Page 100 of Her Silver Fox Firefighters
For a moment, I’m worried she’ll turn him down, though I know she’s as nuts about him as he is about her. At the same time, the people around us realize that something important is about to happen. Gradually, they shift their attention to Carlos’s trembling voice.
“Chloe Jackson, you know what is about to happen. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how deeply, madly, and sweetly I love you,” he says. “You barged into this town with a devil on your heels, and you have changed my life for the better. I never imagined I’d say such things, feel such things, but here we are. I can’t imagine what my life would look like without you in it. We’ve grown stronger, better, happier together, so would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Oh, my God,” she mumbles, tears glazing her wide eyes.
“I want to be your husband, your partner, your best friend,” he adds with a soft smile. “Waking up next to you every morning makes my day already perfect, no matter what lies ahead. Falling asleep with you in my arms is everything I need. You’re my home, Chloe. Let me spend the rest of my days being yours.”
“Carlos, you crazy bastard,” Chloe says, laughing as she points a finger at Dax. “This man just got his captain’s bugles and…”
But she quickly loses her train of thought, visibly touched by the proposal.
“Is that a yes?” I chime in, eager to get a positive conclusion for my darling friends.
“It’s an absolute yes!” Chloe exclaims as everyone around us cheers with joy. “An irrefutable yes, an overwhelming, resounding yes.”
“Thank fuck,” Carlos says, then laughs and slips the diamond ring on her finger before taking her in his arms and kissing her like there’s no tomorrow.
I melt with sheer happiness as I watch Chloe embrace her future husband, her elation mirroring mine as I hold Dax close, as Beck and Leo move in to flank us, together as a family.
The rest of the world doesn’t know what we’re about, but we do. Our closest friends do. And that’s all that matters.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” Chloe laughs as she kisses Carlos over and over again.
As if summoned by the noise of more celebration, Anabellewakes up. Her eyes peel open, and she giggles with delight. Anthony, however, wakes and fusses.
“Ah, the gremlin is awake,” Beck laughs as he gently picks our boy up to soothe him. Leo takes Anabelle, and I can’t help but melt a little bit more as I watch them.
“You guys are naturals,” Chloe says.
“Eh, two kids are a breeze when there’s four of us,” Leo quips.
“Three kids,” Leo says. “You’re forgetting Luke.”
“I’m not forgetting Luke. He’s fourteen and practically self-sufficient. He’s our little man of the house already.”
“It’s going to be four, actually,” I cut in, finally finding the courage to break the news to my husbands.
Leo, Dax, and Beck stare at me, their eyes wide and sparkling, their mouths close to gaping. I still find them handsome, even when they’re in shock. My heart tingles as I await a response.
Chloe snorts a chuckle. “Wait, what?”
“I’m pregnant. Luke, Anabelle, and Anthony are going to get a new baby brother or sister in oh, about eight months, give or take.”
The looks on my husbands’ faces fill me with the same kind of bliss I felt when I saw the plus sign emerge on the pregnancy test just a few days ago. The prospect of growing our family, of adding even more laughter and joy to our home, seems to be precisely what we need.
“You’re pregnant again?” Dax manages, a smile generously blooming across his face. “Dammit, woman, you’re really reaching for the top prize here, aren’t you?”
“Well, you wanted a big family, didn’t you?” I reply.
He takes me in his arms and lifts me off the ground. “Yes, and you sure delivered.”
I look around at all of us, glowing, laughing, about to bring another little human into the world.
We are happily raising our children and spoiling each other rotten. We’re making the most of every day that we get to spend together. Not every day is perfect, but I’ll be damned if I’d change anything about us.
Not one damn thing.
