Page 26 of Grumped By the Mountain Man

It feels like an eternity passes before we both catch our breaths and the tears dry. I’ve never seen Jaxon cry before and I’m sure he’d never want me to mention it outside of this room, but it’s the sweetest sight I’ve ever seen.

“Our baby is going to sleep in this crib,” Jaxon says, eyeing it. “Our baby is going to play with these toys one day.”

“The toys you’ve made,” I point out as Jaxon absentmindedly touches the bear in the crib. “You still haven’t told me where the fabric came to make Mr. Grizzle.”

“Mr. Grizzle huh?” he chuckles.

“You’ve got a better name?”

“No, it’s perfect. The fabric came from my baby and toddler clothes believe it or not. Dad always dressed me in plaid and flannel, I guess it’s a rite of passage around here.”

“A man of culture,” I grin. “Did your dad make the bear?”

“He did. Cali has one too.”

“Mr. Peters was the sweetest.”

“He wasn’t perfect. He made a horrible decision having kids with Mom.”

“But if he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have you or this baby,” I say stroking his cheeks. “And Beau wouldn’t have Cali or those precious twin boys she’s carrying.”

“I know,” Jaxon says, holding the bear. “And I wouldn’t have you.”

I squeeze him tighter.

“But I was going to say, that I let my fear of being just like him in the love department overshadow the fact that he more than made up for it by being the best dad ever. I always said I’d never be like Dad. Now I can only wish to be half as good of a father as he was.”

“You had the greatest example. There’s no doubt in my mind you’ll earn your number one dad mug on Father’s Day.”

“And you’ll be the best mother.”

“Hearing you trust me enough to say that means more than you’ll ever know.” I lace my fingers through his. “But now I think we should get back to our guests.”

“But the baby is just ours for now,” he says, rubbing my stomach. “Let’s keep him or her in our bubble for a little while longer.”

“I agree one hundred percent,” I say as we slide back into the backyard and the girls quickly whisk me to the side to study my ring, cooing and swooning over the cut.

“You’re one lucky bastard,” Heath says, cracking open two beers at once and sliding both across the picnic table to Jaxon.

“I know it’s a celebration but why do I need two beers at once?”

“Nothing—” Heath begins but Ash cuts him off.

“Just tell him already. I can’t keep this crap in anymore.”

“He just got engaged,” Kai said placing a hand on Ash’s shoulder. “It’s not about us right now.”

“But we didn’t know he was getting engaged before we came and the cat’s already out of the bag anyway,” Cole chimes in.

“What cat?” Jaxon asks, his expression growing grim as his eyes dart between his cousins before landing on me.

Without a word, I know he needs me. Sliding to his side, I wrap an arm around his broad shoulders as he holds me around the waist. His fingers digging into my hip tells me he’s much more anxious than he appears.

“Just tell him,” Ash nudges Heath.

“It doesn’t even affect him,” Heath says, eyeing my diamond. “He’s engaged, problem solved.”

“What problem?” Jaxon blurts out and Cali comes over with the Woods brothers in tow.

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