“Those are all sound reasons.”
“I don’t know if you hear from Michelle anymore or anything, but if you do, tell her to call me. I owe her an apology.”
While I had no intention of doing that, I could hear the sentiment in his voice. Andy was being serious about everything, and I was more than ready to help him out of the hole he had dug himself.
“I’ll call you back soon with the details of your rehab,” I said.
“Do you need my number?” Andy asked.
“My phone has caller I.D.,” I said. “I’ve already got it.”
“Thanks again, Gray.”
“Don’t thank me yet. Rehab’s a bitch, from what I hear.”
Then, I hung up the phone.
The news from Andy wasn’t as shocking as it seemed. Somewhere, deep down inside, I knew Michelle was an angel. I knew she wasn’t the woman that idiotic place was attempting to portray her as. And I knew those screaming voices in my head were wrong. But now that Andy had confirmed it, I felt like nothing was standing in our way. That child growing within her was mine. I had created a family with the most incredible woman on the planet.
Which left me with only one other thing to do to show Michelle we could really do this.
I sped up the meeting with my distributor and finalized the plans. I signed the paperwork quicker than I’d ever had before, then I reached for my cell phone as I locked up my office. Finally, I could build a life with Michelle. Her and our child, if she would have me. I knew there was work to be done. Bridges to rebuild. Trust to earn back. I’d acted like an asshole and said terrible things to her. Things I could never take back. But that didn’t mean it was over for us.
It was only just beginning for our family.
I fought for what I wanted. Always. My entire life had been built on the premise of it. From surviving my dad, to fighting for my professional football career, to fighting for my own vineyard. And I wasn’t above fighting for Michelle. In fact, I would fight harder for her than anything I’d ever fought for in my entire life. I knew I could convince Michelle that I wanted her and only her—if I went about it the right way.
I slammed into my car and cranked it up, then called Maria as I sped down the road.
“The meeting already over?” she asked.
“Everything went according to plan. You’ll be getting distribution dates later. Look, I need your help,” I said.
“Who are you and what have you done with Grayson MacDonald?”
“Would you cut the shit and listen to me? I want Michelle in my life permanently, Maria.”
I sped around the corner, running a yellow light as my tires squealed.
“And when you say permanently, you mean—?”
“That I want to let her know in the most romantic way possible, and as soon as possible,” I said. “That child is mine, Maria.”
“Wait, she gave you the paternity test?”
“No, and I don’t have time to go into it. But I know that child is mine, Maria. I have a family, and in a few short months I’m going to be a father. And I’m not doing this without her. I—”
My car came to a screeching halt as the words dawned on my mind.
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I love her.
“Don’t say it!” Maria exclaimed. “If you haven’t said it yet, then hold on. Because the first person you should say it to is her. Oh my gosh, Gray. I’m going to help you set up the world’s most romantic proposal. That’s what you’re talking about, right? Proposing?”
I smiled at the word as ideas ran through my mind.
I was going to ask Michelle to be my wife.