Page 102 of Heart Set on You

Two long hours later, my big brother is officially a dad when Ellie gives birth to a beautiful baby boy. Turns out Liam was right all along, it’s a boy. I’m betting we’ll be hearing about it from him for years to come.

Once we’re allowed, we all gather in their private hospital room and crowd around Ellie, who is beaming at the bundle in her arms. Liam sits on the edge of the bed, gazing at his son who at just a few hours old already has a firm grip on my brother’s finger. I can feel the excitement vibrating off of him, the pure happiness in his smile as he watches his son sleep.

“Liam had eyelashes just like his when he was a baby,” my mom says, cooing over her first grandchild. “He’s just perfect. Does this little muffin have a name yet?”

“He does,” Ellie says. “Hudson Michael Stephen Bennett. His middle names after his grandpas.”

I look over at my dad to see his eyes are damp. Thankfully Rylee brought her camera and is busy clicking away.

“I’m so happy you two made it,” Ellie says. “Thank you for coming.”

“Yeah, thanks guys. It means the world.” My brother has been a father for all of five minutes and he already seems to be softening. I suddenly think back to when we were kids. Liam was always the serious one, the thinker who listened more than he spoke. Now he is a father, engaged to a great girl, surrounded by a family who love them and their new little guy.

“We wouldn’t have missed it. You have a beautiful family. Happy for you, man,” I say.

“Uncle Miles, would you like to hold your nephew?” Ellie asks.

My heart speeds up. “Please.”

Liam takes the baby from Ellie and hands him gently to me. Rylee looks at me and smiles and I wonder what she’s thinking. I’ve never asked her if she wants kids, although judging from how in love she is with her nieces and nephew and how she’s staring at little Hudson right now, I am pretty sure I already know the answer.

“Hey, handsome,” she whispers over my shoulder at Hudson. “He’s beautiful, you guys, and so tiny. Congratulations. I’m so happy I’m here to meet him.”

“I already see so much of Liam in him,” Ellie gushes, her eyes glued to her brand new son. “He’s definitely a Bennett, which means we are going to have our hands full.”

We all laugh, just as Hudson starts to fuss in my arms. I kiss him on the forehead and hand him to Liam. “Back to you, bro,” I tell him with a grin. I can already tell I’m going to love being an uncle

Leaving Ellie and Liam to get some rest, we all say our goodbyes and walk to my dad’s Bentley in the hospital parking lot. He offered his car to Rylee and I for the three days we’re in town. My dad hands me his keys and then he and my mom hop into Parker and Olivia’s car for the drive home.

After slipping into the leather seat, I turn my gaze to Rylee, who’s buckling up her seatbelt in the passenger seat beside me. “You hungry, country girl?”

“I am.”

“Tacos?”

“Sounds perfect.”

We decide on take-out from Cocina Caliente, a Mexican place that’s one of my favorite stops when I’m back in Reed Point. After picking it up, I drive us to the same lookout spot I had taken Rylee to on our last visit to my hometown.

“Are you taking me where I think you’re taking me?” she asks, the window down, breeze blowing through her hair.

I wink. “That depends on where you’re thinking.”

I park the car and notice we’re the only ones here. We find a spot overlooking the city, the ocean deep in the distance, and I lay out a blanket for us. I had asked my Dad to put one in the trunk of his car when we made the plan to fly out earlier today, knowing we’d end up here.

When we finish eating, I gather our trash in the bag it came in and stick it in the backseat of the car, then walk back to Rylee.

She’s standing, looking out over Reed Point. The rays shine across her golden-brown skin, sunlight beaming down on her like a lighthouse directing me home. That’s what she is to me. Home. Wrapping my arms around her from behind, I pull her back into my chest and kiss her neck.

“Is it me or is the sunset extra beautiful tonight?” she asks, nuzzling her cheek against mine.

“It’s got nothing on you, Ry,” I tell her, unwrapping my arms from around her waist and moving to stand next to her so I can get her full attention. I reach into my pocket for the reason I brought her here tonight.

Rylee starts to cry the second I bend to one knee.

“Miles?” she whispers through tears, a look of surprise in her big green eyes. I flip the box open, holding out the ring. She gasps and her hand flies up to cover her smile. I’m smiling right back at her like a lovesick fool. “Let me love you forever, Rylee. You are the one for me. The only one I’ll ever want. It’s been you from the second I saw you and all I want is to love you forever. Will you marry me?”

Rylee lowers herself to the ground, taking my face in her shaking hands and kissing me. Then, as tears streak down her cheeks, she nods over and over, gasping out the word “Yes,” and flings her arms around my neck.

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