She blew out a deep breath and turned back to Vic. He reached for her hand immediately.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m actually better than okay.” She smiled.
“Good.”
The waiter brought them refills, and the moment of Sydney’s intrusion faded. Vic lifted his glass and tilted it toward her.
She leaned her glass on his and smiled. “As I was about to say before I was rudely interrupted… We should move into your home. It’s perfect for us. It has plenty of room, and Kian already has a bedroom there.” She would have to decide what to do with her home. Would she sell it or rent it out? She’d have to think about it. But moving in with Vic was the sensible thing to do.
“You can renovate whatever you want,” he said. “I’m sure you already have ideas for the baby’s room.”
“You bet your ass I do.” She giggled. She had drawn out plenty of plans for a new nursery years ago when she’d first started getting baby fever. Her smile slowly faded. “But seriously. Your home is perfect already. It’s where my family already is.”
“Our family,” Vic murmured.
She nodded.
Their glasses clinked gently as if sealing the deal between them.
“I love you,” Vic said quietly.
“I love you, too,” she whispered.
In that moment, Tachina realized that she had everything she’d ever wanted. Her son, a new baby on the way, and a man who loved her fiercely. She finally had the future she had once dreamed of.
Spring sunlight poured across the backyard in sweeping beams. The snow was finally gone, and it was a beautiful day. The last few months had been heavenly. Not only had they had a mild winter where spring had come early, but he’d got to spend the last four months watching Tachina’s belly grow round.
Today was the day that he was going to finally ask her the question he’d been carrying in his chest for what felt like forever.
“Kian,” he whispered.
Hecrouched behind the patio table where his son knelt. Kian was working with a fierce concentration.
“Are you ready?”
Kian held up the sign he’d made. He’d proudly scrawled in bright-red marker: Mom, please marry Dad. Can I have cake?
“Buddy…” Vic blinked at the cake part. “That is not what we said would go on your poster.”
“But why can’t we have cake? I like it, and Mom does, too. She’ll definitely say yes if you offer her cake,” Kian said seriously.
“What am I gonna do with you?” Vic chuckled and ruffled Kian’s curls.
“Give me cake?” Kian asked with big wide eyes.
Vic snorted at his son’s way of trying to get what he wanted.
“We’ll see,” Vic muttered. He stood and looked toward the house. His heart was pounding. He couldn’t ever remember being this nervous before.
Tachina stood in the kitchen finishing off her iced tea. She wore a pale-yellow dress that was soft and flowing. The color made her skin glow. She moved slower these days. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
She turned and caught him watching. Even from a distance, he saw her smile. It was warm and hit him square in the chest.
He was utterly in love with this woman.
“You ready, Dad?” Kian whispered.