Page 136 of Beneath the Surface

Becca shoots up from her seat as everyone else sits down, her finger coiling around a strand of her red hair. “Wait, I have.... um... I have somethin’ I wanna say before we all dig in, please and thank you.”

Everyone’s attention moves her way, and she swallows audibly, her hands visibly shaking as she turns to Eli, who’s looking at her with a raised brow.

“My family never showed me the right way to love. They never taught me what it looked like.”

My chest squeezes in sympathy, remembering her preacher father and her mom who never gave any of us the time of day. I wonder if they’re still running the town.

She turns toward Eli, her hand caressing the side of his face. “But thenyoucame along. And you showed me what it meant to be loved. To be cherished.” Her eyes water and she smacks her hand against her forehead. “Damn, I swore to myself I wouldn’t cry. Mypointis that you loved me when I didn’t know what it meant, and I did a shit job at lovin’ you back.”

Baby Chase giggles from next to me. “She said a naughty word,” he whispers loudly in Mason’s ear.

Mason chuckles, his palm coming to rest on my thigh and squeezing.

Becca pushes back her seat and bends down in front of Eli. There’s an audible gasp in the room, Lee’s hand coming up to cover her heart. Blakely’s holding up her phone like she’s recording.

“I’ve spent every second tryin’ to make up for my mistakes. And you, Elliot Carson, are the most amazin’, lovin’, mostforgivin’man on the planet.”

Lee’s eyes meet mine and she winks.

Forgiveness is divine.

Becca reaches in her pocket and pulls out a ring box, opening it to what looks like a platinum band. “I’d be the stupidest woman on the planet to not make sure you’re tied to me forever.”

Eli laughs, his eyes watery as he cups her face. “Rebecca Jean, are youproposingto me?”

She shrugs. “I’m nothin’ if not unconventional. Eli… if you stay with me, baby, I’ll give you the world.”

He grips her behind the neck, drawing her into a deep kiss, uncaring that the rest of us are around.

“I take it that’s his yes,” Jax says.

Lee wipes under her eyes, puffing out her cheeks, and squeezing Chase’s hand on the table. “Well, I might as well add to the moment, and tell y’all that we’re expectin’.”

Eli pulls away from Becca, turning to his sister. “Expecting what?”

She puts her hands on her belly. “A baby, of course.”

I knew it.

Anna squeals. “Two weddin’s and a baby!”

Mason leans in, whispering in my ear. “We better get to work. Can’t have your family showing us up.”

I raise a brow, but my heart skips in my chest, my stomach flipping.

He leans in and kisses me, and I close my eyes, getting lost in everything that he is.

Baby Chase giggles. “Ewwww, stop it.”

I grin, leaning over Mason, and smothering kisses onhisface instead, before sitting back and digging into the food, a lightness suffusing its way through my chest.

Three hours later, the sun has set, and we’re laid up in the makeshift theater out back, the baby monitor in my hand, my head lying in Mason’s lap.

The movie is in its final scene, Jax’s face beaming from ear to ear as we watch his life’s passion play out in front of us. Getting his cars in the movies, the way his dad always dreamed.

Suddenly, his mouth pops open, his eyes growing glassy as he stares at the screen. I turn my head, curious what has him looking so emotional.

There’s a dedication, right before the ending credits.

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