Page 42 of Till Cupid Do Us Part

“You’ve got me for life, Ivy. I’ll keep givin’ you reasons to think like that.”

“I know you will.”

“Missed our little girl like a lost limb. Do you think she missed us, too?”

“Do babies miss their parents when they’re that old? Can they even miss people yet?”

“I’m okay with pretendin’ she can.”

“Wanna bet how long it takes her to try and put my ring in her mouth?” I ask, watching the houses on Jill’s block come into view.

“I’ll give her two minutes.”

“You’re generous. I’m giving her one.”

Jill’s house appears quickly, and Niko pulls over onto the curb. I’m out faster than he can turn off the truck, more than ready to have my little girl back in my arms again.

The front door swings open as Niko’s boots scuff the sidewalk behind me. Junie’s head pops out, a gummy smile the first thing I see.

“Oh, my baby!” I squeal, hopping up the steps and plowing my way inside. “You’ve grown! How have you grown in three days?”

Jill laughs, handing Junie off to me. “I fed her nothing but cake and jellybeans.”

“Did you? That’s okay. As long as you’re happy, June Bug,” I coo, kissing my baby’s soft, rounded cheeks.

I feel Niko come up behind me and shift so he can kiss her, too. “Hi, baby girl. We missed you.”

“She was well taken care of here. You do owe me a new throw blanket, though. She shit all over my favourite one,” Jill mutters.

Gasping, I pull Junie back to give her a butterfly kiss. “Did you poop on Auntie Jill’s blanket?”

A baby babble is her reply. Niko releases a happy noise and nuzzles into us, tickling her with his beard. Junie clutches my hand, and I’m a second from swooning at her attention when she brings it to her mouth and starts sucking on my engagement ring.

“What is that?” Jill exclaims, joining the cuddle pile. Her eyes grow round as she yanks my hand from Junie’s mouth and examines the now spit-covered gold ring. “He finally did it.”

Niko huffs. “Finally?”

“Usually, you ask the girl to marry you before you knock her up. Isn’t that common knowledge for a man of your generation?”

“My generation?” He gawks at her and then flicks his eyes to me, looking for help.

Instead of butting in, I lift Junie in the air between the three of us and press my hand to her belly, showing off the ring.

“How about we just ooh and ah over how pretty it is and the fact we get to plan a wedding now?” I ask with a wiggle of my brows.

Jill’s expression turns to mush. “I’m maid of honour, right? I mean, obviously.”

“Obviously,” I echo.

“Then, fine. Better late than never. As long as he makes you happy, then I say get married whenever you want to.”

“It’ll be soon. As soon as possible,” Niko grunts.

I cock a brow. “Were you going to ask me about that timeline?”

He wraps an arm around me while bringing the other to hold Junie, keeping us in a tight circle. Jill winks at me before slipping away and shutting the door we left open.

Niko brushes his lips across my hairline. “I’d marry you tomorrow, Mrs. Ivy Shaw.”

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