9 months later
“Come on, Gavin. Where are you taking me? Why am I blindfolded? Is this some kinky fuckery kind of adventure? I mean I liked it when you took me on your desk at base…that was seriously scandalous and I hope and pray no cameras were hidden.”
“HAHA! Nah. I made sure the guys all covered for me.”
“WHAT? THEY KNEW WE HAD SEX?”
“Just kidding. Except Rayden. He kept them occupied.”
“I hate you.”
“Ha. You fucking love me, Evony. Now shut up and relax. You’re gonna love this.”
“I think I’m gonna smack you. You keep telling me to shut up.”
“You like it when I tell you what to do, naughty girl.”
“I do. But then you do like telling me to shut up whenever you think it suits you.”
“Well, it suits me. Just take a deep breath, relax.”
“Well, I’m not going to shut up. I was wanting to look at another property for the studio. I know there isn’t a good space here, and I’m dreading the drive all the way to the city to look for one, you know?”
“I know, honey. I definitely don’t want you driving all the way there either for work. Okay. We’re pulling up to the surprise. Keep your blindfold on. I’ll come around to grab you.”
“That’s fine. I have a surprise for you, too.”
Surprise for me too?
I didn’t want to sound too excited when I walked around the truck to grab Evony. This day was a long time coming and I hope she loved it. The past nine months had been the best of my adult life. After the incident, both girls decided they weren’t going to stay at the efficiency apartment any more, but it wasn’t a month later that Rayden proposed to Rhona, making a big scene of it. Then three months later, they were married and Rhona had surprised him with her own news. They were pregnant.
I could see the longing in Evony’s eyes when she found out the news. I knew she would want a baby of her own someday and when she was ready, we were going to adopt. Of course, it wasn’t the same as having her own, but our house should be filled with babies. It didn’t matter to me which. Whatever made her happy.
I opened the passenger side door, and grabbed Evony around the waist, hoisting her out of the truck.
“We totally need a stepping stool for that thing.”
“Then I would be deprived of picking you up.”
“You only like picking me up because you rub my body down your own, you dirty man.”
“Hmmm…Dirty man and his naughty baby. I like the sound of that.”
“You are strange.”
“Yup.”
I took her hand and I walked her up the parking lot until she would have a clear view of the building. She still worked at the library and then part time at a gym a few nights a week. I knew she wanted to have her own place. Where she could not only teach pole dancing, but other choreography and nutrition and a small gym space for women who wanted to just work out.
I was so damn proud of everything she had accomplished and I knew she was ready for the next step. Having her own studio.
Which was why we were here. Once I had her in the space I wanted I stood back and said, “Okay, take off your blindfold.”
I watched as she did and a loud gasp rang out. “Oh, my gosh! Gavin. You. You built me my own studio. Cross My Heart Studio. I love it. It’s perfect!”
I could hear the happiness in her voice and I knew tears were in her eyes as I waited for her to turn around. When she did, there I was, down on one knee. An engagement ring in my hand.
“GAVIN! What are you—?”
“Evony, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to make you happy. In this life and in heaven. I’ve never wanted anything more in my life than to be with you and I don’t want to spend it without you. So, Evony Ann Summers, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife and making me the happiest man on earth? I promise you I will never let you down, always be there for you, push you when you need pushing and give you space when you need space. To love, worship, honor and always be faithful and loyal to you. Let me be the man for your own happily ever after because I know you’re the woman of mine.”
Her eyes glimmered with tears, and at first she wasn’t smiling. She just looked at me like I had two heads. Then she started laughing before she threw herself at me, hugging me. Then she peppered me with kisses all over my face until she sealed her lips over mine in a kiss so full of love and need I couldn’t help but embrace her, holding her tight.
Our lips broke apart and when she still didn’t answer, I said, “So? Am I to forever wait for an answer?”
“I should make you wait. But I’m too overwhelmed and horny to wait. I love you, Gavin. Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes!”
“Good. Because we’re being recorded.” I motioned over to where I told Rayden to be standing, who of course brought Rhona with him, holding up their phone, capturing the whole thing. “It would be awkward to have you say no.”
She laughed and held on tight, “Well. This is a good thing. Because I went to the doctor and did a few tests.”
My heart stopped. Tests? “What do you mean, tests?”
“I can have kids!”
My world shifted on a dime. “You can? But I thought—
“I thought so, too. But then, I called the doctor back in Dayton after I got the results and the doctor told me that…” she hesitated, and I knew whatever she might say might not be what I wanted to hear but she did anyway. “The doctor in Dayton told me that your mother paid him to tell me I had issues. She wanted me to believe that I couldn’t have kids. I did have a miscarriage but it was because I was on birth control.”
I knew my own eyes clouded over with angry bitterness at what horrible things my mother did to the woman I loved more than anything.
“I’m so sorry, Evony.”
“No apologies. It all lead up here. Here being with you. And this?” She gestured over to the building, “This, you shouldn’t have, but it’s perfect. And it’s the perfect time to tell you that I think I’m pregnant.”
“WHAT?”
She laughed, shrugging her shoulders.
“I’ve been nauseous lately. My boobs hurt. Little things like that.”
“God, you’re my everything, Evony. I love you.”
I kissed her like my life depended on it. I held her close and she leaned back telling me, “Show me inside.”
I nodded to the others and I led her inside the studio, where everything was ready for her to start whenever she wanted.
“This is so awesome, Gavin.”
“Are you happy, Evony?”
She slipped her hand up one of the poles, and twisted around, a mischievous smile tilted her lips.
“Gavin. I am so happy.”
“I love you, Evony. Cross my heart.” I traced an x over my heart and she slowly, but teasingly sashayed over to me.
“Cross my heart, too, Gavin. I love you with every part of my being.”
“Always.”
When she came up to me, she caressed up my chest until her hands laid on my shoulders.
“So, why don’t I show you how much?”
“You always do.”
And I knew no matter what our future holds, that we finally found our happily ever after. Nothing was going to stand in our way. Cross my heart and hope to live. Because that was the point. We lived.