Page 47 of The Awakening
Gavin leaned forward in his chair and whispered, “so, the other thing is, I want you to be my wife. I wanna have a big wedding and a party. I want you to get theto have and to holdforever, the big white dress, a honeymoon, and all that stuff.”
Tears sprang to my eyes at what he was telling me. Gavin and I had settled into a great routine together, and somewhere along the way, he’d become the love of my life. I’d hoped he felt the same way, but on that last day in Texas, I was sure he no longer wanted me or the child growing inside me. What he was saying now, knowing Ben and I were what he wanted, elated me.
“Are you sure? I have caused a lot of trouble.” I had to know if he was doing this out of obligation.
“Elyse, Ben has my last name, and I want you to have it too. I mean, you already do, but I want you to be my wife for real. Not just on paper. I have never been more sure of anything.” Taking my hand, he squeezed it and looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
“Yes!” A smile formed on my face when his eyes lit up.
He leaned over and kissed me as the nurse walked in.
“Well, you two love birds, there is a waiting room of people who want to see this sweetheart. Would you like me to send them away?” She leaned against the doorframe and smiled at the us.
“They can come in,” I said.
She left the room, and within seconds, the chatter of the Morton men echoed down the hallway.
The three men walked in, and their hard shells visibly melted.
“I get him first.” Brian stepped close and patted me on the shoulder. “I am glad you are okay, dear. Welcome to the family officially. Now give me my grandson.”
I handed Ben over to his grandpa, wondering how much Gavin had told him.
I looked over at my husband.
“While we were waiting for you to get out of the operating room, I told him everything.” He shrugged.
“And he came clean to us the day you both showed up at Morton Ranch,” Rob added in.
These men would fight to the ends of the earth for their family, but they had to one up each other any time they could.
“You’re not upset with me for getting him in to this?” I scanned the four men, but none of them seemed to be concerned.
“Ellie, you brought Gavin back to us. His mother and I are grateful to you, no matter the circumstances around you coming into our family.” Brian, who had made me nervous when we first arrived on the ranch, just might be the calm father figure I had needed my entire life.
Things between Gavin and his dad hadn’t always been good, which was part of the reason he had been gone so long. But the man holding my son loved his grandkids without measure, was thriving with all of his sons at home, and had three daughters-in-law who didn’t mind giving him a run for his money if he needed it.
“Jessica wants to know when the wedding is so she can get to work.” Rob said as he tucked his phone back into the pocket of his shirt.
“How about August?” Gavin said, his eyebrows raised and a radiant smile on his face.
Chapter Thirty
Ellie
“Are you ready to escape?” I looked up from my book to find Gavin standing at the door with the most beautiful bouquet of white roses.
“Those are stunning.”
“I should have left them in the truck, but I wanted you to see them right away,” he said as he strode toward my hospital bed and planted a kiss on my lips.
A noise came from the door, and we broke our kiss.
“Ready to leave?” The nurse asked, smiling.
“Yes, very ready. No offense.”
“None taken.” Her laugh was light. She went over all the paperwork and helped me move from the bed to a wheelchair.
