Page 90 of My One
“Oh?” Mom questioned as though she didn’t know.
“First,” he said. “We’re going to be grandparents.”
Mother sucked in a breath and looked at Nicole and me. “You’re pregnant?”
Nic smiled and nodded her head. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and kissed the side of her head. “Yep, and something tells me this time will turn out differently.” Mom frowned. “We’ll tell you later. What’s the other thing?” I asked mydad.
The father that I’d just met—the hopeless romantic like myself—slid off the blue couch and onto one knee. I smiled, watching him reach into the pocket of his khaki shorts. Nic and my mother both sucked in a breath, and my mom covered her mouth with her hands.
“Denise Marie Kirkland”—he used her maiden name as he withdrew a diamond ring—“when I think of you, I think of going to bed each night with you in my arms. When I think of you, I think of waking up next to you each morning. When I think of you, I think of us growing older together. When I think of you, I think of all the time we’ve lost and know we will never get back. But you’re here now—with me—and I’m never letting you go. So, Denise Marie Kirkland, would you do me the honor offinallybecoming my wife?”
Without hesitation, my mother wrapped her arms around his neck and shouted, “Yes!”
Nic and I congratulated the happy couple, and as I hugged my real father, I finally knew where I got the romance gene from.
Avery Moore was definitely my father.
Two days later, Easton, Brooke, Jimmy, and Jane flew to the Bahamas. I’d called them to tell them they needed to come. Of course, they questioned me, but I explained it was a surprise. They all objected, so I told them the flights were already booked and paid for, and if they didn’t show, Nic and I were moving to California, and they’d never see us again. It was a lie, of course—except I had bought the plane tickets and rented two villas for them. All of them except Cheyenne were coming because she couldn’t miss school, so she was staying with her friend Courtney. She was also dress shopping or some shit for winter formal. Easton wasn’t happy, but C.C. was home by ten the night of her first dance and we all thought that made E feel a little better. He’d even let her go in the limo—though he followed it—and nothing bad had happened.
My parents wanted to get married before Nic and I left to go back to New York. My mom also wanted to tell Jimmy and Jane she was alive and about everything that had happened, and we thought it was best to have them come in person, so I made it happen. Mother also called Edna to tell her the news, and she was on her way too.
But, first, we had a surprise for all of the Crawfords because they were the first to arrive.
Nicole and I were waiting at the ferry when their boat arrived. “Thanks for the free vacation,” Easton stated as he walked off the boat.
I chuckled. “Just shut the fuck up.”
“What is this all about?” Jimmy asked.
“All of you haven’t had a vacation in a long time, right?” I questioned.
“So you wanted us to encroach on yours?” Brooke asked.
Nic and I smiled. “Not exactly,” I replied.
“So, tell us what the surprise is,” Jane demanded.
“First, let’s get you checked into your villas, and then we’re going for a drink.”
After we got the Crawfords situated, Nicole and I took everyone to Zelly’s wheremy parentswould be.
“Are you going to tell us what’s going on?” Jimmy asked as we walked down the sidewalk.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” I replied.
“Why are you being secretive?” Jane questioned.
I wanted to reply about them keeping secrets from me, but that was over and everything had worked out the way it should. “Because I want to see your face when it’s revealed.”
“Did you buy a bar or something?” Easton inquired.
I chuckled. “While I would love to move down here, no, I didn’t.”
“Then what’s the big surprise?” Brooke probed.
I didn’t respond as I led them into the open bar and to the fire pit area reserved for us. The pit wasn’t lit, but it had enough seating for all of us.
“It’s beautiful here,” Jane gushed as she looked toward the turquoise water.
