Page 63 of Upshot

“Bernadette is even on board with moving out here,” Geneva adds.

“She agreed to move to Texas?” Has working for my father become bad enough to make her want to move? I know her husband works for the transit authority, but I have no idea if he’s at retirement age yet. They never had kids, so that wouldn’t hold them back from relocating. Now I’m getting excited about the possibility.

“Yeah, she said Artie has always wanted to retire to the lake. With the money they would save by moving here, he can have his waterfront home. Something that’s almost impossible in California.”

“With Bernie on board, we might just be able to make it work,” I say. I’m starting to warm up to this idea.

For the rest of dinner, we discuss how the business would run. The discussion continues into the living room after we clean up. Brontë finally heads upstairs to put Keats down. When she doesn’t come back, we all decide it’s time to call it a night.

Peter and Geneva leave for the hotel on the edge of town. The one I stayed in the first time I came here. We have a guest room, but they claim they don’t want to take a chance on ruining the baby’s schedule. I think they just get a kick out of seeing what themed room they get.

This time, they’re checked into the Vegas room with a large print of Elvis on black velvet. Classic. The other room is the dreaded heads room. There are mounted trophy heads on every wall and taxidermied animals in every corner. That’s the one Geneva chose. She worries me.

I lock the front door and head upstairs. Keats is happily tucked into the baby equivalent of a straight jacket. My heart swells with pride. Bending over the crib, I kiss his mostly bald little head. I love him so much. Carefully, I creep back out of the room, pulling the door partially closed.

When I make it to our bedroom, Brontë is sitting on the edge of the bed. She looks exhausted. “Hey.” I sit down next to her and pull her feet into my lap. Slowly, I start rubbing her arches. “Dinner was amazing.”

“Thank you,” she says quietly. Something is going on in that beautiful brain of hers besides just tiredness. I can almost see the gears turning.

“What’s going on? What are you thinking?” I continue, silently rubbing her feet and legs as she gathers her thoughts.

I’ve learned in the last month and a half of living with Brontë that she has a quick wit, but takes her time on the important things. Finally, she looks over at me. Her eyes have teared up. I release her feet and slide to my knees in front of her.

“Baby?”

“I think it’s amazing that Peter and Geneva are willing to uproot their lives to be near you and work with you,” she says. “I think you should definitely do this.”

“But?”

“But I don’t see how I can.” The tears start to slide down her cheeks. “I can’t even pay my portion of the mortgage or utilities here. I’ll never be able to save enough to buy into a company. I have to start paying the medical bills.”

“Brontë.” She stops talking and swipes at her tears. “Look at me.” Those beautiful whiskey-colored eyes meet mine. “There is no mortgage. I bought the house outright. There are also no medical bills because this is my baby too, and I’m responsible for him.”

She opens her mouth to say something, but I barrel on. “You will absolutely be a part of this new company, but only if you want to be. I have enough to invest for both of us.”

“Rand, you can’t just pay for everything. I need to contribute to this relationship.”

“Do you think you don’t contribute? My son is sleeping in the other room. He’s clean, he’s fed, and he’s safe. That’s thanks to you.” She looks at me like she’s not buying a word I say. Fine, I’m upping the ante.

“You want a bigger stake? Then marry me. I know I keep telling you I want to give you a proper proposal, but fuck that. Say you’ll marry me, and we’ll go to the courthouse tomorrow. Say yes, and help me get this business running as a full partner. We’ll decide where the money is invested or spent together.

“But even if you say no, you still mean more to me than anything in this world. You make this life exciting. I don’t want to start a business without you on board, beside me, being the voice of reason in my ear. But, first and foremost, I want you to be happy. Do you believe me?”

She doesn’t answer. She simply cups my face in her hands and presses her lips to mine. She holds onto my face as she slowly leans back. I follow her, never taking my lips from hers. I need her to understand, once and for all, that we’re a team in all things. Whether it’s in raising our son or starting a business, she’s my partner.

She moves back on the bed, and I continue to follow. Our kiss turns into something more. Something urgent. I relax into the space between her legs while still holding myself from crushing her. “Brontë,” I moan when she grinds against me.

“Yes,” she says around the kiss.

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, I’ll marry you. I told you the answer will be yes whenever you ask. But, the wedding can be in a month in the backyard with just friends and family.”

“That sounds perfect. Next month it is then.”

“Next month it is.” She smiles up at me. “Oh, and the doctor said I’m good to start normal activity again. All normal activities.” This time she wags her eyebrows at me.

I can’t help but grin right before I work my way down her body, removing clothes as I go. I can’t believe this is my life now. My best life. The life I never could imagine. The life I’ll do anything to keep. Brontë sighs, and I know I’ll never want anything else.

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