“I once told you we were just getting started, and that still holds true today. So much so that I have the words engraved inside this ring.” I hold it up to show her. “Our life together is just beginning, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us. Gabby, baby, will you do me the incredible honor of being my wife. Will you marry me?”
She nods, her smile still firmly in place and her tears flowing. “Y-Yes.” She stammers over the word.
Standing, I slide the ring on her finger and kiss her hard. Pulling out of the kiss, I lift her into my arms and spin us in a circle.
“Wow,” she says, and I immediately stop, setting her back on her feet. “Momma just ate.” She chuckles.
“Sorry,” I reply sheepishly.
“We’re getting married,” she says in awe, holding her hand out to look at the ring.
“We’re getting married.”Chapter NineteenGabby 19* * *I can’t stop staring at my left hand.
As I type, I’m hypnotized by the sparkle. As I walk down the hall, I look to see the shimmer. As I stand by the coffee pot to fill my mug, I stop and gape at the glimmer. This ring is amazingly beautiful with a large pear-shaped rose-pink diamond in the middle, surrounded by small, clear diamonds, on a rose gold band. I have never seen anything like it.
I can’t stop looking at it.
It’s been two days since the proposal. We stayed at the cabin that night, christening every room in the small lakeside building and snuggling in front of a fire, even though we didn’t need one to stay warm. It was the perfect little getaway to celebrate the beginning of the rest of our lives together.
“Let me see the sparkler,” my sister announces as she comes into the office, my niece on her hip and a wide smile on her face.
I stop what I’m doing—which really was just admiring my ring finger—and hold up my hand, my own wide, goofy grin spread across my entire face. I feel like the Joker, I’m smiling so big.
“Holy shitballs, that’s beautiful!” Gwen proclaims as she comes up to stand next to me. Once she gawks at my finger for a few long seconds, she pulls me into a hug. “I’m so freaking happy for you two,” she whispers, the emotion evident in her voice, which triggers my own.
When I pull back, we both wipe tears from our cheeks, still smiling like loons. Sophia takes that moment to reach over and grab a handful of my hair, quick as a jungle cat, trying to shove it in her mouth. “No, no, sweet Sophia. You can’t eat Aunt Gabby’s hair,” I tell her in that silly baby voice I can’t help but use.
“Is that my beautiful wife?” Harrison asks as he opens his office door and steps into the room. Gwen instantly grins, Sophia abandoning my hair and reaching for her daddy. “Hi, baby girl,” he adds, taking his daughter from his wife and kissing her little forehead.
“You know what these do to me,” Gwen says, reaching up and adjusting the reading glasses perched on his nose. Harrison growls and pulls her against his body.
“Ew, don’t do that in front of the baby,” I state, holding a hand over my eyes.
Suddenly, I’m wrapped from behind in large, warm arms and a familiar scent. “Hello, future wife,” Chase whispers against my ear, nibbling on the lobe just enough to send shivers racing through my body.
“Greetings, future husband,” I reply, trying to keep my reaction to him under control. It’s not like I haven’t had him inside me recently. We celebrated the moment we got to the cabin last night from our date, and then again this morning when we woke.
“You two are so cute,” Gwen coos as Chase holds up my hand and kisses the ring he placed there Saturday.
“You headed to Dalton?” Harrison asks Chase.
“Yeah, I’ve got three clients scheduled and an assistant managers’ meeting set. We’re going over employee reviews,” Chase replies. I’ve known about today’s travels for the last week, ever since he had me add it to his schedule.
“You sure you don’t want me to go with?” Harrison asks as he tickles his daughter’s budda belly.
“Naw, I got it,” he replies.
Chase and Harrison decided they would review all employees every six months. Reviews would include any comments or testimonials received from clients, as well as performance evaluations from the assistant managers. As manager, Chase will be involved too, signing off on all reports before they’re presented to each trainer and employee. They have a rotation set up, with only one location reviewed a month. This also helps them track the progress of clients, as well as gauge who needs more assistance or training as an employee.
“You’re going to be late,” I add, vocalizing what I already know.