Page 43 of Claiming What Is Mine

Chapter Twenty

Meredith

My head restson Gabe’s chest as I cuddle into him. His thick fingers run slowly through my hair while I happily pick at the last pie crumbs on my plate. No point being modest about my sweet tooth now.

“We're engaged,” I mumble to myself, as I try to process the thought. To the same man who I was absolutely certain, beyond any shadow of a doubt, was the one person to avoid at all costs when I came home. And then he goes and ends up being the one to give me the very things I feared I’d never have. I wanted a partner and a family. And now, thanks to Gabe Wilde I’m going…scratch that, we’re going to have both those things. Together.

How is this even possible?

Right now, I don’t want to know the answer. I don’t really care. I’m simply happy. I sit up and turn to Gabe. “I love you.”

Gabe’s eyes brighten. “I love you too, Doll.” He cups my face and kisses me, his thumbs grazing my cheekbones. I melt in to him, angling my face to deepen the kiss. I never imagined happiness could run so deep, could fill me so completely.

Gabe pulls back a fraction, his gaze trained on mine. “You ready to go, or would you like to stay a while longer?”

“Is there more planned for the evening? Part of me wants to stay like this forever, but alas…” I sigh. “That’s probably not realistic.”

“Well, I have one other thing planned, but there’s no time constraint to it so, whenever.”

I bring my finger to my lip and tap it, thoughtfully. “Hmm. My curiosity for what else you have up your sleeve might be outweighing my desire to stay. So I say, we go.”

“You sure?” Gabe asks.

I nod and begin packing things into the basket.

Gabe stands and helps me up, then shakes out as much sand as he can from the blanket before rolling it up and tucking it under his arm. We walk back to the truck side by side; Gabe carries the blanket and picnic basket in one hand, while his free arm wraps around my shoulder.

“You are aware you make me happier than I’ve ever been, aren’t you?” Gabe whispers in my ear.

Swoon.

When we reach the truck, Gabe opens the passenger door and holds my hand, helping me climb into my seat. He circles around to the other side, haphazardly tosses our picnic supplies into the back, and climbs behind the wheel. He starts the truck and, as we make our way back to the road, bump by painful bump, Gabe reaches for the radio, turning it up just enough to be heard over the road noise. “You mind if we listen to some music?” he asks.

“I don’t mind at all.” I lean against the door, happily staring out the window, watching the world pass by. The sapphire on my finger catches the evening sun and I give in to daydreams of our future, together. Together—I like the sound of that.

Gabe settles on a station that plays all the classics of the eighties and nineties. I’ve heard them referred to as oldies, but I reject the idea outright. One of my favorites is playing. “With or Without You,” by U2. He turns the volume up and starts to whisper-sing-hum along while he drives. Seeing Gabe this carefree makes me happy.

The next thing I know, a strand of hair is being brushed behind my ear as Gabe attempts to wake me. “Mer—we’re here.”

I stretch my arms and fight a yawn. “What? Where?”

Apparently, complete contentment equals sleepy. That, or for the first time in over a week I let myself relax for more than ten seconds. It’s a tossup.

“Home.” Gabe unfastens my seatbelt, carefully navigating it around me. “Boy, you must’ve been out hard.” He points at a spot on his chin as he sits back giggling.

“Huh? What do you…” I wipe my face and find a small channel of drool. “Oh my God, how embarrassing.”

“Not at all. It’s cute,” Gabe says, doing his best to control his laughing. “But you probably ought to clean it up before we go inside.”

I look around, confused. “Why are we at my house? And what do you mean, before we go inside?”

“Well, I guess I could honk the horn until your folks come out, but wouldn’t that be rude?”

I wipe at my chin again, pushing back disappointment as I try to wake up and gather my bearings. “I thought you had something else planned? Did we skip it because I fell asleep?” Sleepiness combines with the disorientation of waking up in an unexpected place and I’m left confused.

“Nope. This is it.” Gabe opens his door, hops down, and makes his way around to my side.

I stare at Gabe through the open window. “Your plan was to bring me home?”

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