At first, I was worried she would think my knowing about her pregnancy was why I proposed, but that sounds ridiculous even to my own ears. I’ve told her since the day she declared she wanted us to live here that she was going to be my wife. I’ve also made it known that I’m more than ready to add to our family.
“Hey, baby.” I snake an arm around her waist and pull her into me.
“Hi. Can you help me with something?”
“Laney!” Seth scolds. “There are children present.” He can barely say it with a straight face.
“I know. All of your wives are going to keep an eye on them for me. Don’t worry. I’ll bring him right back.”
“Kent, brother. There’s medication for that,” Tyler teases.
I discreetly flip him my middle finger and follow Laney down the hall to our bedroom. “What’s up?” I ask her.
“Well, there’s something I need to tell you. I was going to wait, but there’s no time like the present, right?”
“Right,” I agree.
She steps into me, rests her head on my chest, and wraps her arms around my waist. “I love you, Kenton.”
“I love you too.” I run my hands up and down her back, soothing her.
“I didn’t expect this. This life we’re building. I remember,” she says softly.
“You remember what, baby?”
She pulls back, and big blue eyes peer up at me. “I remember us,” she says as a tear slides down her cheek.
This, I was not expecting. “Okay. What does that mean? I promise you, I’ll never stand you up. Never. Laney, I’m so sorry,” I start to apologize again. I’ve done it several times over since we’ve been back together.
“Stop. You’re a good man, Kent. I know that even without my memories. Having all of that, it just makes this moment even more special. I remember every touch, every caress. Everything. I remember it all.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
She shrugs. “I was too busy going through it all in my mind, and then when I got home, the house was so beautiful, and I didn’t want to make the day about me and my past. I wanted it to be about us and our future.”
“Us. Laney. It’s always us. You can tell me anything. Anytime.”
“I almost didn’t tell you today. It’s such a special day. Our little girl is turning five, you’re here for the first birthday with her, and many more to come.” She adds, “I have my memories back.”
“How? When? Tell me everything.”
“Well, before I can tell you that, I have something else to tell you.”
This is it. Here it comes. The moment I missed out on with Kendrix.
“I’m pregnant.”
I lift her into my arms and kiss her. “I fucking love you so damn much.”
“You’re happy?” she asks when I finally set her on her feet.
“Ecstatic.”
“Well, I was at the OB yesterday to confirm my suspicion, and the moment the doctor walked into the room, it was like déjà vu. It all came rushing back to me. The same doctor, the same situation. When he told me I was pregnant, the same scene almost six years ago flashed through my mind.
“That night, I did have something to tell you. Two things. I wanted to tell you that I was in love with you. I knew you loved me too; I could feel it. Then I was going to tell you that you were going to be a daddy. I was going to transfer for my last year of college and move here. I wanted to start building our life together.”
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there when I said I would be.”
“It’s all in the past. What we have to look forward to is our future, as a family of four.”
“Oh, we’re not stopping at two.”
“No?”
“Nope. This is a big-ass house, Laney. We have to fill it up.”
She laughs. “Well, Tillie has a room for when she stays here.”
Tillie has been making an effort to be the person she should have been all those years ago. Delaney still has her guard up. It’s going to take some time, but I think she’ll get there.
“Okay. We have six bedrooms. We have at least two more babies to add to the clan.”
“Let’s get this one here and we can talk about more.”
“Deal.” I kiss her softly. “So, when are you going to be my wife?”
“How’s tomorrow sound?”
“What?”