“No, Lisa! No!” I wake myself up screaming. Cold sweat is beading on my forehead, stinging my stitches.

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe. I’m here.” Colt stands up from the chair he has set up beside my bed and runs his broad, warm hand over my hair.

This is our last night in the hospital. After three days of observation I’ve been cleared to go home. I’ve been reassured six ways from Sunday that my baby is fine, yet I can’t shake these chilling nightmares.

Lisa and her crazy eyes haunt my dreams. Except when I’m asleep my mind keeps playing tricks on me. In my dreams, I’m convinced I can feel the cold metal of the switchblade on my belly, only to wake up to the cold monitor belt digging into me.

“Colt? What wrong?” Madison sits up on the pullout sofa and rubs her eyes. Her hair is strewn around in a little puffball of bed head, making her look like a little Einstein.

“I’m sorry, Madison. I just had a bad dream,” I reassure her as Colt goes to tuck her back in.

“No, I want up. I give Isabella hug.” Madison refuses to let him pull the sheets up around her.

Shrugging in defeat, Colt lifts her up and brings her to the side of the hospital bed.

“Isabella, it okay. I make it better.” Madison reaches out her adorable little arms to give me a hug, but Colt holds her away from the side of the bed.

“No, Madison. We have to be careful of the strap there.” He nods toward the baby monitor wrapped around my belly.

“Don’t worry, it’s okay. Besides, I could use a baby hug right now.” I smile. Two days ago this would’ve been impossible with all the tubes and machines attached to me. However, now I’ve been taken off the oxygen and IV, so the only thing tethered to me is the baby monitor. It’s annoying to try to sleep with it on, but I find the constant connection to the baby reassuring.

Colt gently places Madison on the mattress, and she snuggles in against me. I shimmy back until the cold metal guard rail is pressed up against my back and pull Madison against my chest.

“There’s room for one more in here.” I pat the sliver of space on the mattress.

“I don’t know.” Colt’s eyes flicker over to the door.

“What are they going to do? Kick us out? Get in here,” I tease him.

Colt looks at the mattress, then at the door, and gives in. How can he resist? As soon as the three of us, or should I say four of us, are squished together, a sense of peace washes over me I haven’t felt in ages.

“Everything okay now?” Madison asks me.

“Yes, hon. Everything is perfect.” I smile.

Madison’s breathing grows deeper until I’m listening to little baby snores with a smile on my face. Is there anything cuter?

“Isabella, I love you.” Colt twists onto his side, so he’s facing me.

“I love you too,” I whisper. I watch his expression change under the moonlight. This hospital room, one of the luxury suites, is more like a hotel than any hospital I’ve ever seen. If it weren’t for the nurses checking in on me and my monitor, I would forget where I am.

“This just feels right, doesn’t it? Our little family. Soon it will be a bit bigger.” He traces his fingertips over my belly, and I smile as the baby gives him a tiny kick. “We’ve got a fighter on the way. She’s gonna be a scrappy one, just like her mom.” His eyes twinkle.

“She?” I raise my eyebrows at him. “What makes you so sure the baby is a girl?”

“Just a feeling, I guess.” Colt goes quiet.

Did he fall asleep too?

“You know, the other day when Lisa attacked you…” His chin trembles. “I thought I lost you and the baby. I’ve never been more terrified in my life.”

“But everything is okay now,” I reassure him. “We got through it.”

“I know. It’s just, well, when I went on that walk with your dad, I asked for his blessing.”

“His blessing?”

“Yes, I told him I would be proposing to you and asked for his blessing. He was really happy. I was walking on a cloud and then this happened. It shook me up, you know?”

He’s going to propose? My heart flutters in my chest with excitement as my face cracks out into a huge smile. I’m a little shaken up myself right now, but not because of Lisa. Colt talked to my father about proposing to me!

“Originally I had this whole big YouTube style proposal in mind. I thought it should be larger than life, like a horse-drawn carriage ride and dancing. The whole nine. Now, I know it doesn’t matter. None of that matters. Not to me. The only things that matter are all lying in this bed. I love you so much, Isabella.” He rolls over and walks to the chair where his coat is lying and grabs a little box.

My heart leaps into my throat. I’m in a haze as he quickly slips back into the bed and opens the lid, revealing a stunning diamond.

“Oh my! Colt, it’s gorgeous.”

“No, you’re gorgeous. This here, it’s just a ring. I had it designed for you because I wanted to get you something that was worthy of sitting on your finger, but I failed. There’s no ring in anyone’s imagination that is good enough for you. I hope this one will do.”

I can hardly catch my breath as he pours out his heart. I’ve never seen him so vulnerable before, so open.

“Isabella, I can’t imagine my life without you, and I hope you won’t make me. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” He tugs the ring free from the box as my hand shakes nervously in the air.

“Yes. Oh my God, yes! Of course.”

He has to hold my hand steady so he can slide the ring down my finger. Even when he lets go, I keep my hand hovering in the air, just staring in disbelief. Colt leans over Madison and kisses me tenderly. It’s all so perfect, I can’t help but wonder if I’m about to wake up and find out this is just another vivid dream.

“I love you,” he whispers as he lies back down against the pillow.

“Colt, I love you so much. This is amazing. I don’t know how I’m going to sleep now.”

“You should try. You still need to take it easy,” he murmurs, his voice betraying how tired he is.

“I’ll try, I promise.”

However, two minutes later Colt is breathing deeply, and I’m still staring at my finger.

Isabella Grant. It rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? Isabella Grant. Mrs. Isabella Grant. My thoughts drift off into white gowns and confetti as my eyelids grow heavier.