“This was us.”
Tears stung her eyes. He’d lost so much. Of course he feared losing again, and she’d been ruthless with his fear. “I’m so sorry.”
“I was, too. I loved them. Having them in my life made me happier than I even realized until they were gone. And when they left, I would have done anything—bargained with the devil, sold my soul, traded my life—to have more time with them. Losing them hurt so much. The hurt faded after a while, but it will never completely leave.”
“I understand. I do.”
“The thing is, I’ve been so focused on the hurt I overlooked something important. I wouldn’t trade a minute of my time with them. Not even to eliminate the pain. I’ll always wish we’d had more time, but even knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t have missed them for the world.”
“I’m glad.” She sniffed back tears and wiped her watering eyes. “I know you loved them.”
The lights went down around them. The crowd broke into a countdown.
Beau talked faster. “I did. They’re an important part of my past. But you, and our baby? You’re my future, and I don’t want to miss this, either. I love you. I want to be there with you, and I want you with me—through every up and down. I’m all-in. No hedging. No holding back. I can handle anything except letting you walk out of my life. What do you say, Savannah? Will you take me on?”
She wrapped her arms around him and hung on. “Beau Montgomery, you have a hell of a way of wishing a girl happy New Year.”
“It’s my way of asking you to marry me. Take a risk on me, on us, and a happy new life.”
“I’m all-in.”
He kissed her as the lights strobed, and the crowd cheered, and people shouted, “Happy New Year!”
“Happy New Year to you, Smith,” he whispered. Her knees went weak from the vibration of his voice in her ear and the sheer thrill of being pressed against him again, but to her surprise he suddenly drew away. She nearly swayed, but he dropped to his knees, clasped her waist in his big hands, and placed a gentle kiss on her stomach. “Happy New Year to you, little one.”
“To us,” she corrected when he stood and wrapped her in his embrace. “Happy New Year to us.”
He kissed her again, long and slow, only raising his head when hers started to spin. He rested his forehead against hers, and she basked in the joy lighting his eyes.
“To us.”