His Innocent Love | 18+

Chapter 24

It's so quiet in the room that I can hear my heart beating, can hear Dad's heavy inhales and exhales mingling with Sawyer's steady, rhythmic breathing next to me. I'm looking down at my lap, clasping my hands together there until I feel like it's safe to look up again.

My entire life feels like it's hanging in the balance of this one moment, and one way or another it will all be decided by whatever comes out of my dad's mouth next.

"You're right," Dad says, the shakiness in his voice instantly making me look up and make eye contact again. "It is weird for me, and not just because this is happening with Sawyer." He gives a pointed glance to his best friend, the father of my unborn child. My... boyfriend? Maybe it is all still a little weird for me, too. But in the best possible way. "But I want to be a part of your life, Mia, and this baby's—my grandchild's—life. So if that means I need to get over my anger and get over myself and accept that you're a grown woman now, well... I guess that's what I'll have to do."

Sawyer exhales loudly next to me, and I can see from the corner of my eye that he has a relieved look on his face as well as the beginnings of a smile.

"And speaking of making decisions and being an adult, I need to apologize as well—to both of you." Dad makes eye contact with each of us. I can see a hint of shame in his eyes, though I have no idea what it's about. "I won't be seeing any more of Giselle," he says. "Not after the way she treated you last night, Mia. And you, Sawyer. I'm sorry it all went sideways there at the end. I got so wrapped up in what was happening that I couldn't react to everything at once, but after what she did, she's not the person I thought she was, and I don't want her around my daughter... or my grandchild."

"Oh, thank God," I say, exhaling sharply. "She was awful. Seriously, Dad. Just... awful."

"Hey, we all make mistakes every once in a while. I'm just sorry that one had to play out the way it did. Neither of you deserved to be treated like that, and I was too blindsided at the time to put a stop to it. Live and learn, right?" He sighs. "There is one thing I want to know, though," my dad says, turning all of his attention to Sawyer.

"Of course," Sawyer says, taking his arm from around my shoulder for the first time to spread his hands wide in front of him. "I'm an open book, David. Ask away."

"Okay. What are your intentions with my daughter?"

"Dad—" I'm mortified, and I look from my dad's face to Sawyer's, who seems surprisingly... amused?

I'm thrown off by Sawyer's reaction—by his non-reaction—so I don't know whether to be pissed off or what I'm really feeling. It definitely feels like a question that he could've waited until some other time to ask, though.

Some other time, like... never. Never would've been just fine, too.

Sawyer is fully smiling now, and he reaches for my hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay, Mia. He's your father. It's his job to ask these kinds of questions."

Dad shoots me a look that practically says, "See? I told you so." But he doesn't actually voice his smug satisfaction yet. Thank heaven.

Still smiling, Sawyer focuses on my dad again. "I love Mia very much. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me, David, without a doubt. And I wasn't really planning on doing this today—not like this, anyway—but I kind of thought this question might come up." He looks from my dad to me, tosses me a wink, then looks back over to my dad. "And then I thought... Is there really a better time? I've got you both here in the same room at the same time, and you did just ask, for the record..."

He slides down off the couch cushion until one knee is on the floor. He's still holding my hand in his, but it's not until he fishes a little black box out of his pocket that I begin to understand fully what's going on.

I can feel my eyes go wide as he flips the box open, and the tears that I've done a pretty good job of suppressing all this time spring back into action as he begins to speak.

"Mia, I love you." He pauses, his voice thick with emotion and his own eyes suspiciously bright. "We've grown so close over the past few months that I can't even picture my future without you in it. You're exactly what I need, at exactly the right time. I just didn't know it until you came along."

I can feel the tears streaming down my face, but I don't care. I feel so light, so happy and full of life that I might actually start to float away if he lets go of my hand. But, as always, he's my anchor. My rock. My foundation. And when he slips that ring onto my finger, it's the most perfect, most right feeling I've ever felt before.

"Sawyer, it's beautiful—" I begin, but he cuts me off with a little nervous laugh.

"You're beautiful, my love. But I'm glad you like it. This was my mother's ring. I am more than happy to get you something else if you'd like, but I thought this might be happening today, and I hadn't really had time to plan for it, so—"

"No, it's perfect. You're perfect." I smile and shake my head. "I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Oh my God." His eyes go wide. "The most important part. I didn't even ask it yet." He lets out another nervous laugh as he shoves his free hand back through his hair. To my right, I can hear my dad chuckle. "Mia," Sawyer continues, still on his knee and still looking so sexy and delicious that I half-wish we didn't have an audience at this particular moment. "Will you do me the great honor of being my wife, my partner, my love? Will you marry me?"

I'm so overcome with emotion that I jump to my feet, words bubbling over directly from my heart to my mouth. "Yes, yes, a thousand—no, a million times—yes. I love you so much, Sawyer, and you're going to be the best father for our baby. You make me so happy, and I—"

I'm not sure what else I'm saying or where I'm going with the words that won't stop spilling out of my mouth, but it doesn't matter. He's on his feet now, too, and I'm in his arms.

And then his mouth finds mine, and it's all just... perfect.

My dad clears his throat, and we break away from our kiss with a laugh. I can feel my cheeks burning but this is my moment—our moment—and I don't need my dad's validation to make it any better.

Although I really, really want it anyway.

I look over at my dad, and he gives me a slow, wry grin. "I guess you showed me, didn't you?" Before I can answer, though, he looks to Sawyer. "And I have to say... I approve of your intention to marry my daughter. I'm not going to lie and say it won't take some getting used to... but I can't think of a better man for her. You both have my blessing."

"That's all we could hope for," Sawyer says, planting another quick kiss on my forehead before continuing with my dad. "Thank you, David. You know it means a lot to me."

"And to me," I say, nodding. "Thank you, Dad. I love you."

With the two most important men in my life beaming back at me, I place a hand on my stomach and smile. All the dreams that I never even dared to dream are coming true, and I'm grateful. I'm thankful. I'm blessed.

On my right, I have my dad back.

On my left, I have the love of my life, the man who will be my husband soon

And inside me, I have this precious baby, this perfect angel, just waiting to take its place in the world.

No matter what else is going on outside these four walls or what difficulties might be coming our way, I can honestly say that this moment—right here, right now—is absolutely, completely... perfect.