Ones That Need Me Got Me

Say What????

Presley's POV

I walked out of the kitchen with the bowl of popcorn giving Chris a quiet smile as I sat down on the couch. The kids were on the road with Brantley this weekend. Chris was off from the hospital, so he had suggested spending some time just the two of us. He had originally thrown out the suggestion of going into Atlanta, but I had been sick with a mild case of the flu most of the week. A night in was about as all I was up for.

"Feeling okay?" Chris asked softly holding his arm up for me to settle into his side. Okay was an understatement was all I could think. I had been sick. Guilt was eating me up the last two weeks. Brantley and I weren't exactly talking to each other. Both of us being a little childish relying on text messages or our children to communicate. Hell, he had sent PJ after the kids yesterday evening before the bus left. We needed to talk. Chris and I needed to talk.

I needed to come clean about what happened. Fear of reactions all around was getting to me. Except maybe Jana's. I was immature enough to be a little smug on getting one over on her. Ashley had dropped off get well supplies the other day narrowing her blue eyes in question. Swearing that something was up with me. That she would put her finger on it eventually. Let's add avoiding her to the list. She would ferret out that I had slept with Brantley quicker than a fight over sheets on Black Friday. I leaned my head on his chest with a quiet sigh.

"Yea," I murmured settling the blanket around me. "Just still tired and a little weak."

"Be feeling good as new next week sweetheart," Chris whispered kissing the top of my head. "I'm sorry I will be working Valentine's Day. Why I wanted to take you out this weekend. But this is nice too. Not very often we get the house this quiet."

"Yea it is quiet," I chuckled softly. My house was kid central it felt like some days with the twins' friends, or Cam and Tinsley running in and out. Video games or music blaring. Never forget the first time Chris came by after we started dating finding Ben stretched out in the middle of the floor having a movie marathon with the kids. There had been a mutual who the hell are you going on before I walked out of the kitchen explaining things. Needless to say I had only taken Chris to one show in Atlanta and that was it. He still gave PJ a wide berth even though I reminded Chris repeatedly the big man was all teddy bear. "They called me earlier. Seems they had conned Noah and BJ to take them to ride go carts."

"Not much those guys won't do with them is it?" Chris asked with a chuckle. "Know them getting to go like that is an experience some kids would dream of."

"True," I said grabbing a handful of popcorn. "But they have grown up with it so like second nature to them. Have a well rounded variety of friends too with their friends here. Then they both are close to Bo and Tate Bryan which drives B nuts just because of Bailey."

"Wonder if our kids would feel left out with brother and sister gone all the time?" he asked thoughtfully. I sat up looking into his eyes in shock. I got a playful grin in turn. "Oh come on babe. We have been together for three years. I know you have thought about it. Neither of us are getting younger. The twins are old enough to help when I am at the hospital." My eyes widened as my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth unsure what to say.

Chris cleared his throat shifting off the couch. He licked his lips kneeling on the floor. I felt like I was in some alternate universe as he pulled a red velvet box out of his jeans pocket. "I was going to do this special with dinner and everything, but I can't wait any longer." Chris pulled out a simple emerald cut solitaire out holding it in his hand smiling at me sweetly. "Presley Katherine Evans, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"

I sat there blinking in surprise. Not what I had expected at all. I guess I should have seen it coming with the comments over Christmas. This disappointment in me being still not feeling well. Shit! This had been his plan for this weekend. And here it was all I could do was gape like a damn fish and think about how the first time I was asked this question had been so much more unique. A hand squeezing my knee pulled me back to reality with Chris looking at me with such hope in his eyes.