Page 51 of Room One Hundred and Nineteen: Watching Her

“Well, umm, I— I promised myself I wouldn’t move in with anyone just like that and especially with the kids so young. I’m sorry. I know it makes it hard but…”

“So, you saying you want a ring on your finger, gorgeous?” Rick asked, holding my hand. My heart stalled.

There was something in his tone and the way the three of them looked at me that was different.

The conference room went quiet, and suddenly, Josh was no longer in front of me but walking to the corner of the conference room where there was an extra exit door and the flowers waited.

But he didn’t pick them up.

No, instead, he opened the door, and I couldn’t believe it, but my sister and her guys were there. And in front of the four of them stood my babies. All dressed up, way more dressed up than what they had been wearing when I dropped them off at daycare. Betsy wrote a pretty, purple dress, and Mikey was in a suit with a tie that matched the guys’.

“What’s going on?” I whispered.

The other two men left me where I stood and turned to walk over to my kids. I watched them all kneel around one another, in a circle, and put their hands in like a team did together at the end of the game to show their appreciation for the team they played. The guys stood up and moved to the side a little. I watched as Mike reached for Mile’s hand while Betsy took Rick and Josh’s. Each of the guys’ free hands held either flowers or a teddy bear. The sight was beautiful, and it had me in a chokehold. My heart felt like it was racing and beating slowly all at the same time.

The five of them started their way toward me. Slow, deliberate steps until they stopped mere inches from me.

“What is this?” I whispered. Betsy’s giggle made me look down at her.

“They love you, Mommy.” Betsy grinned, and my lips wobbled.

“And they want us to be a family,” Mike added. I’d thought I’d cried all the tears I had just moments earlier, but I realized I still had more in me. Though, these were filled with nothing but joy and love.

“For our entire life, until we met you and then the kids, we thought all we’d have was each other,” Josh started to say, taking my hand in his. “But then we met you, in here, actually.” My eyes widened.

They were right. We met in this conference room.How could I forget that?

“It all made sense. We tried to give you time. Get to know us slowly. The three of you. And the more we got to know you, the deeper we fell in love. We love you, Elena. We love the three of you.” Josh squeezed my left hand, and then the pads of his fingertips touched my ring finger and stayed there.

“Nothing would make us happier than if you let us join your family,” Miles added, his voice full of rich emotion.

“We promise to love, protect, and respect each of you until our last breath,” Rick vowed.

They were too much.

Too perfect.

And I was stunned speechless. I couldn’t tear my eyes off them to look at my kids or my sister, who I’d forgotten was still standing there, bearing witness to one of the most beautiful moments in my life. Something that Rick, Josh, and Miles had planned.

For me. For the kids. For all of us.

I watched the three men in my life drop down to their knees. They each held a stunningly beautiful thin gold band in one hand. And then Josh pulled out a box, one that they all held together. In the center of the deep brown wooden box sat a beautiful princess cut solitaire being held by lavender velvet.

“Will you marry us?” they asked in unison, completely wrecking my world. I broke out into silent sobs, nodding happily through my tears.

“Yes!” I finally managed to say, and they didn’t wait a moment to get up and hug me. First as a group then individually, each kissing me with the passion and love they felt for me. My kids moved in and hugged me and the guys, as well as Rosie and her men.

“Champagne!” Rosie cheered, and I wiped my face.

“We can’t drink. I’m on the clock.” I laughed. My sexy doctors looked sheepishly at me.

“Actually,”” Josh started off, “now, don’t get mad, but remember you just said you would spend the rest of your life with us?”

“You’re on vacation for the rest of the week,” a familiar voice sounded from the door I’d entered. I turned to see Tabitha actually smiling.

“A week?” I asked, and she nodded.

“Happy vacation. And congratulations.” She smiled before exiting the conference room while my sister was already pouring the champagne.

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