Page 145 of Forbidden Hearts
“I made a promise.”
“What was that?”
I move lower, hovering over her stomach before pressing a kiss there. “That I was going to kiss every inch of you. But I wanted to kiss here”—I do it again—“where our child grows.”
“Oh, Asher,” Phoebe says as she lifts onto her elbows. “Just when I think I can’t love you more than I do, you say something like that.” Her hand moves to my cheek.
Tomorrow, I plan to say more, and I’ve never been more nervous in my life.
* * *
“Okay, so I’ll tell her I need her help, and you can head down to the spot in the vineyard and get ready,” Emmeline says as her sister keeps Phoebe busy with her daughters.
“She’s going to suspect something.”
She shakes her head. “I think she suspected it yesterday when we made her get dressed up.”
“Okay, and you think she’ll like the ring?” I ask her for the tenth time. Emmeline was very opinionated as I shopped.
“One hundred percent. Now, go. My brother-in-law hung lights around, so just plug them in when you see her coming.”
I duck out of the room and go in the direction she told me to. There’s a hill to the right that has a beautiful view of the entire vineyard, and Emmeline was emphatic it should be there.
I booked us on a nine PM flight so that Sara and Olivia had enough time to get here. It works out perfectly because the sunsets here are magic, and it’s just starting to drop now, casting the sky in pinks and oranges.
“You look handsome,” Sara says as I make it to the spot. “Your daughter and I turned on all these candles for you.”
“Thanks. It looks great and would’ve taken me hours.”
I turn to Liv, who is practically bouncing.“I’m so excited!”
“Me too.”
“Do you think she knows?”Liv asks.
“No. Do you?”
She shakes her head.
I let out a deep sigh.“Are you happy about Phoebe being my wife?”
“I am. I love her too.”
“And your new sibling?”
“Definitely.”
It turned out that Phoebe had been worried for nothing because Olivia couldn’t have been any happier when we told her about the baby. She jumped around and asked if the baby could take the upstairs room that Brynn used to sleep in. It was adorable, and she is going to be a great big sister.
Now I just need to worry about being a great husband. I don’t know why I’m slightly concerned about that or even if she’ll say yes. I know how we feel about each other—I love her, and she loves me. There’s just something about getting on your knee and asking the girl you love to spend her life with you that is a little scary. Maybe it’s because it feels like I’m stealing something from her.
She has plans, a whole life planned, and while I want to be a part of it, I don’t want to take a single thing from her.
“Asher?” Phoebe’s voice breaks my thoughts. “Are you okay? Asher!”
What the fuck? She sounds panicked. “I’m up here.”
She turns to the sound of my voice and starts to run. “Asher! Keep talking, baby! I’ll find you. Don’t worry, I’m coming!”
