Page 113 of Falling for You

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“What did you expect? That I’d say no? I’m honestly a little surprised you asked me.”

“Like I said, I want to do right by her, especially if she chooses to have someone walk her down the aisle.”

“What if she says no?”

“Fuck me. What if she says no?” My words aren’t even making much sense. I have so many questions and thoughts running through my head. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I didn’t expect Chloe. Certainly didn’t expect to fall in love with her or have a baby with her. But yet, here we are, and I couldn’t be happier. It’s like the day she walked into the bar, my eyes were finally opened.

“She won’t.” There’s no hesitation in his answer, which makes me feel better. Even though I don’t think she will, either, I still don’t want to assume I’ll get a yes. That’d be a shitty way to start a marriage.

“How are you going to do it?”

“I have no earthly idea.”

He roars with laughter. “And you say I’m the idiot.”

“Everything I think of feels so cliché! I don’t want to do it in a restaurant or hide it in her favorite dessert. I can’t exactly do it over a champagne toast. I’m not waiting until it’s warm out to do it on the beach or in a hot air balloon or have an airplane sky write it for me.”

“Good grief, man, you really have thought about a lot of options.”

“How’d you ask Olivia?”

He looks sheepish and I realize I’ve never heard this story.

“During sex.”

“You are such a fucking moron. You did not.”

“I couldn’t help it! It just slipped out.”

I snicker. “Just slipped out, huh?”

He wads up a piece of paper and chucks it at my head.

“She didn’t seem to mind, honestly. We… finished,” he grins, looking oddly proud, “and I reached into the nightstand, got up on my knees in our bed and asked her. Almost cried like a fucking baby, too. My voice cracked and everything. That’s all she cared about. She wanted to hear me say the words out loud, what she means to me and how much I love her. That’s all. Some women might want a big show, and that’s fine, but you gotta think aboutyourwoman. What would Chloe want?”

“Not the big show, I know that much.”

“Then don’t give that to her. Get down on one knee and lay your heart out. The mushier the better. That’s it.”

His phone rings and buzzes at the same time.

He looks down and his face lights up.

“Liv,” he answers.

His face turns white and he stands up quickly.

“It’s time?” he listens and then adds, “Well, yeah, I know the baby’s due now… I’m on my way.”

He hangs up, slides his phone into his pocket then beams. “I’m having a baby.”

“Hell yeah. Let’s go.” I slap him on the back, pull him in for a quick man hug. “Thanks for the talk, man.”

“You got it. Happy for you, man.”

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