Page 15 of Breath By Breath

When we finally stop spinning, I wait for her to look up at me. “You’re my home, too, baby, but I want more for us and for our kids.”

Her eyes soften, just as they do every time I mention us starting a family. “We’re not even married yet,” she teases.

“We will be, and we will have a family, and I want to be able to give you all everything.” I hold her gaze so she can see how much this means to me. Not just this side hustle I want to embark on, but providing for my family.

“We just need you.”

I smile when she says we. I don’t even know if she realizes that’s what she said. It’s crazy of me to get so excited about her referring to us having kids, but this is what I want. A life with her. One we build together.

Her words have my heart flopping around in my chest. We need to set a wedding date soon. “I know.” I do know. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to give them more. I know I can make this business go. It might not make me a millionaire, but it will be a good side hustle to bring in some extra cash. We both do well. We’re not hurting for money, but we’re not swimming in it either. Houses and kids are expensive.

I know we can do this.

She peers up at me under long lashes. She doesn’t speak for several long heartbeats and worry gnaws at me that she’s going to say it’s not the right time. Her hands that were holding on around my neck, move to rest against my cheeks.

“I’m with you, Stanley Riggins. Always. If you want this, we’ll do it. We’ll take the money out of savings and buy the truck.”

“If it fails, it sets us back for a house.”

Dad always says open and honest communication is everything in a relationship. While I know I can make this work, and I’ll give it everything I’ve got, it’s only right to mention that I could be wrong, and this idea will be a bust. I really don’t think that will happen, but it’s responsible to look at both sides of the coin when making huge life decisions.

My fiancée shrugs. “You’re my home. I told you that. If this sets us back, then it does. We’ll handle it together.”

“I promise you I’ll work my ass off to make our money back and so much more. My gut tells me this is a good move for us, baby.”

“I don’t know much about what you want to do, but I can run numbers and keep track of costs and invoicing that kind of thing. I’ll do whatever I can to help you succeed.”

“Us succeed.” I kiss the corner of her mouth.

“Us.” She grins.

“I love you.” Those three words aren’t enough to explain the depths of what I feel for her, but it’s the best I’ve got at the moment.

She lifts up on her toes and presses her lips to mine. “I love you too. Now, let’s take a drive to look at this truck.” She pulls away and moves to slip into her shoes. She grabs her purse and goes to stand by the front door. “Ready?”

“Yes.” I take her hand in mine and lead her out to my truck.

On the way to the plant, we talk about advertising and things we’ll need, like flyers and business cards. Lena even suggested an ad in the local paper. She offered to go door to door to local businesses to pass out flyers. She’s one-hundred-percent behind me, and that’s got me feeling some sort of way. It has my chest so full it feels as though it might explode with gratitude and love.

I’m going to make this work. I’m going to make this a success, not for me, but for her, for us, and for our future children.

This is going to work.

CHAPTER

SEVEN

Lena

Age Twenty-Two

My heart has a heaviness, but it also feels light as a feather. I know that’s contradicting, but let me explain.

Today is my wedding day.

The heaviness is from missing my father. He was supposed to be here with me today. It was supposed to be him who walked me down the aisle to the man I love. I’m missing him so much, and I know my mom is too. She’s taking his place. She’s walking me down the aisle. I was so worried about asking her, but with Stanley’s encouragement, I did it. It’s not that I was worried she would say no. I didn’t want to cause her more pain. He was the love of her life, and I know she misses him terribly every single day. I do, too, but knowing the love I have in my heart for Stanley, I can’t imagine the pain my mother has been dealing with since we lost Dad.

So yeah, there is a heaviness that sits on my chest, but the light-as-a-feather parts keep it from pulling me under with the pain of missing him. I’m marrying the love of my life. A man who took one look at me and knew I was meant to be his. A man who has never wavered in his devotion to me. A man who wants to give me his last name and build a life with me. A man I know, without a shadow of a doubt, my father would not only approve of, but he would have loved him as the son he never had. Of that, I’m certain.

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