I poured milk into Grayson’s bowl. I sat next to him with my cup of coffee. He laughed as the Cheerios made an O on his spoon.

“Look.” He pointed.

“Yep. That’s an O.” I cut up a banana and tossed some blueberries in a bowl with them. He was a big fruit eater.

Kaitlyn was sleeping. I knew she was exhausted after last night. After everything.

She had gone above and beyond for Sasha.

Grayson shoved a banana slice in his mouth. “Mmm.”

God, I didn’t know if my heart had ever been this full. I loved that girl. And if she hadn’t been the one to convince me to take a chance. To break the rules. I don’t know where Grayson and I would be.

She had done everything for him. There was a calendar on the fridge with his snack schedule and show and tell days for preschool. She made sure he was ready for picture day, and that he had play dates with other kids.

She held him when he cried. She slept next to him when he had his earache.

And then there was my fucking accident. She put up with more than anyone should have to. And what did she do? She loved me through every second of it.

I was whole because of her.

I knew before the wedding last night. I knew before she told me about the baby. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.

“Hey, Grayson, want to help me surprise Kaitlyn?”

His round eyes gleamed. “Surprise? Like birthday?”

I laughed. “Sort of. A little different. Can you sit here a second?”

He nodded, occupied with his cheerios.

I kept a fireproof safe in the back of his closet. I grabbed the key from the kitchen drawer and walked to Grayson’s room. I stuck the key in the lock and twisted it until it was open.

I held the ring box in my hand. It was the one thing I had from my mother that meant anything to me. I cracked the lid. The diamond glittered even after all these years. I snapped the lid shut and walked back to the kitchen.

“Ok. Here’s what we’re going to do,” I explained to Grayson. “I need you to draw a picture for Kaitlyn, ok?” He nodded. “I’ll get her breakfast ready and then we’re going to surprise her with this present.” I held up the ring box.

“I wanna see.” He jumped to try to grab it from me.

I put it in his hands. It was his future too.

“Wow.” He looked at the ring. Yeah, it was wow.

“Ok. You get to work on the picture. Here are the crayons. I’ll make pancakes.”

Twenty minutes later we had a display put together on a tray. Kaitlyn had used this a hundred times to bring me snacks and meals when my leg was healing.

I hoped with the cloth napkin and the flowers from the garden that it carried a different message.

I was so fucking nervous. I swallowed hard.

“Let’s go.” I nudged Grayson forward as he tottered down the hall. He pushed the bedroom door open.

Kaitlyn stretched her arms wide and he climbed on the bed with her.

“Good morning.” She smiled.

“Good morning.” She looked gorgeous.

“Surprise.” Grayson giggled.

She started to sit up. “What’s this?” She looked at the tray.

“This is breakfast in bed. I thought you might want some extra rest.”

She nodded. “I’ve never been this tired in my life.”

I sat on the edge of the mattress and presented the tray. “Surprise.” Grayson giggled again.

“It’s a great surprise.” She still hadn’t seen the ring box. “Pancakes are my favorite.”

“Baby.” I eyed her.

“What is it?” She looked confused.

I placed the tray next to her. I couldn’t take it any longer. I picked up the box.

“Oh my God. Oh my God.”

I nodded as the lid cracked. “I know exactly what you meant when you told me you kept trying to find the perfect time and place to tell me about the baby, but life kept getting in the way.” I watched her eyes mist. “I’ve thought of a hundred ways to do this.” I pulled the ring from the velvet cushion. “And after last night, I realized the only thing that matters is that I do that. That I tell you how much I love you. That you know I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” I held the diamond between us. “Kaitlyn Sinclaire, will you marry me?”

“Marry me,” Grayson chirped next to us and we laughed.

“Yes. Yes.” Her hand trembled as I slid the ring over her knuckle.

She wrapped her hands around my neck and I kissed her. “I love you, baby.”

She looked at Grayson. “Please tell me it’s not because of the baby,” she whispered.

I shook my head. “I wanted to ask you the first night you moved. I swear.” I looked at her. “I couldn’t make it fall into place. And if I keep waiting it never will.”

She kissed me again, climbing into my lap. Grayson had jumped off the bed and was making a fort with pillows.

“I thought I was happy, but this is happy,” she whispered.

I pressed my forehead to hers.

“It is.”

“Did you tell my dad? Ryan?” she asked.

I groaned. “Not yet.”

She bit her lip. “This could be a fun Christmas.”

I laughed. “I don’t care how you want to do it. As long as when we get on the other side you’re my wife.”

Her eyes lit with mischief. “That sounds kind of hot.”

I skimmed the outline of her breast. “You are going to be my wife,” I growled.

She nodded. “Your wife,” she echoed.

Grayson jumped off the pillows and landed with a thud. She nodded toward him. “I guess we can celebrate together a little later.”

“Or go for a family walk on the beach?” Maybe it would cool us down until I could fuck my soon-to-be-wife into as many orgasms as she waned.

“Yes.” She smiled. “We are a family, aren’t we?”

I looked at the ring on her finger. The one my mother had worn. “Yes. We’re family. My family.”

“Can I eat the pancakes now? The baby is starving.”

I laughed. “If he wants pancakes, eat pancakes.”

She stuck her fork in the center. “Who said it’s a he?”

My eyes widened. “You think it’s a girl?”

She shrugged. I saw the gimmer in her eye. “Scared of pink?”

Oh hell. A daughter?

I shook my head. “No. Not at all.”

She giggled. “Not according to your face.”

“I can handle a girl.” I balked. I knew nothing about girls. I knew football. The Marine Corps. Tools and trucks. My brow started sweating.

Kaitlyn winked. “Don’t worry. We’ve got this.” She squeezed my hand.

And it was true. We did.