Only One Chance (Only One 2)

“It would have been better if you came in with me.” She tilts her head up so I can kiss her. In the six months we’ve been together, the only time we’ve been apart is when I’m on the road. She moved all her stuff into my place a month ago when she finally sold her house. “Love you,” she says after I kiss her. It’s crazy how in love with her I am. It’s even crazier that I got her to fall in love with me.

“I love you,” I tell her, the red box in my shorts getting heavier and heavier. “You know that, right?” She looks at me with a strange look on her face. “I mean, I hope you do.”

“Umm …” she says. “I kinda have a feeling.” She laughs. “I think. Is that a trick question?”

“Do me a favor,” I say, handing her my phone. “Ask Google if I love you.”

“What?” She laughs. “How in the hell is Google going to know that answer?”

“Just would you do it,” I urge her, my palm getting sweaty. I wanted to propose to her as soon as the sun started setting because there were candles that spelled out “marry me.”

“Fine,” she says. “Does Miller love his girlfriend?”

“Read what it says,” I tell her, hoping like fuck this worked.

“It says Miller Adams fell head over heels in love with his girlfriend, Layla Paterson, over four years ago. But he had to get his head out of his ass to prove to her that she was the one for him.” She laughs now, looking at me, and I just watch her. She goes back to reading. “Layla Paterson once paid twenty-five thousand dollars to go on a date with Miller. It was on that date that Miller knew she might be the one.” She looks at me. “Is that so?” She shakes her head and goes back to reading. “Miller had to practically beg Layla to move in with him, and when she did, he knew there was only one thing left to do.” I get down on one knee now, but she doesn’t stop reading. “On a warm day in the middle of Turks and Caicos, Miller got down on one ...” She stops reading and looks at me. “Oh my God.”

“Layla Paterson,” I say, “will you marry me?” I open the red box to show her the four-carat square diamond with the infinity band of diamonds. “Will you be my wife and love me forever?” She puts the back of her hand to her mouth and looks over my shoulder at the Marry Me sign now lit up bright. “Make me the luckiest man around and be my wife.”

She nods her head at me as she sobs out. “Yes,” she says, launching herself at me. Kissing her lips, I rise and swing her around in a circle.

“I knew Google was always right,” I tell her, and she throws her head back and laughs.Epilogue TwoLaylaSix months later

“Oh my God, what is that smell?” I say, coming into our bedroom. Miller’s lying in the middle of the bed dressed in shorts and a shirt that look wet.

“That would be me.” He lifts his head. “I didn’t shower after practice.”

I scrunch up my face and lean against the doorframe. “Why the hell not?” I ask. “And why would you lie on our bed?”

“I was exhausted,” he says, sitting up. “Come sit with me.”

“No.” I shake my head. “You smell like cheese. If you make me throw up”—I point at him—“I’m going to hit you.” I’m almost at my twelve-week mark. Almost at the point when we can tell people although a couple of people have guessed it since I don’t drink wine anymore. Grandma Nancy felt it in her bones. Apparently, it also didn’t help that I threw up on her shoes.

It happened by accident when I forgot to take a pill and then doubled up the next day. I knew there was a chance, and well, wild horses couldn’t keep him out of me, especially since he’d just gotten back from a four-day road trip. When my period didn’t come, I just thought it was a mistake, but the seven pregnancy tests I took told me otherwise. I was scared he would say he wasn’t ready, but instead, he insisted I marry him that weekend, which was beyond ridiculous since it was Thursday. Yet he flew his parents in on Friday, and on Sunday afternoon in the middle of the backyard, I married him. I look up at the picture hanging in the middle of the room. Us on our wedding day, walking down the aisle after we said I do. The camera had caught me laughing while he was kissing my ring. It was beautiful. He was beautiful. Our life was beautiful.