Page 90 of Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope
“Your Grandma Ruby cooking?”
“Yes.” She was, but Andrew had a stop to make first that he decided not to mention.
“I’m going to ask Sophie to marry me.”
Cole’s announcement had Andrew pausing, then slapping his friend on the back. “Congratulations, man. I’m happy for you.”
Cole nodded. “Save your congratulations. She hasn’t said yes yet.”
Andrew snorted. “Is there any doubt that she’s going to? She’s crazy about you.”
“I guess we’ll know for sure soon enough.” Cole dug in his pocket, pulled out a velvet box, opened it to show Andrew an impressive diamond. “I’ve been looking at rings for months. When I saw this one, it seemed right.”
“It’s impressive,” Andrew said. “Seriously, I’m happy for you.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Are you happy?”
Andrew raised his eyebrows, taken aback. “I’m about to do what I’ve dreamed of doing for years. Of course, I’m happy.”
Cole seemed unconvinced. “What about Morgan and Greyson?”
Frowning, Andrew shook his head. “They’re better off without me.”
Cole closed the lid and slid the velvet box back into his pocket. “You know, I thought that about Sophie once, that she was better off without me. Then I realized no one could ever love her as much as I do. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Sophie. If she says yes tonight, I’ll spend the rest of my life knowing I’m a lucky man.”
“She’ll say yes. Not hard to see she loves you.”
“If she does, you’ll come back and be my best man?”
“Finally, after all this time, you’re admitting I’m the best man.”
He and Cole exchanged grins, more back slaps, then clocked out from their shift.
Later, as he waited on Morgan’s grandparents’ front porch, gifts in his hands, Andrew’s stomach was an anxious mess. Which didn’t make sense. He was just there to drop off presents and to pick up whatever Greyson had gotten him.
Morgan opened the door, laughter shining in her eyes. “Andrew, come in.”
Woof. Woof. A chocolate lab raced over to Andrew, jumped up to put his paws on Andrew’s shin, woofed some more, then raced back over to where Greyson sat in the living room floor.
“You got a dog?”
“That Santa,” Morgan complained with a wink. “Can you believe he left Greyson a puppy?”
“Mommy, you got me my puppy,” Greyson reminded her, laughing and rolling on the floor with the dog climbing all over him. “Mommy had him in a box and brought him in to my room this morning to wake me up. I could hear him whimpering and knew what was inside. I love him.”
“I can see why,” Andrew said, smiling as the puppy licked Greyson’s face and sent the boy into giggles. “Where are your grandparents?”
“They’re at Sophie and Isabelle’s for Christmas dinner. The whole family is gathered there. Greyson and I are going later.”
Realization hit.
“You waited here on me, didn’t you?” he guessed. “I could have come by at a different time, Morgan. We didn’t have to do this tonight.”
“Today is Christmas. Giving you your present today is important and waiting wasn’t a big deal. We’ve had fun playing with the puppy, haven’t we, Greyson?”
