Tucker reached into the back and took out Hannah as Charlie fumbled with something inside the truck.
“I have little surprise for you,” I whispered.
“How’s it going, y’all?” Tucker said, walking up with a smiling Hannah.
“Hey there, little sweet pea!” Kaelynn cooed to Hannah. She was so wrapped up in Hannah, she didn’t even see the puppy in Charlie’s arms.
A small bark made Kaelynn jump and then spin to look in the direction of Charlie.
“Oh my gosh! Did you get a puppy?” Kaelynn cried out. “You so suck right now if that is your puppy.”
Charlie laughed and handed the puppy to me. Kaelynn looked confused as she watched me drop down to one knee and hold out the puppy. Attached to her pink collar was a white bow with my grandmother’s engagement ring tied to it.
Kaelynn broke down and started crying again.
“Kaelynn Shae Dotson Whitaker. . . .”
Everyone laughed, including Kaelynn.
“Would you do me the honor of helping me raise this little puppy as her mother and father, and would you be willing to change your last name to Barrett and be my wife?”
She nodded frantically as she took the puppy from me and hugged her as she pressed her mouth to mine.
“Yes. I will help you raise this puppy. But only if you share poop duties with me.”
Smiling, I cupped her face within my hands and kissed her again. “It’s a deal.”
I took the ring off of the ribbon and slipped it onto Kaelynn’s hand as the rest of the gang yelled out in celebration. Even little Hannah got in on it.
“What are you going to name the puppy?” Charlie asked, scratching her under her chin.
Kaelynn glanced down at the puppy, and then back up at me as I shrugged. “It’s totally up to you.”
Chewing on the corner of her lip, she smiled. “Faith.”
Warmth spread though my entire body as I stared into her beautiful, hazel eyes.
“It’s perfect,” I whispered.
“No, this is perfect. Everything about this moment is perfect.”
With a smile, I leaned in and asked, “So, who is in the lead for the romance competition? Me or Jack?”
Kaelynn’s eyes beamed with nothing but happiness and love. “Without a doubt you. I’m pretty sure it was the puppy that pushed you into the lead.”
“I knew it would,” I replied with a wink. “Now, tell me where you want me to build our future.”
With a slight twist to her mouth, Kaelynn reached into her back pocket and pulled out an envelope and handed it to me.
“How about we start here?”
Drawing in my brows, I opened the envelope and took out a pregnancy test. Snapping my eyes back to hers, I felt my eyes build with tears. I thought I had experienced pure happiness only moments ago. I was knocked on my ass and proven wrong by this amazing woman.
“A puppy and a baby?”
With a laugh that made my knees weak, she nodded. “The plans may need to be changed to include a nursery now. How fast can you build that house?”
The End.