Chapter Forty-Three

Roarke…

“Marry me, Hannah. Be my wife. Do it for real this time.” I pull out the ring case and open it.

“Roarke,” she whispers, tears pooling in her eyes. “Roarke, oh God. I—”

“A new ring for a new start.” The diamond heart that is a full carat larger than the prior version glistens against the velvet.

She gasps. “You got me a new ring? I mean, I know you said you did and you did, but oh my God. Roarke. It’s stunning, and I can’t believe you did this. I didn’t know if you would and—”

“Say yes, Han. You’re killing me here.”

“Yes!” She smiles and laughs and smiles all over. “Of course, yes. Did you really doubt my yes?”

Relief that I shouldn’t need to feel, but I do, washes over me. I pull the ring out of the velvet and slide it on her finger before casting her a hopeful look. “You like it?”

“I love it, but I didn’t need a new ring. It’s so—big and beautiful, but I know this was expensive.”

“I really wanted you to have a new ring for a new us. I have one more thing for you.” I stand up and reach into my opposite pocket. “You still have your old ring.” I open the bag and the heart inside the stallion is a glistening diamond. She gasps and tears up.

“It’s amazing. It’s perfect. It’s so very special.”

I step into her and cup her face. “You’re so very special.” My voice is low, rough, laden with emotions no one but Hannah stirs in me. “You’re everything to me. I love you, Hannah.”

“I love you, too. Can I put on the necklace?”

“Of course you can. I’ll put it on you.”

She turns around, and I help her settle it at her neck, and when she turns back around, she’s tearing up. “This was your story you had to tell me?” she asks, touching the stallion with her fingers.

“Our story,” I amend. “This is our story.”

“Actually, our story is a little bigger than you might think.”

My brows furrow. “What does that mean?”

“It’s means—God, I hope you’re good with this, and I don’t know if it will stick or how it’s possible but—”

I know. Somehow I know what’s coming, and that call with Jessica makes sense. “You’re pregnant.”

“Yes,” she breathes out. “I missed my period, and I took a test, and I’m scared because what if I can’t carry a baby to term? And what if—”

I don’t let her finish that sentence. I kiss her, driving away the bad, vowing to always drive away the bad, before I say, “Don’t be scared, Han,” choosing my words carefully, ensuring that she knows that this pregnancy is special, but it’s not our beginning or our end. “Whatever is meant to be will be, and we will do it together. I need you. We need each other. That doesn’t change.”

“But you do want this? You do, right? It’s not just me.”

“You know I do, but only because it’s us, baby. Only because it’s a part of us. If it doesn’t happen, we have a world to explore together.”

“I know. I do. I really do, but I want this. I know you know I want this. But I’m afraid to even talk about it right now. I have an appointment booked with a doctor in Abilene.”

“We have an appointment,” I say. “When?”

“We,” she agrees. “The day before the festival, which is horrible timing, but I don’t want to put this off. That was the only time I could get in anywhere because of the holidays.”

“We’ll make it work.”

Her hand settles on my chest, heavier than I might expect. “I don’t want anyone to know until we feel like this is going to last.”

“Whatever feels right to you, Han,” I say, really damn glad I didn’t tell her about the family feud before now. The last thing she needs right now, while trying to carry our child through these early stages, is that kind of stress.

“So tell me,” I say, “when do you want to get married and where? Because tomorrow works just fine for me.”

She laughs. “Tomorrow?”

“Today?”

“How about—” She motions to the tree hanging low around us, our willow tree. “Here,” she says. “This is our special place.”

“When? And for the record, in case I didn’t make myself clear, tomorrow isn’t soon enough for me.”

“How about Christmas Eve? Just a small wedding, a few friends, and my red boots?”

“Your red boots, baby. And a red tie for me if I remember correctly?”

“Yes,” she approves. “A red tie for you. And if it’s only you and me, Jessica and Jason, I’m happy. And your father. And Linda. That’s all.”

“What about your parents?”

“I think I’ll call them right before the wedding. I don’t want them turning negative on me. I want to enjoy this time and all the planning. I’ll tell them I have a surprise and insist on them showing up.”

I know then that the sooner I hand her that deed the better, but it can’t be until after her doctor’s appointment. Christmas Eve is going to be special. I cup her head and lean in to kiss her. “Christmas Eve, I get to marry my best friend.” I kiss her, and we sit down under the tree and talk about the wedding for hours.

When we finally head home, it’s with a detour to see Jason’s house, where my grandmother and Ruth are hanging out as well. Hannah shows off her ring and necklace, and joy erupts around us. Jessica slips back from the chaos to nudge me. “Everything great?”

“She told me. And you were right. I don’t want to stress her out.”

“Are you happy?”

“Elated, but I don’t want to say that to her. I don’t want her to feel like a loss means I’m no longer satisfied.”

She squeezes my arm. “Good call. Oh, what the heck.” She hugs me and whispers, “You two are perfect together,” before she releases me.

She’s right. We are perfect together, and somehow, some way, I need to make her parents see that, too. For Hannah, because she’s what matters.