Page 107 of Better Left Unsaid

I grabbed the pee stick and got giddy just thinking about walking into the bedroom and seeing his reaction. He’d probably be sitting up in bed, his eyes on his phone, and when he looked up, he’d be shocked as shit. Oh, yeah, he wasn’t going to know what hit him.

The best surprise of a lifetime, that was what he was going to get.

My head was down, staring at the stick. When I walked into the bedroom, I peered up, smiling from ear to ear, unable to contain my excitement any longer. But Dom beat me to it and won the category for giving the best surprise of a lifetime because that was exactly how I felt seeing him down on one knee, a ring box in his hand.

“Maria Morelli, you’re my best friend and the love of my life, so will you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me? Become my wife.”

My heart was beating so fast, I thought it might leap straight out of my chest and fall on the floor. It was so full, just as it always was when I was around Dom. Make him the happiest man on earth? He should only know becoming his wife and tying myself to him in every way imaginable would make me the happiest woman on earth.

I swallowed, my hand flying to my mouth for the umpteenth time tonight. I didn’t let go of the stick, but I rushed toward him and yelled, “Yes!” I licked my lips. “Yes! Yes! Yes! A million, no, a gazillion times, yes!”

The corners of his lips curled upward in an immense smile that practically took over his face, reaching the corners of his eyes, which were shining with joy. He went to open the ring box, probably so he could slip the ring on my finger and make it official, but I stopped him, placing my hand over his.

He glared up at me and cocked a brow. Before he could say a word, I shoved the pregnancy test in between us. “I’m pregnant,” I said, holding my breath as I waited for his response.

He dropped the ring box and wrapped his arms around my waist, twirling me around in the air and making me drop the stick, too. “We’re going to have a baby!” he shouted, the smile never leaving his face for even a second. His eyes connected with mine as my feet still dangled off the ground. “Isabella’s going to be a big sister.”

I nodded, more tears of joy spilling from my eyes and falling down my cheeks. He placed me back on the ground and cupped my cheeks, slamming his lips on mine and kissing me with so much love and affection, my pulse quickened. I placed my tongue between his lips, and he immediately parted them, granting me access. “Mmm,” I moaned against him.

Quick question, did life get much better than this? Because I couldn’t imagine how—this right here was as perfect as it got, in my opinion.

“Mommy,” Isabella said in between a yawn, pushing open our bedroom door, her voice very sleepy. “What’s going on?”

We broke our kiss, and Dom walked over and scooped her up, holding her with one arm so she was at our height. “How would you like it if we had a baby?” he asked her and her eyes widened like very large pools of chocolate.

“For me?”

Of course she’d think a baby was for her. My daughter had only-child syndrome—everything was for her. Not for much longer, though. “Yes,” I answered, chuckling and tickling her pajama-clad belly, so deliriously happy, and waited for her to answer.

Squirming in Dom’s arms, she nodded nonstop. “Yes!” she exclaimed loudly.

Dom laughed and pulled down her pajama shirt before kissing the top of her head. “Good because you’re going to be a big sister.”

“Really?” She looked to me, as though for assurance.

Now I nodded. “Yes, really. We’re going to be bringing another baby into this world, and they’re going to need a big sister to look out for them.”

“Okay,” she replied, one hundred percent giddy. I knew the feeling well—being a big sister was one of the most amazing things I’d experienced in my life.

I leaned over and kissed her full cheek before giving in and sprinkling her face with kisses everywhere.

“Mom!” she cried.

I knew what that meant without her saying it.Get off me.So I did—reluctantly. “Lots of exciting things happened tonight, so I have another question for you.”

My chin trembled as an onslaught of happy tears threatened to burst out again. I looked to Dom and tilted my head.

What I was telling him without actually saying a word: I love you so much.

Dom: I know, and I love you, too.

Then I swallowed and shook my head, focusing back on the good news I wanted to tell Isabella about. “Would you be my flower girl at our wedding?” I asked, smiling.

She gasped. “Yes!” Then she furrowed her brows. “Can I pick out my dress?”

Dom and I laughed simultaneously. I should’ve seen that one coming. My daughter was nothing if not predictable and very invested in clothes. Not unlike her mother. See, the apple really didn’t fall far from the tree. “Of course,” I answered, placing a finger on her chin.

I looked at Dom and studied his expression, which really said it all. It was funny how things could change in an instant, how letting myself fall and trusting someone completely would make my life ten times better. And fuller. Because that was what Dom did. He made everything better, and I’d had a great life, but with Dom, I had an extraordinary one, and I couldn’t wait to see what was in store for us next.

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