Page 92 of Stick Work

His voice is a soft, tender whisper, so full of warmth when he says, “Of course I did.” He gently cups my face in his hands, and the love in his eyes—love that I’ve seen a thousand times but couldn’t fully understand until Grandma explained it—wraps around my soul, filling me with warmth, comfort and happiness.

“I want you,” he says, his touch drifting to my stomach, his hand resting there so delicately. “I want our baby.” Tears fall freely, uncontrollably, as his words sink into me. “I need to know you want all that too,” he murmurs, his voice trembling slightly, and I can barely speak through the tears, overwhelmed by everything that’s happening. Gently, he brushes his thumb over my cheek, wiping away my tears, as if assuring me that everything will be okay.

My gaze shifts to Grandma, my heart wobbling when I think about the lie we’ve kept. I manage to whisper, “What…what do they know?” Grandma and Cheryl blink tears from their eyes as Randall, sitting beside them, tugs at his shirt collar, clearly fighting to hold himself together.

“I told them everything,” Elias continues, his words steady but soft. “No one cares that you don’t want to be a Hollywood actress, Taylor. They love you for who you are, just like I do. All they want is for you—us—to be happy, no matter what the future brings.” The thought of that gives me pause. Does he really know what I want? Could he? I’ve never told him.

“In fact, Grandma knew you were pregnant before we did,” Elias adds, a small smile playing on his lips.

A soft, garbled laugh escapes me. “Oh, Grandma,” I murmur, the fullness in my chest making me giddy. “How do you know everything?”

Elias grins and looks over at his grandmother. “According to her, you love me and want a future with me.”

I shake my head, the tension in my body easing. “I was wrong. Grandma isn’t right about everything.”

Elias’s eyes widen, and the room fills with a collective gasp. Without hesitation, I rise onto my toes, my lips meeting his in a kiss full of love, joy, and promise. “But she’s right about this,” I whisper against his lips. “I want it all, with you, Elias. I love you.”

“I love you, Taylor, but did you have to scare me like that?” I laugh, a new lightness in my chest.

I grin and wink at Grandma. “Actually, who am I kidding? She does know everything. She just didn’t know Rip could officiate a wedding. Right, Grandma?” I tease.

She stares at me with wide-eyed innocence. “It was just luck.”

“Luck, yes. I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” I whisper to Elias.

Elias lifts me up and spins me around, pure joy filling my soul. When he sets me down, he turns to Kalen, his expression sincere. “You’ve been there for Taylor her whole life, and you’ve always been there for me. I want to ask you, Kalen, for your permission to marry your sister.”

Kalen’s eyes glisten with emotion, and his voice is thick, when he says, “I wouldn’t want her with any other man, Elias.” My heart swells as the two of them embrace, a bond of love and brotherhood reaffirmed. And then, in the blink of an eye, Elias is down on one knee, Grandma’s ring shining in his hand.

“Taylor Coolidge, my beautiful, sweet wife who I love so much,” he says, his voice cracking slightly. “Would you please marry me?”

A joyous, laughter-filled breath escapes me as I answer without hesitation. “Yes, my amazing husband who I love so much. I will marry you.”

He slides the ring onto my finger, and I gasp in awe. “It fits,” I whisper.

“I had it sized,” he explains, his smile full of tenderness.

I grin, a soft laugh escaping me. “Of course you did.”

As I admire the ring, loving it back on my finger, the room bursts into movement as everyone jumps to their feet to hug us. The air is full of laughter and joy, and it feels so good to see Kalen and Elias back to being friends again. For the next half hour, we celebrate, basking in the warmth of the moment. But soon, exhaustion begins to tug at me, and though I try to hide it, I know I can’t hide anything from my husband.

Husband.

I let the word roll around in my mind, the weight of it making my heart flutter. God, will I ever get used to that?

Elias pulls me into his arms, his presence a calm anchor. “Let’s get you home,” he says softly, and the word home fills my heart with a warmth.

My smile widens as I nod. “I’d like that. But we’d better gather up your family first.”

I glance over at Grandma, who’s still thoroughly enjoying herself, and ask, “Ready to go?”

She waves me off, her laughter ringing through the air. “Nope, I’m having too much fun!” She winks. “Did you see those hot Scots in kilts?” I laugh and she grins. “You youngins go ahead without us.”

Sahara, ever thoughtful, offers, “I’ll drive them home.” I catch a glance between her and Elias, and I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something else going on behind the scenes.

Elias helps me into my coat, and soon we’re on our way. A short while later, we pull up in front of his house, and the sight of the empty driveway catches my attention. The cars that had been here all week are gone, and I’m about to ask why his family needed three cars, but Elias pulls me to him and silences my questions with a kiss that’s deep, and full of longing.

Once inside, we shed our coats, and Elias takes my hand, his grip firm but gentle. “There’s something I want to show you,” he says, his voice full of promise.

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