Page 66 of Betting on Lizzie

“Too hard,” he mumbled near her ear. “No reason to be uncomfortable.”

“Living room sofa?”

“Too short. We don’t fit properly. I need room to work.”

“Okay, Goldilocks. How about the bed, but we leave the door open?” she said, and they laughed.

“Perfect.”

The dogs barked, wanting to come back in.

“They’re cookin’ in the heat,” Lizzie said. “Plus, they’re probably starving. Guess we still have some kids to take care of.”

While Ben filled the dog bowls, Lizzie snuck into their bedroom. She needed to make her big announcement before the nerves talked her out of it.

She went to Ben’s nightstand drawer, extracted and opened the little black box that had been there for months, and exchanged her opal for the two-carat diamond.

Ben had proposed a hundred times since he’d moved in. It had become a running joke between them. She’d ask what was for dinner, and he’d say a diamond ring. Or she’d ask what he wanted for his birthday, and he’d say a new wife.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to marry Ben. It had just seemed so permanent. So, forever. But she was ready to commit now. In fact, she’d never been more sure of anything.

She held out her left hand to admire the shine of the diamond on her ring finger. With her right, she clutched her stomach. “Here goes nothing,” she whispered.

When she returned to the kitchen, the dogs were eagerly scarfing down kibble, and Ben was pouring two glasses of champagne. Better tell him quick then.

“I feel bad celebrating that my daughter’s moved out,” he said. “I’ll miss her terribly, but I’ve also never felt so free.”

“Sure you don’t want to get rid of me and savor the bachelor life for a while?”

“Are you kidding? I want to—” He froze when he saw the engagement ring. “Lizzie?”

“Figure you should make an honest woman out of me.” She shrugged.

“You’ll marry me?”

“Sure.” She smiled. “Why not?”

“Well, at least let me do this properly.” He approached her, slid the ring off her finger, and knelt in front of her. “Elizabeth Michelle Parker. I love you. I think I fell in love with you the first time I saw you behind the bar, pouring tequila and slipping tips into your bra. Since then, I’ve come to realize what an amazing woman you are. Smart, funny, willful, and compassionate. I want to continue unpacking everything about you for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?” He held up the ring.

“You know I’m not into all the mushy stuff. But I love you too, Mansfield. And yes, I’ll marry you. I don’t know what I’ve been waiting for. You’re the only man to capture my heart so completely. I should’ve said yes a long time ago.”

He slipped the ring on her finger and stood to kiss her. “Finally. Now we have a real reason to celebrate.” He handed her one of the glasses.

“About that.”

His face flashed confusion. “We’re not celebrating?”

“Oh, yes, we are,” she said. “It’s just that…I have some news…news that has nothing to do with why I’m marrying you. I want that idea out of your head right now.”

He waited for her to continue.

“I’m in a certain way. A way that means I shouldn’t drink to celebrate.” She raised her eyebrows. “I hope you’re happy about it. I am.”

It only took him a second to figure out what she meant. “Are you pregnant? Lizzie, please don’t mess with me. Is that what you’re saying?”

She nodded. He put down the glass and hopped up and down like a little kid at Christmas.

“Guess you’re okay with it?” she said with a grin.

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