the Bobby Rays of the world. What do you think of that?"

Her green eyes darted to his, a smile spreading across her flushed cheeks as excitement rose in her body. She laughed, and the sight was one to behold. "That's perfect, Ford. Oh my God, that is just perfect. You said you wanted to retire, but instead, you can still be in the bounty hunting game but from the safer vantage point of the business side of things. That's brilliant."

She jumped up from her chair and came around the table. He pulled her down on his lap, her belly just beginning to round with their child, to read the email.

"Who's Dodge?"

"Another of our battle brothers. We used to laugh at the three of us, each named after cars, so we were nicknamed the Hot Rods."

Twisting slightly, she looked into his eyes. "Hot Rod Bounty Hunters. I love it."

He chuckled. "We'll work on the name. But first, we have a wedding to plan and a baby to grow."

Chapter43

It was probably silly, but she didn’t want to take any chances. The bride and groom weren’t supposed to see each other the day of the wedding until the groom saw the bride walking down the aisle. Ford refused to stay down at the cabin he lived in on Emmy’s property because, dammit, he didn’t want to sleep anywhere but where she and the baby slept, but she worried about that goofy old wives’ tale. So, Ford slept in the spare room—the room she first stayed in—insisting she sleep in their room.

So, here she was in their bedroom, lying in their super comfy bed, lovingly rubbing her burgeoning belly and sending love thoughts to their baby, waiting for Ford to get out of the house. Dawson was coming to pick him up and take him down to the church to get ready, then Emmy would be here to pick her up. Ford’s nephew, Dillon, had taken his truck home last night so they could decorate it. Neither she nor Ford were allowed to see it until they exited the church. She was almost a bit scared about that.

Her phone played “Everything I Do” by Bryan Adams and the instant smile that appeared on her face and the giggle that sounded was that of a lovesick schoolgirl, but she didn’t care.

“Good morning.”

She heard his deep intake of breath. “It isn’t bad luck to talk on the phone before the wedding, is it?”

She giggled again. “No, it isn’t bad luck to talk on the phone. Are you about ready to leave?”

“Soon. Dawson is on his way, and since I can’t come in and kiss you and steal a bit of lovin’, I at least wanted to say good morning.”

“You never have to steal lovin’, Ford; it’s here for you always.” She closed her eyes and laid back. “Just not this morning.” She giggled as he groaned. “But tonight, now that’s a whole new thing. Tonight, you’ll make love to your wife.”

“First time in my life that sounds perfect. I can’t wait.”

She sat up to lean back against the headboard. “Did you sleep well last night?”

“No.”

A smile spread across her face. “Ah, you missed my big ole belly pushing into your back.”

“Honey, I missed all of you. Every damned inch. But I’m going to make up for it later.”

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