Baby Makes Three

“Jesus, Flynn. I can’t handle anything else. Can’t ya just let a woman’s heart rest a bit?” I asked, fidgeting with the tablecloth.

“Not a chance,” he murmured.

I giggled and took a drink of my water, and when I turned my head back around to him, there was a little box in his hand. I froze, feeling my entire body lock up with shock, and when I slowly panned my eyes up to his face, he clicked the box open and showed me what was inside.

It was a beautiful diamond ring glistening in the dim light of the restaurant, and everyone around us had stilled to watch and listen.

“Chelsea August, you are, single-handedly, the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Ya make me feel at home in a city that I shouldn’t belong in, ya warm my body at night after I’ve been fightin’ with them damn bulls, and watchin’ you do what you love day in and day out lets me know I pushed you to do the right thing in college.”

Tears of joy trickled down my cheeks as my gaze slowly rose to his.

“When your mama called me that day, I thought I’d lost you. I thought that I’d never get a chance to ever tell you I loved you again, or hold you close to me and kiss those sweet lips of yours, or even cuddle you into my side while we watched a movie. I saw all them memories slip away from me, and it made me sick.”

I heard sniffling around us while tears glistened in Flynn’s eyes, and I couldn’t help but wrap my small hands around his wrists that were suspended with the ring in midair.

“I prayed to God that night that if He pulled you outta this… if you came back to me… I’d do all the things I never thought I’d get to do with you ever again. I’d take you on adventures, and I’d kiss your lips at night, and I’d hunker down behind you just to make sure you were safe every single time you slept.”

“Oh, Flynn,” I choked out.

“Chelsea August, I love every single part of you. I have since I was 19, and I will until I’m 109. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

The entire restaurant fell under a hushed state, and a smile bloomed deep across my cheeks. My body was shaking, and my legs were trembling, but when I shot myself into Flynn’s lap and crashed my lips onto his, the entire restaurant erupted into che

ers and chants of congratulations.

“Yes, Flynn,” I whispered into his lips, “I will marry you and together we’ll make a beautiful family.”

He took that beautiful ring out of the box and slid it onto my finger. “A family?” He asked, eyes hopeful.

I laughed, “Yeah, that last appointment was more than I bargained for with the doctor. We’re having a baby! I guess we both had big news tonight.”

He kissed my lips and then all over my face. I relished in his touch, my eyes wet even though I was laughing.

He stood up and announced to the whole place, “I’m going to be a father!”

Everyone applauded and that’s when something was set on our table.

“Courtesy of the owner,” the waiter nodded. “Toutes nos félicitations.”

And when we opened up the little envelope, it was a note that simply read, “On The House.”

“I love you, Flynn,” I smiled through my tears.

“And I love you, Chelsea,” he smiled back.

Thank you SO MUCH for reading Back in the Saddle, my first standalone book!

I appreciate it so much! If you want to continue to read stories by me and my friend Nicole Elliot, keep going! There’s also a book in here that’s nowhere else.

Please leave a review if you loved it!

Thanks!!

Ellie

Fighting Desire

By Nicole Elliot