Page 55 of Pregnancy Scandal
My heart stopped at the shock that shook my soul when he snapped the box open and my eyes took in a truly beautiful princess cut engagement ring.
I saw it, and my brain processed what it was after.
Then Gilly didn’t just get down on one knee. He got down on both. He was on both knees before me and held out the box.
“Gilly…”
“Abby Cartwright, you’ve been my best friend since birth.” He smirked and gave me a lopsided grin. “I never realized, though, that you aren’t the girl you’re just friends with. You aren’t the girl, either, who’s the girlfriend. You’re the kind of girl you want to keep forever. You’re the woman you want for a wife.”
I was already crying before he said ‘forever’, and by the time he said ‘wife’, I could barely see him.
I dried my tears as he pulled the ring from the box, smiling wider.
“Abby, I promise to love you every day for the rest of our lives, and after. I promise to be the kind of man our baby deserves, and that you deserve. Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” I gasped and threw myself into his arms.
We both fell backwards, laughing as I kissed him, and he held me, kissing me back.
Reaching for my hand, he took the ring from the box and slipped it on my finger. It fit and felt like it should have always been there.
Always…
Just like us.
Epilogue
Abby
* * *
One year later …
“I heard babies can learn all manner of things. It’s scientifically proven that the brain is definitely more active in the very early years.” Mia nodded.
I looked at her and narrowed my eyes. “Mia, I personally think teaching a four-month-old football philosophy will bore the poor child to tears.”
Football philosophy…
That was what Gilly called it, and of course, he had to insist that it was the heart to being a great player. Knowledge and power, he’d droned on right from the minute Zack was born.
I swore to God Gilly was obsessed with being a father, and now my husband had taken to taking these philosophical walks on the beach with our son and talk his little ear off about football while they watched the waves roll in and out.
There they were, just ahead of me. They’d been out there for close to an hour while Mia and I sat on the beach watching and doing our weekly sisterly catch up.
I may complain and act like they were annoying, but it was fun. It was fun and my everything.Theywere my everything. Treasures and keepsakes of my heart and soul.
It was amazing how my life had changed in so little time. It was amazing that all those changes were one step closer to happiness.
“I think it’s cute, Abby. It doesn’t matter what the hell he’s telling that baby; it’s cute as hell to watch them,” Mia stated, looking over at Gilly and Zack with fond admiration. She even brought her hands up to her cheeks, swooning.
I laughed. “I completely agree.”
“I’m proud of you, Abby. I’m proud and happy that you did this. You guys did this, and it makes my heart happy that you followed your heart.”
The gentle sea breeze lifted the ends of her hair and made it dance about her face.
“Thank you for your help and encouragement. I’m just glad we found our way.”
