“But make no mistake, as much as I love you for making me a father, that’s not why I’minlove with you.”
She stares at me for a long moment, then dips her chin in a shallow nod.
“I love that funny, goofy girl you were as a teenager, and I love the badass, snarky woman you became in your twenties. I love the woman who took zero shit from me in my dark years, always pushing my buttons to try to get a rise out of me because she knew the real Zeke was still hiding in here somewhere,” I say, pointing a thumb at my chest. “I love the hothead who yelled at me one minute, then kissed me the next the night those girls were conceived. I love you grumpy. I love you sweet. I love you cuddled in my arms on the couch, and I love you exhausted and smelling like cats after a long day of work.”
She’s crying in earnest now, her tears running unchecked in twin rivulets down her cheeks. There’s a snot bubble forming beneath one nostril, and fuck me, I love that, too.
“I love everything about you, and I want to spend the rest of my life proving it to you every single day.”
I reach into my pocket and pull out the small velvet box I hid in my sock drawer several weeks ago. Ava’s eyes widen when she sees it, her gaze shooting back to mine as her chin trembles almost violently.
“Ava Brown, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”
I flip open the lid with my thumb, my arm stretching out to hold the box in front of her. Nestled in the satin folds is a three-quarter carat, princess cut diamond surrounded by smaller stones that wrap halfway around the band on either side. It’s bright and sparkly, but not garishly so, as I opted for high clarity and pure color over size.
It’s perfect, just like my Ava.
She gasps, the breath coming out on a quiet whimper before looking back at me with wide eyes. We stare at each other for what feels like forever, then a tearful laugh barks out of her.
“Yes,” she says, her voice rusty with emotion. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Zeke.”
Relieved laughter bursts from my lungs, and I pluck the ring from the box. Tossing the latter aside, I take her left hand and slide the ring onto her finger. Lifting it to my lips, I kiss her knuckles while keeping my gaze locked on hers.
“I love you,” she whispers as her hand twists to grab ahold of mine and jerk me forward.
Her free hand curls around the back of my neck as our lips meet, and we seal our engagement with a perfect kiss. A shrill wail breaks us apart, and we both look over to see Maddie’s red little face scrunched up in anger.
“I think someone’s hungry again,” I say, leaning forward to kiss Ava one more time before pushing off the bed and bending over the bassinet.
Abbie sleeps through the noise as I cuddle an irate Maddie for a moment before handing her over to her mother. Ava bares her breast and holds Maddie close, brushing her nipple over Maddie’s tiny lips. The baby latches on like a pro, and her fussing settles instantly as she suckles.
Ava looks up at me, her smile the most radiant I’ve ever seen it. My heart skips a beat as I take in the sight I know I’ll be seeing for the rest of my life.
She’s mine.
And I’m hers. Forever.
And it all started with an argument, some hot sex, and a secret little black rose.
* * *