Page 27 of My Irish Roommate

“One month ago today, a tiny American girl knocked on my door. Imagine my surprise when I saw her. I was expecting a guy. I wasn’t sure that our living arrangement would work, but she was a spitfire and wouldn’t take no for an answer, so I welcomed her into my home and my heart. It’s only been a month, but I feel like I’ve known her forever. Each day, it becomes harder to remember what my life was like without her. All I know for certain is that it must have been empty without her.”

He pauses and wipes the tears from my cheek. I know what my life was like before him, and I don’t ever want to be without him again.

“Ricki makes every day special for me, and I would like to ask her to continue that for the rest of my life. I could go on forever about how wonderful she is, but I can’t stand the wait any longer.”

He drops down to one knee, which makes me gasp. “Ricki, will you marry me?”

My jaw drops and I replay his words in my head to make sure that I really heard them. Marry him? I couldn’t ask for anything better.

He opens a small velvet box and I see the diamond ring gleaming in the moonlight. The dam breaks, and I begin crying my eyes out. He takes my left hand in his and asks, “May I?”

I nod and he slips the ring onto my finger.

“Ricki, you haven’t said anything,” my mother chimes in.

“Oh, yes. Yes, I’ll marry you!”

He helps me to my feet, and I sink into his arms. He’s my home now, and I never want to leave.

“I love you, baby girl,” he whispers.

“I love you, too,” I reply.

EPILOGUE

RICKI

“Do you know how amazing it will be if this baby is born on the anniversary of the day we met?” I shout to Rowan as I put the finishing touches on my makeup.

“That would be amazing, but the fact that you’re having my baby is amazing enough, princess. Now, let’s get moving. You’re already beautiful and the parents are waiting,” he replies, rubbing my belly.

Mom implemented a new tradition right after our honeymoon. We have dinner at their house every Sunday. Rowan holds my arm and the small of my back as we descend the stairs to the gym below.

“I can still walk, Daddy,” I grin.

“Don’t argue. I’m not taking any chances.”

I admit that I’m a bit off balance, but I don’t want him to worry about me any more than he already does. He doesn’t want me to lift a finger around the apartment anymore and tries to wait on me hand and foot. He’s excited about every ultrasound and kick. He’s going to make a wonderful father.

“I know you said that we should look for a bigger place first, but it’s getting close. Shouldn’t we start looking for cribs soon?” I ask.

“We will, baby. Stop worrying,” he replies as he drives away from the curb.

“Mom might want to go with us. I never even considered that,” I add.

“All in due time, princess,” he answers.

I lean back in my seat and close my eyes. As my due date approaches, I take every opportunity that I can to nap. Rowan puts his hand on my thigh and I smile. He knows that I sleep better knowing he’s next to me.

The ride is almost over when I open my eyes again, and I check out the window just as Rowan passes our parent’s driveway.

“You missed the turn,” I say mid-stretch.

“No, I didn’t. I want to show you something first. It’s just a little farther up the road,” he explains.

I have no idea what he has up his sleeve. We’re in the middle of the woods, and I’m in no condition for hiking. The fact that he didn’t turn his head to look at me has me even more confused.

“How far up the road did you say?” I ask, trying to obtain any information that I can.

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