I must have passed out because I woke up on the bed. Cal was above me, staring at me with a look of concern.
“You okay, babe?”
“Yeah. I think so. What happened?”
“You blacked out.”
“Is that normal?”
He frowned and opened his mouth, then shook his head.
“No comment. Can you sit up for me?”
I sat up and he handed me a glass of water.
“Drink this. Then get some rest.”
“So we won’t be christening the whole house tonight?”
“No. We’re going to have to wait until Tommy goes to college.”
I laughed and Cal raised an eyebrow.
“But if we get up early enough, we could get one more room . . . or two.”
I nodded.
“It’s a deal.”
He lay back on the pillows and pulled me into his chest. I rested my head on his shoulder and sighed in contentment. Our first night in our new bed. In our new home.
I fell asleep with a smile on my face.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Callaway
“You got that, buddy?”
Tommy gave me a nod. He was using his cane tonight and helping Molly and me with the party. I told him to sit his ass down, but the kid was stubborn as hell.
Just like his beautiful sister.
We’d been here a week. All three of us. And we were doing just fine. Most nights, we ate in, but we’d gone to Jack and Janet’s for dinner once. Next week, Donnie and Sally were having us over. And Kaylie had invited us, once the baby was born, of course. She was ready to pop though, so we were all telling her to take it easy.
She had that mama bear instinct already though. She always had. She might be young, but she mothered us all from time to time. Especially before any of us had women to look after us.
I smiled at Molly, who was sitting between Kaylie and Becky on the window seat. She was wearing a pretty floral dress, red with little white flowers. Her gorgeous legs were tucked up beneath her. She smiled at me and her smile literally lit up the room.
She was drinking a white wine tonight. Her second glass. I wondered how much she’d drank in her lifetime. This was probably the most she’d ever had in one sitting.
I hoped she got horny when she got tipsy.
More than that, I hoped she was in an agreeable mood. Because I had a very important question to ask her. I was pretty sure she was going to say yes, but there was no guarantee. But she was worth the risk.
Man up, Callaway. It’s time.
I cleared my throat and looked around. Everyone was here. Tommy was in cahoots with me, and he had hidden a bucket of ice in his room with a bottle of champagne chilling in it.
Hopefully, we’d have a reason to pop it.
Hopefully, she’d say yes.
But what if she didn’t?
“Everybody, I have to ask Molly something.”
The room got quiet real fast. I looked at Mols. She knew something was up. I walked over and took her hand, bringing her to the center of the room.
“Molly, from the first time I saw you, I knew my life was gonna change. I knew I had to become a better man. A man who deserved you.”
Her eyes were filled with tears as I lowered myself to one knee. I had a ring in my pocket and I held it out to her. It was a simple gold band with a solitaire diamond. Her eyes got as round as saucers. I loved surprising her. I just hoped it was a good surprise.
“I’d be the luckiest man alive if you’d agree to be my wife.”
Her hand flew to her mouth. She hadn’t been expecting this. Was that a moment of panic I saw in her eyes?
“Will you marry me?”
She took a deep breath. She swallowed. She lowered her hand from her mouth.
“Yes! Yes, I will marry you, Callaway!”
I shot to my feet, pulling her into my arms. I kissed her hard and lifted her off her feet while everyone cheered. Then I realized I still had the ring in my hand.
I set her down and took her left hand, carefully sliding the ring on. It fit perfectly thanks to Janet, who had tricked her into trying on a ring. She stared at her hand, then at me. Then we kissed again.
“Who is going to help me pop this?”
Tommy was grinning from ear to ear, holding up the bottle and a stack of plastic champagne flutes. Everyone rushed to help him at once. Mac popped the bottle and Janet grabbed the champagne flutes.
Mac popped it with one hand and started filling glasses while Janet handed them out. I held Molly close against my side as everyone came to hug and kiss us. Soon, we were all drinking and toasting. Well, except Kaylie, who had a glass of sparkling apple juice we’d bought for her and Tommy. Come to think of it, looked like Sally was drinking the soft stuff too.