“What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying you have to promise me that we’ll visit my parents a minimum of four times a year. We can keep the house or sell it. I have no attachment to it.”

  “Done. And I think a bigger house, for the kids and better security.”

  “Are we really doing this? Discussing our future as if we’re discussing the weather?”

  “We are, baby. That’s us, we communicate. I don’t think I’d be where I am with all of this, with us and the baby, if that weren’t the case. We started slow and I know you’re who I want, that I can trust you and trust this feeling in the pit of my stomach that says I need to fight like hell to make you mine.”

  “Done,” I agree, giving his response right back to him.

  “You’re staying here? You’re moving here to Nashville?”

  “That’s what you wanted, right? It was on your list.”

  “I want it, yes. I want you to move here. I know it’s selfish, but the label is here and I know I can’t bear to be away from you for long stretches of time, like one night,” he says.

  “Then you have a new roommate.”

  “No, fuck that. You are so much more than a roommate. You are my life, Lauren.” He kisses the top of my head. “Does that mean you’ll come to the wedding next week?”

  “I should probably go home and give them notice. That would be the right thing to do.”

  “What if I told you that you were already off next week?”

  “What? How? What did you do?”

  “Well, not me exactly, but I might’ve had Cole call your boss.”

  “Tristan!” I smack his chest lightly.

  “I wanted you there, and you were being distant and we were fighting, and I thought maybe if I could get you to Hawaii, I could convince you to be mine. Then you surprised me with Sprout and well, here we are.”

  I think about what he said, and then it hits me. “Wait, you told Cole?”

  “Uh, yeah, but babe, I had to. I was going insane wanting you and feeling like it was all one-sided. Cole’s been there with Stacy.”

  “Why not Kacen?”

  “Are you kidding me? He would’ve told me to stay away from you. Anything that has the remote possibility of upsetting Logan, he’s against. I used to call him crazy, but now I see his worries have merit.”

  “How so?”

  “Now that I have you, I don’t ever want to see you upset. Your tears gut me. I would walk through fire to keep them at bay.”

  “It’s pregnancy hormones. I’ve been rather emotional lately. I swear I’m not usually like this.”

  “I know that, but that doesn’t mean I like to see you with tears in those beautiful brown eyes of yours.”

  He starts humming “Brown Eyed Girl,” something he did the first day I met him. The tension, the worry, the fear—it all fades away.

  Although we’ve made big decisions, I feel good about them. This is where I want to be: with him, raising our baby. I can only hope everything else just falls into place.

  We leave for Hawaii tomorrow. When Lauren called in to ask her boss for time off, even though Cole had already called for her. He let her go. Apparently the restaurant is closing. I’m not disappointed; my girl was stressing about leaving them in the lurch, and now she’s off the hook. That makes me a happy man.

  I called Logan a couple of hours ago when Lauren was in the shower and asked her to take Lauren shopping today. She didn’t pack for Hawaii, and I told her that instead of driving or flying to Ohio to get what she needs, we would just buy new. It took me a while, but I finally convinced her that buying new made more financial sense; otherwise I would’ve just gone shopping and bought shit she didn’t like, want, or probably even need. I think that helped her decision-making too.

  “Where are you headed?” Lauren asks.

  I finish lacing my boots before looking up at her. “Cole is moving some furniture around in the basement. I told him I would come help.” It’s not a total lie. I called Cole and he mentioned it, which I volunteered to do because I need to talk to him. I told him that I needed Stacy too. She made her excuses to Logan when she asked her to go shopping. At least she was supposed to.

  “Yeah, Logan mentioned that he and Stacy were moving around some new furniture they just had delivered. I guess they’re still trying to get the house furnished.”

  Good. My plan is going through. “Yeah? You and Stacy should talk. We’ve got some furniture to buy too.” We closed on our house yesterday, and I couldn’t be happier.

  “I was looking at furniture for the nursery online. I saved some things I want to show you.”

  “Whatever you want. I’m heading out now. You’ve got my card, right?”

  “Yes, but I don’t need much.”

  “Buy some maternity clothes while you’re out. You’re going to need them, so you might as well.”

  “What exactly do you know about maternity clothes?” she asks, hand on her hip.

  “I know that my son or daughter needs room to grow, which means Momma needs some new clothes. Get whatever you need, Ren. I mean it.” Her eyes light up when I call her Ren. “Have fun.” I kiss her one more time and rush out the door.

  Fifteen minutes later, I’m turning into Cole and Stacy’s driveway. Before I reach the door, Stacy is there pulling it open.

  “Tristan.” She smiles and opens her arms for a hug.

  “Hands off my wife,” Cole says from behind her.

  “Not your wife yet,” I goad him.

  “Mine.” He places his arm around her, lifting her off the floor and moving her to stand beside him.

  “Stop,” Stacy laughs. “Come in, Tristan. What’s up?”

  “Can we sit?”

  Stacy nods, then turns and heads for the living room, Cole and me behind her. Once we’re all seated, they both stare at me, waiting for me to come clean.

  “I want to marry Lauren,” I blurt out.

  “Well, yeah,” Stacy laughs. “We all know that from just watching you with her.”

  “He’s not done, sweets,” Cole assures her.

  “He’s right. I’m not. I have something to ask both of you, and it’s okay if you’re not down with it, but I hope that’s not the answer I get from you.”

  “I’m listening,” Stacy says calmly. I’m sure she can see that I’m stressing over this.

  “I want to marry Lauren, in Hawaii, while we’re there.”

  “Really?” Stacy squeals.

  I nod.

  “That’s awesome! Did you ask her? Did she say yes?”

  “No, I haven’t asked her yet. I want to do that here, and I want to marry her there. And not just because of the baby, before you ask. It’s been her since the day I met her, and I’ve already spent so much time away from her that I don’t want another day to go by without her by my side.”

  “You don’t have to marry her to make that happen,” Cole states.

  “Neither do you,” I counter.

  He nods, then looks over at Stacy. “Sweets?”

  “Do it!” she exclaims.

  I release the breath I was holding. “Thank you.”

  “Do you have it planned? What can I do? Does Logan know?”

  “I don’t have it planned, not even close. I alluded to Logan to make sure Lauren buys a dress suitable for your wedding and possibly her own. I don’t want to take away from your big day, so I’m thinking later in the week. I want to fly her parents there.”

  “Have you talked to them?” Cole asks.

  “Yeah, and they gave me their permission.”

  “I love this,” Stacy gushes. “It’s a real-life fairy tale.”

  “What are we?” Cole scoffs.

  “We’re a boring old married couple.” She waves him off.

  “Damn right,” he agrees.

  “Can I do it?” Stacy asks.

  “Can you do what?”

  “Can I plan it? I mean, we’ve talked wedding so much, even on the phone, and with Logan’s help, I think we can make it how she would want it.”

  “Have at it. As long as at the end of the day, she has a smile on her face and my last name, I don’t care what you do.”

  “You have a ring?” Cole asks.

  “No. I’m headed there now. I have a meeting with a jeweler downtown.”

  “Go, go.” Stacy waves her hands in the air. “I’ve got this.”

  “Thank you, both of you. I would’ve understood if you’d said no.”

  “Why the fuck would we do that? All I care about at the end of the day is my girl having a smile on her face and my last name,” he replies, throwing my words back at me. “She’s smiling,” Cole says, looking over at Stacy, who already has her phone pulled out, making plans. “That’s all that matters, brother.” He stands and gives me a back-slapping hug.

  On the way to the jeweler’s, I call my future in-laws and let them know that I’ll be sending their travel arrangements later this evening.

  The wedding is officially a go—as long as she says yes.

  “I can’t believe I let you talk me into all of this,” I tell Logan as we load the final bag into the back of her SUV.

  “What? You needed it. Besides, I see his paychecks. He can afford it.”

  “That’s beside the point. This is too much.”

  “Lauren.” She places her hand on my arm. “It’s not. Trust me, okay?”

  I nod in response.

  Once we’re in the car, she pulls out her phone and it starts to ring through the car’s speakers.

  “Hello,” a deep, sexy voice answers. My deep, sexy voce.

  “Hey, Tris, we’re on our way home. Lauren needs some reassurance that she didn’t spend too much of your moldy money,” she laughs.

  “Logan!” I slap her arm.

  “Oh yeah, you’re on speaker,” Logan adds with more laughter.

  “Lauren, sounds like you did good, babe,” he chuckles.

  “Logan insisted,” I tell him.

  “I did because he told me to.” She points to the dash where his name is displayed. I didn’t notice that earlier. “Anyway, we’re going to need some muscles.”

  “I’ll be waiting. You all be safe. And Lauren?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Love you.” The line goes dead before I can reply.

  “Aw,” Logan says dreamily. “I remember those days.”

  I throw my head back in laughter. “Right, like Kacen doesn’t still spoil you rotten and worship the ground you walk on.”

  “You’re right, but I miss the feeling from when it’s new.”

  “It has to be better now though, right? To see where you’re at now, with the baby and living happily ever after?”

  “Gets better every day.” She grins.

  We make small talk about the wedding, pregnancy, and her brother Jace, who is kicking ass and taking names at Ohio State on the football field.

  When we pull up outside of the new house, I look over at Logan and she’s smiling. “He’s waiting for you. I’m going to run over to the house. I’ll be back in a little while and we can unload all of your stuff.”

  “Here?” I ask, shell-shocked. I know Tristan closed on it yesterday—clearly money talks—but I didn’t expect us to be here, not until we came back from Hawaii. Still confused as to why Tristan didn’t tell me to come here, I climb out of the SUV and make my way up the steps. I can’t help running my hand over one of the tall while pillars on the front porch as I pass. This place is breathtaking. When I reach the top step, Tristan opens the front door.

  “Welcome home.” His grin is infectious.

  “I can’t believe you live here.”

  “Ren,” he warns.

  “We live here,” I correct. I’m still having a hard time wrapping my head around all of this.

  “Believe it, baby. Come here.” He steps out onto the porch and lifts me into his arms bridal-style, and I screech.

  “W-what are you doing?” I laugh.

  “Carrying you over the threshold.”

  “Tristan, I’m pretty sure that only applies if you’re newly married.”

  He carries me in and kicks the door shut.

  “Yeah?” he asks finally.

  “Positive,” I tell him.

  “Hmmm.”

  I look around the foyer when he sits me down. It’s filled with purple roses, every shade you could imagine. “Tristan,” I breathe, taking in my surroundings.

  “They’re your favorite, right? Purple roses? I didn’t know what shade, so I ordered as many as I could get my hands on.”

  I nod and smile. He remembered my favorite flower. Pregnancy hormones are rearing their ugly head and threatening to break free.

  “I can’t believe you did all this. Why?” I ask, turning back around to see he’s now down on one knee. “Oh my God,” I gasp and cover my mouth.

  “I love you, Ren. I want to spend my life loving you. I never wanted to be here, not really. It wasn’t on my radar. Then I met you, and you quietly creeped in and stole my heart. It needs you. I need you. Will you spend forever with me? Be my wife?” He stands, looking down at my wobbling legs. “Marry me, Lauren,” he whispers as he pulls me into him and buries his face in my neck.

  “You don’t have to do this. I’m already here with you. We’ve decided on that. You don’t have to do this because of the baby.”

  He pulls back, his blue eyes fierce with determination. “I’ll admit that the baby pushed this up a little, but Lauren, it was going to happen regardless.” He points across the street to Logan and Kace’s house, then down the street to Cole and Stacy’s. “I want what they have. I want all of it, with you. Sprout,” he says, placing his hand over my bump, “is just a bonus.”

  “You really want to marry me?” Tears stream down my face.

  “I really do. Marry me?”

  I nod, too overcome with emotion to actually speak.

  “I’m gonna need to hear you say it, Ren. I need your words, baby.”

  “Y-y-yes,” I stammer through my tears.

  He lifts me off my feet and twirls me around. When he finally sets me back down, he grabs my hand and slides the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen on my finger.

  “Tristan!” I gasp.

  “As soon as I saw it, I knew it was you. Do you like it?” he asks, voice full of hope.

  “I love it,” I exclaim, holding my hand out to admire it. How could I not? Square-cut diamond in the center with a row of smaller square-cut diamonds all the way around it. The band on either side also has two layers of square-cut diamonds. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.

  “Why are we here, in the new house?” I ask.

  “This is our home. One we’ve only shared together. I thought it was fitting that you agree to be my wife here too.”

  “You sound like you were pretty sure of yourself,” I laugh.

  “I’m definite in the love that I have for you. I knew everything else would fall into place,” he says, leaning in and kissing me.

  “What are we going to do with all these flowers?” I ask when he pulls away. “We leave for Hawaii in the morning. They’ll all be dead by the time we get back.”

  “I hadn’t really thought about it.”

  “Maybe we can take them to the local nursing home or something, brighten up the residents’ day.”

  “I’ll make a call.” He pulls out his phone and just like that, he turns my suggestion into action. A van is coming in less than an hour.

  “Now, we better head back to the condo and get packed.” He smiles lovingly at me.

  I take my phone out of my back pocket and snap pictures of the roses. I’ve taken more than necessary when the doorbell rings. Tristan opens the door to find Kace, Logan, and Drew standing there.

  “Well?” Logan asks.

  I hold my hand up and she squeals, pulling me into a hug. Kacen and Drew go next, then move on to Tristan.

  “So, are you guys staying here tonight?” Kacen asks.

  “Nah, we have to go home and pack.” He turns to me. “Speaking of, let me pull the car out of the garage and we can get all your bags from today,” he says, kissing me on the temple. Kacen transfers Drew to Logan and the guys disappear out of the front door.

  “Wow,” Logan exclaims, taking in all the flowers. “He did good.”

  “Yes, he did,” I agree, a warm glow and a feeling of peace washing over me. “No point in letting them sit here and die while we’re gone, so we’re going to send them to a local nursing home. Someone might as well enjoy them.”

  “That’s a great idea,” she says, just as a horn honking sounds from outside, causing us both to laugh. “Sounds like we’re being summoned.”

  Following her out onto the front porch, I see her Tahoe and another sitting in the drive. “Whose black car is that?” I ask Logan.

  “No idea.”

  I watch as Tristan and Kacen unload my bags into the back of the black SUV.

  “Did you already get your stuff?” I ask her.

  “Yeah, Kace unloaded mine at the house. Tristan must’ve bought a new car,” Logan comments as the guys head our way. “Nice ride,” she calls out.

  “Thanks.” He grins and holds the keys out to me.

  “What? I’m driving?” I ask.

  “It is your car.”

  “What?”

  “We needed a family car for Sprout. Kace made it an easy choice after he bought theirs. I thought we needed one too.”

  “Tristan, I have a car, one that we planned on moving here,” I remind him.

  “Now we can sell it or give it to your parents or whatever. You needed something bigger and safer.”

  “Sprout?” Kacen asks.

  “I refuse to refer to my baby as it, and until we can find out what we’re having, we’re going with Sprout,” Tristan explains. “Speaking of, did you have one of those heartbeat things when Log was pregnant?”

  Kacen nods. “Yeah, I wanted to buy an ultrasound machine too, but this one”—he points at his wife—“shut me down.”

  “Me too,” Tristan pouts.

  They sound like two kids who want the newest and hottest toy, but their parents refuse to buy it for them. I can’t help but laugh, but then I turn back to more serious matters. “A house and a car? Really, Tristan?”