Page 133 of Sven

“Did he leave it at your wedding?” Natalie joked back. Sasha and Conner had officially tied the knot earlier this summer, and after winning the cup, Conner had insisted on having it at their wedding, the same way Sven had insisted on having it here.

Sasha just laughed. “Good point.”

Natalie cleaned up the high chair as the party wound down. Before long, it was just her and Sven with an exhausted baby already fast asleep.

“So, how was your first shared birthday?” Natalie asked as she collapsed on the couch beside him.

“Incredible . . . and exhausting.”

The off season had been amazing. She loved to get to spend more time with Sven, but she was excited to tell him some news. She hoped he would be excited.

“I have some?—”

“Natalie—”

They both started at the same time.

“Go first,” Natalie said.

“No, please,” he said with a look on his face she wasn’t sure she’d seen before.

She took a deep breath. “Okay... well, I do have something to tell you.”

He sat up a little bit, sensing the seriousness of whatever she was about to say.

“Well . . . ummm . . . I’m just going to come right out and say it.”

He raised his eyebrows and took her hand.

“I’m pregnant.”

His mouth fell open, and all the air seemed to leave his body in a little huff. “Really?”

Natalie nodded. Suddenly, Sven pounced on her, pinning her to the couch kissing her.

“I’m so fucking happy,” he said between kisses.

The joy the filled Natalie was not something she had experienced before. She was fit to burst. But then Sven did something she was not expecting.

“Well, that makes what I was going to ask you even better.”

He got off her and knelt before.

“What are you doing?” she asked as he reached into his pocket.

“Natalie Grace Roper, will you marry me?”

She gasped. “Sven,” as he pulled out a small jewelry box from his pocket. Sitting in the little velvet box was a stunning white gold ring with a big square-cut diamond. “It’s beautiful.”

“What do you say?”

“Yes! I say yes!”

He stood up and pulled her to her feet. “I’m going to make you so happy,” he said, cupping her face.

“You already do.”

Ten years later

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