I was excited and yet a little nervous to walk into work.
As if he knew my concern, he kissed me. “Don’t worry. Everything is going to be great.”
I took his word for it. When I got home, I showered, dressed for work, and then rode with him to the office. As we walked in, he was holding my hand. I kept thinking he’d let go. Engagement or not, weren’t we supposed to maintain professional and personal distance?
He led me to the conference room, and when I saw who was there, my nerves shot up again. At the head of the table sat Margaret, looking elegant as ever with Andi next to her. She arched a brow, like she thought I’d been keeping something from her.
Hunter, Carter and Noah were there. Even Ryan’s father was standing next to his mother.
“Put your feet down and act like a human being, Noah,” Margaret chastised Noah.
To my surprise he responded by sitting up straight. For a moment I wondered if I was about to be assigned to be his assistant.
“Good morning, Gran.” Ryan continued to hold my hand as he went up to his grandmother and gave her a kiss. “You remember Kellie.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Strong,” I said.
“Good morning my dears. You had a nice tour on the yacht, I take it?”
I felt heat on my cheeks that she and everyone else knew what I’d been doing with Ryan.
His hand settled on the lower part of my back. “She said yes.”
There was a gasp around the table.
“Well, let me see,” Mrs. Strong said.
I held out my hand so she could see the ring, my bracelet with the new charms on it clanging as I did.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to try and make Ryan an honest man,” Noah joked.
“You must be confused. Ryan is honest, you’re the one who’s a man-whore,” Andi said. Hunter and Carter laughed, while their father cleared his throat like he was trying not to laugh.
Margaret ignored them as she looked at the ring. “Very nice. Ryan, did you need to resize it?”
“No.”
She held my hand. “Ryan’s mother would be so honored that you were wearing this and making her son happy, wouldn’t she Alex?”
“Absolutely,” his father agreed.
My gaze shot to him. This was his mother’s ring?
He gave me a sheepish smile. “Maybe I should have mentioned that.”
Tears sprung to my eyes. “It just makes it all more magic and wonderful.” Not caring there was a group of people watching, I wrapped my arms around him.
“Gag,” Noah said.
“Shut up, Noah,” Andi snapped. Then she sighed. “I think they’re lovely together.”
“You would, princess,” Noah scoffed.
“There’s one more thing,” Ryan said before Andi could reply to Noah’s snarky comment. He looked at me and got the happiest, sappiest grin I’d ever seen. “We’re expecting.”
Margaret smiled and patted my hand. I remembered that she already knew. So did his father. Everyone else however, sat stunned for a moment.
Noah of course was the first to speak. “You knocked up your assist—”