Page 40 of Rex's Honor
“I can and I will. But know if you shoot me down today.” He took her hand and dropped his forehead to it. “Which I hope you don’t, I will stick it out and fight for us this time.”
“You’re really asking me to marry you?” A wide smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Her heart fluttered, and she felt like she was floating on air.
“Yes.”
“That’s my line,” she said.
He slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her hand. “Is that a yes?”
“Can I think about it?”
He stood, taking her into his strong, protective arms. “You’re killing me here.”
“I love you, Rex Jordan, and I’m never going to let you go. Not now. Not ever. You’re stuck with me now.” She pressed her lips against his, listening to the cheers in the background.
“I love you,” he whispered in ear. “I have one more thing to ask you.”
“What’s that?”
“Can we get married right away? I know you probably want the white dress, big wedding?—”
“We can get a marriage license tomorrow and since this is because you want your mother there, I’m sure she’d let us have a small ceremony at the house.”
A golfer in the distance yelled, “Fore!”
They climbed up on the back of the golf cart. “I’m not letting you leave the life you carved out with your buddies in Florida.”
“We can figure all that out later,” he said. “But there is something else I’d like to ask you.”
“Yeah, what’s that?”
“How do you feel about having a family of our own?”
She bit down on her lower lip. “We were careless last night.”
He shrugged. “We’re not getting any younger.”
11
Rex stood at his mother’s grave. Tears poured out his eyes like a waterfall. He fiddled with his wedding ring, grateful his mom had lasted long enough to see him marry the love of his life.
Tilly leaned against his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. “She died knowing she brought love and peace. That’s all she wanted.”
He swiped at his cheeks. “I wish I could have given her more.”
“Don’t go to that place,” Tilly whispered. “All wrongs have been righted.”
“I know, babe.” He kissed her temple. “Are you sure moving to Jacksonville is what you want?”
“We can come home and visit family anytime we want.” She smiled. “It’s time for me to shift gears. Starting my own foundation is something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s easier for me to pack up my life. But you can’t pack up your buddies.” She pointed to his team who had all made the trip to his mother’s funeral. “I’m not going to ask you to turn your back on them, and before you start in on me about the idea I might be giving up something, I’m not. Neither of us is giving the other anultimatum this time. We’re doing what’s best for us. For our family.” She turned, taking his hand and placing it on her belly. “My only regret is that I didn’t have the chance to tell your mother that her little boy’s going to be a daddy.”
“I’m going to be a what?” He jerked his head back.
Tilly smiled, pressing his hand harder against his middle. “That’s right, big fella. Me throwing up and feeling sick all the time hasn’t been from the stress of everything that’s been going on. It’s because I’m pregnant.”
“Well, I’ll be damned. Wait until the guys hear about this.” He puffed out his chest. “My dad and Judy are going to go nuts and spoil this kid rotten.”
“So are you.”
