Whitley walked up and hit me on the shoulder before sitting down. “Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked as she pushed the swing.
We began swinging back and forth, and I shook my head as I kept staring straight out.
“Courtney, did something happen with you and Reed?”
I turned and looked at her, giving her a weak smile. “I don’t think so. I mean, after we made love last night, he told me he wanted to marry me.”
Whitley gasped and threw her hand up to her mouth. “What? Did he ask you?”
I smiled and shook my head. “No, he just said he wanted to marry me, that’s all.”
Whitley let out a gruff laugh. “That’s all? Um…that’s pretty big. So, if he’s saying he wants to marry you, why are you sitting out here, looking like someone just killed your dog? Or worse yet, like someone took your Kindle.”
I laughed. “I think something has changed. When he picked me up earlier, he was very distant—I mean, scary distant. He’s hardly talked to me at all, and I keep wondering if maybe he has changed his mind. Maybe he just blurted it out, and he didn’t really mean it,” I said as I shrugged my shoulders.
Whitley put her arm around me and let out a sigh. “No, Reed doesn’t act on impulse. I know that for a fact. Besides, I heard him talking to Layton earlier. I wasn’t going to say anything to you, but with how you’re filling your mind with doubt, I have to.”
I turned and looked at her. The smile on her face made me giggle. “What do you know?”
“Promise that you’ll never, ever repeat what I’m about to tell you. Ever!”
I nodded my head quickly, and hope began flooding back into my heart.
Whitley clapped her hands and leaned closer to me while looking all around. “Mimi asked me to grab more sausage for the grill. I went to the kitchen, and the back door was cracked open. Layton and Reed were in there, and…well, they didn’t hear me coming in. I overheard Layton ask Reed…” She threw her hand up to her mouth and smiled even bigger.
“Oh my God. He asked Reed what?” I grabbed her hands.
“I feel like I’m going to ruin your surprise if I tell you.”
I pulled back and shot Whitley the dirtiest look I could. “Really, Whit? You’re going to go that far and then say you shouldn’t tell me? Spill the beans, bitch, or no new book recommendations from me for three months.”
Whitley let out a gasp and then quickly spilled the beans. “Layton asked Reed if he had picked up your ring yet from the jeweler in Austin. Layton said something about it being sized and cleaned.”
Whitley had spit it out so fast that I had to sit for a few seconds to process it.
“Wait, what?”
Whitley quickly shook her head and looked at me like I was crazy. “What do you mean, what? He picked up a ring. He told you he wanted to marry you. He’s going to ask you to marr
y him, you idiot! I don’t think he’s changed his mind.”
My heart started racing, and my stomach took a dive straight down to the ground. “Do you think?”
Whitley rolled her eyes and giggled. “Yes! Courtney, stop letting fear creep into your mind. Reed loves you, sweetheart. Everyone who looks at the two of you knows how much you love each other.”
I smiled and looked at her as I tilted my head. “Just like when they look at you and Layton. The love pours off of y’all. Speaking of, you two have been awfully giddy today. I mean, the way Layton keeps looking at you and smiling is turning me on. What’s going on?” I gave her my best mom look.
A beautiful blush instantly covered her face, and her eyes lit up.
“Oh. My. God. You’re pregnant,” I said as I jumped up and stared at her.
“What? How in the world did you know?” Whitley asked with a startled look on her face.
I let out a small scream as I grabbed her hands and pulled her up into a hug. “I don’t know. I just saw the look on your face, and you just seemed…different!”
We kept hugging each other.
She pulled back and gave me the biggest grin I’d ever seen. “Yes, I’m pregnant! I went to the doctor yesterday, and they confirmed it. It looks like I’m about eleven weeks along.”