Page 26 of Trucker Daddy

She pours herself another glass and tilts her head toward me with a teasing grin. “You’re not even touching yours.”

“Wine’s fine, but I’d rather have a beer.”

She laughs, a sound I swear I’ll never grow tired of. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

“Not impossible, just honest.” I pause, deciding to take the plunge before I can second-guess myself. “I talked to your father today.”

She bolts upright, her eyes wide. “What?”

“Yeah,” I say casually, though there’s nothing casual about it. “Met him at a bar. We had a chat.”

“You what?! When? Why? And why on earth would he be in Flagstaff?”

I grin, trying to soften the blow. “Apparently, he’s not as stubborn as you think. Came all this way because he wanted to clear something with me.”

She looks around, as if the man himself is hiding somewhere ready to pop out. “I have no idea what you mean, Garrett.”

I reach into my jacket pocket, fingers closing around the velvet box that feels like it’s been burning a hole there all night. My heart pounds as I pull it out, flipping it open to reveal the ring inside.

Her breath catches, her hands flying to her mouth. “Oh!”

“I wanted to make sure he knew I wasn’t going anywhere,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “That I’d never let anything happen to you. And that I wanted to spend the rest of my life proving that to you every day.”

Tears glisten in her eyes, her lips trembling as she lowers her hands. “You…you’re serious?”

“As serious as I’ve ever been.” I shift, getting down on one knee on the blanket. “Sienna, will you marry me?”

She launches herself at me, knocking me backward onto the blanket, and I laugh as she kisses me fiercely. I think the wine has spilled, but who the hell cares?

“Yes,” she says against my lips, her voice breaking. “Yes, yes, yes.”

I slide the ring onto her finger, my hand shaking more than I care to admit. It fits perfectly—looks like that asshole Charles did me one favor, giving me a heads up on her ring size when I sold the ugly piece of shit he gave her.

She pulls back just enough to look at the ring, then at me, her smile so radiant it could light up the night around us. “I can’t believe you talked to my dad.”

“Told you I’d do anything for you.”

She laughs, leaning into me, as we lie back under the stars. Her head is on my chest, and her hand is in mine. Everything is right in the world.

Epilogue

SIENNA

ONE YEAR LATER

It’s been a hell of a year, and as much as I hate when Garrett has to leave me alone to work, I’ve gotten used to it. Now I take pride in making his homecoming special, and that’s exactly what I plan to do tonight.

I gently lay Bree down in her crib, the tinkling sound of her mobile filling the quiet nursery. She’s so peaceful, her tiny hand curling into a fist before she settles into the blanket. I brush a strand of hair from her forehead—dark, like her father’s—before leaning down to press a kiss to her soft skin.

The past year has been a whirlwind, and that’s putting it lightly. Garrett and I married in a quiet ceremony and spent a blissful honeymoon in Cozumel, where I swiftly got pregnant. It took some time for my parents, especially my mother, to come around, but when she heard I was carrying her grandchild, Mom finally relented.

The life I’ve chosen isn’t one she would have liked, but that’s not important. This is what I wanted, and I love this life down to the very last molecule.

I step back, closing the nursery door quietly behind me, and head to the kitchen. The smell of freshly baked cookies fills the air, making my stomach rumble. Being a mother has me starving all the time, but it also means that I don’t have much time to cook from scratch. Oh well, I’m sure Garrett doesn’t mind break-apart cookie dough.

I promised Garrett I’d make him dinner tonight, and even though spaghetti isn’t exactly gourmet, it’s the thought that counts, right? He’s always so patient with me, and I want to give him something back for all the hard work he does out on the road. I know he’s only been gone for a week, but every day without him feels like it drags on forever.

The oven dings, and I pull the cookies out, setting them on the cooling rack. I glance around the kitchen, trying to make everything perfect. The pasta’s ready, the sauce is simmering on the stove, and I even have a case of beer chilling for him.

---