Page 161 of Mended Hearts

“Oh, you will be,” she said with a wink.

“I appreciate the vote of confidence.”

“But… Ollie, I’m lost. What are you saying? Because Ihavebeen thinking about it. A lot, actually.”

“Good. That’s good.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead, slowing our circle as I popped open the box with my thumb. Inside was the engagement ring I’d picked just for her—stunning, simple, sapphire—clipped into a delicate gold chain.

She arched a disbelieving brow as I held it out, fingers curled around the chain as our steps slowed to a crawl.

“Wear it for me?” I asked quietly. “No rush. No pressure. No expectations. Just the promise that whenever you’re ready, I’ll be here. Waiting.”

My voice went lower as I added, “But make no mistake—the moment you slide that sapphire onto your finger—be it tonight or ten years from now—we’re either hopping a flight to Vegas or setting a date. Because I cannot wait to give you my last name.”

She straightened abruptly, her hand flying to her lower stomach, eyes wide and lips parted.

“Woah.”

“Leigh?” I dipped my chin, concern gripping my chest. “Baby, you okay?”

“I… I think so,” she breathed. “What do baby kicks feel like?”

“What?” My hands dropped to the small swell of her belly.

“I thought I was having heart palpitations from your proposal, but then it happened again—lower this time. Like butterfly wings flapping.”

Grinning, I pressed both palms to her stomach and leaned in, our foreheads touching again.

“Yeah, Trouble. I think our baby has an opinion.”

“Oh, she does,” Leighton said confidently, stealing a kiss that turned my bones to dust. “She saysof courseMommy will wear your necklace… until she’s ready to be a Hart.”

24

Pakoras, Proposals, Panic Parties

LEIGHTON

“Well. There’s no denyingthat,” Ollie said with a chuckle, grinning down at our sonogram.

“I don’t know how to be aboymom,” I squeaked, staring at what was blatantly a twig and berries between mynot-a-baby-girl’s legs. I hadn’t believed the doctor when he said it—partly because I’d been calling this peanutshesince I found out about her—his—existence. But mostly because there was a dull roaring in my ears that didn’t go away until the doctor ran all the tests and told us we had a very healthy baby growing inside my belly.

Which, frankly, still looked like I’d just eaten one too many burritos.

“What the hell do I do with a boy?!”

Ollie just laughed and pressed a kiss to my temple as he guided me out of Dr. Swift’s office into the sterile-smelling hallway.

“The same things you do with Beau every day, baby.”

“But every day? Forever? This poor guy is going to come to me after riding his bike off a hill, and I’ll be expected to know how to patch him up. He’ll need me for thetalk. Andoh my god—he’ll hide his sheets and sneak ‘em into the laundry and I’ll have to keep a straight face like I just think he’s becoming more responsible or some shit.”

“Puberty. You’re panicking over something more than a decade away. There are, like, a million terrifying moments between now and then.”

“Gee, thanks. That’s very helpful.Oh my god, we have to get rid of your knives.”

“Mywhat?”

“All those scary-looking cleavers you lob through lamb bones!”

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