Baby Makes Three

Baby Makes 3 Part 4

Six months later...

Chase had never been so nervous. He went over the list Lucia'd given him. Candles lit. Check. Bon Jovi on the stereo. Check. Food simmering in the oven. Check. Ring in pocket. He patted his jeans. Shit. No wait. Shirt pocket. He sighed. All he needed now was Cecily.

Once more, he checked the time. She should have been back an hour ago. Of course, he could only guess since he'd never actually been to a knitter's guild meeting. Honestly, how long could they talk yarn and knit one, pearl two? Lingo he'd been appraised of that morning when Lucia picked up Cecily.

These last months working on the house, taking care of the baby, waking up with Cecily every morning—they'd been everything he ever dreamed of. But damned if he knew for sure she felt the same way. She seemed happy. Smiled for no reason sometimes, even when she was bone tired from caring for their son—Noah Lucas McBride. But she hadn't ever said she was happy. Well, except the one time when they'd walked into the house, all finished and ready for occupation. He'd wanted to propose right then, but the minute she'd walked from the living room to the kitchen her water broke. And he didn't want her to think he'd proposed because she was in labor. No. It was better he'd waited. He hoped so anyway.

If he was honest, lately, she'd grown quiet. She still smiled and stared at him when she thought he wasn't looking, but he saw. He made sure to see. But she'd definitely been off.

A car pulled in the drive, and he waited for the door to slam before he allowed himself a deep breath and a pep talk. "Don't screw this up." Okay, so he hadn't mastered the art of pep talks just yet. He'd get it right before Noah needed his first one.

Cecily breezed in and plopped on the sofa.

As always, his heart fluttered.

"You would not believe where your aunt took me."

"Will you marry me?" Oh Lord. Had he really just blurted it out? He'd spent a month working on a whole speech, and the planned to ask after dinner. After a slow dance, after he'd kissed her at least once.

And he certainly hadn't planned for..."It's about time."

"What?"

She sighed. "Right after we moved in, I was putting laundry away. And you know how your sock drawer drives me crazy. I mean how do you live like that just pulling socks out willy nilly and hoping they match?"

She was off on another tangent. And if she didn't get to the point soon, he might actually explode. "Cecily."

"Right." She nodded. "So anyway, I took all your socks out with the intention of mating them up and throwing away the ones that didn't have pairs. Like we talked about you doing."

"Cecily, I'm begging you."

"Anyway, I found the ring. And the list." She rolled her eyes. "I kept waiting for you to ask me. I was starting to think you'd changed your mind and all those manicures I've been getting were for nothing."

Changed his mind? Not a chance. "No. I have been waiting for the right moment."

"And you pick the one immediately after your aunt takes me to a strip club? On a Tuesday morning?" But she stood, crossed the room and put her arms around his neck, ran a nail down the side of his throat. Pretty soon he wouldn't have enough blood left in his brain to ask her the way she deserved.

"I could wait for another day if you want."

She shook her head. "Too late. You already asked. No getting out of it now."

Chase may have only known her for a few months, but he couldn't imagine loving anyone more than he loved her. Not for the way she looked or the way she was with the baby or with him. But for who she was and who she made him want to be. Those were the things he would have said to her had she not picked that moment to kiss him and to whisper, "Yes."

And for the rest of his life, no word would ever mean more to him than that one.