Page 76 of Found By You

Our relationship has been a dream these last six months. Except for the bickering over moving into the new house, which I’ve decided to let go…for now. The house has been done, furnished, and ready to live in for the last four weeks. And per our compromise, we’ve been staying there a few nights a week, building a comfortable feel for the place.

I know she’s nervous about letting the cabin go because of the safety net it provides, but she needs to decide where we’ll be bringing the baby—sooner than later. We’ve bought everything she and the baby will need and, whether she realizes it or not, the majority is at the new house. Including her storage pod from Oklahoma.

If she’s leaning toward the house, she hasn’t confirmed it. I’m doing my damnedest not to pressure her and ruin the momentum we have going. But fuck… It’s hard when she’s been doing that ‘nesting’ my mother warned me about, getting things ready for the baby’s arrival at both places.

It’s taking a lot out of her. I’ve already convinced her to cut her hours at the coffee house to stay off her feet, and the resort narrowed down the yoga classes to only three per week. Everything is falling into place.

Because with the help of Cassidy—and even my brother—I’ve bought an engagement ring for Maci. One I hope she’ll love enough to wear for the rest of her life as my wife.

Fuck. My wife. I never thought I’d say those words again.

I’ve talked it out with Butch, my father, my mother—Maci deserves it all. Her and the baby. And I know in my gut, as much as I loved Rachel, and I always will, I feel it in my heart… Maci is my true soulmate.

The light of my life has been these last six months with her, and I wouldn’t change a thing—not her, not the baby, not the biological father. Because all of that brought her here to me.

So, with my plan in place to take Maci away on a surprise getaway next week, I’ll be getting down on one knee to propose for the last time to the woman I love.

So why can’t I tell her I love her?

My mother says it’s fear that I’ll lose her the way I lost Rachel if I do. She’s probably right, but no matter how I feel about it, hearing those words will mean everything to Maci. And proposing to her before the baby comes will show her exactly how serious I am about being there for her—no matter what.

Helping my stunning, soon-to-be fiancée out of the passenger side of her car—since she hates me having to lift her to get in my truck now—I take in how gorgeous she truly is. The light grey, body-hugging dress molds around her curves and swollen stomach to stop just past her knees. Her hair cascades in waves down to the middle of her back, her full lips curling into the same smile that captured my heart on the side of the road just outside of town.

“What?” she asks, catching me staring at her.

I grin. “You look beautiful.”

Her face lights up. “Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself, hot stuff.” She makes a show of biting her lip and ogling my jeans, boots, and a black T-shirt.

“I’m a slimeball compared to you, angel.” I chuckle, retrieving the gift bag from the backseat.

She tugs on a thin black sweater, taking my hand as we walk up to my parents’ house where over thirty cars line the driveway. A large tent sits in the front yard with several shades of blue balloons and ‘baby boy’ decorations all over the place.

My mother offered to throw Maci a baby shower, but she declined. We’d already bought the big ticket items, and between the women at the coffee shop and my mother buying baby clothes and accessories along with everything they’ve been doing for Cassidy—we’re set to dress this little girl for a solid year in different outfits every damn day.

She isn’t even born, and she’s already got a bow drawer.

Butch is the first to greet us. “Thank fuck you’re here.”

I raise a brow. “Everything all right?”

My brother huffs, glancing over his shoulder. “If I have to hear one more fun fact about labor and how you can shit during it, I’m going to lose my shit.”

Maci smothers a laugh.

“Yeah, well, it could happen.” I hold up the giant gift bag in hand. “Where do you want this?”

Butch leads us to a table under the open white tent, and before I know it, Cassidy is pulling Maci away for pictures. I grin at her beautiful smile and the sound of her priceless laugh—the one where she can’t help but snort a little.

She’s perfect.

“Did you pick up the ring yet?” Butch asks quietly as we stand side by side.

“Not yet,” I say. “I’ll get it at the end of the week before we leave. I don’t want her to find it beforehand.”

“Cassidy’s already talking about a double wedding.” Butch shakes his head. “And since she can’t tell anyone else about it for another week…she’s been talking my ear off.” His mouth lifts at the corner, a sure sign he doesn’t mind it one bit.

“Sounds like Cass.”

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