“Same.” Easton bit my ass before putting me down in his passenger seat.
“No more being away for a week, okay?” I said, playing with my ring while Easton drove us home. My voice was small and vulnerable, but I needed to tell him.
“Fuck, Trouble. I’m so sorry. I was over your little unicorn experiment with my parents as soon as I walked into my stupid black penthouse. I was leaving to go back to you, but I had to catch my flight, and I promised Cole I’d do the meetings so he could be with Jules.”
“Why didn’t you call? One whole week, Easton. I was lost without you for a whole week.” I banged my head on the seat, letting tears fall.
“Because I had to get things in order. I needed to get the ring, and I knew if I talked to you, I would fly home. My business and Cole be damned. If it makes you feel better, even my Japanese vendor knew something was wrong.”
“Good, I hoped you suffered.”
“Only for you, Trouble.”
In true Easton style, he carried me into my house, but stopped when he walked in. “What the fuck is that?” he asked, pointing to my kitchen island.
“Not what, but who. And that’s Gnomar. He’s Gnomen’s buddy.”
On my kitchen island was a patched up Gnomen standing proud next to his new friend, Gnomar, who had his middle finger front and center.
“I love you so fucking much.”
“Show me,” I commanded, and he did.
Epilogue
Four years later
“Where is she?” Kelly Ann called out when she opened the door.
“I’m right here,” I answered, coming out of our room, putting on the emerald earrings that matched my engagement ring.
Kelly Ann rolled her eyes and kissed my cheek. “As much as I love you, honey, I’m looking for my granddaughter.”
“Overthrown by a three year old.” I put my hand on my chest.
“It happens to the best of us.” Kelly Ann walked down the hallway toward Maggie’s room.
Easton wrapped his arms around me, kissing the side of my neck. “I won’t overthrow you,” he whispered in my ear.
“Only because you know she’s going to turn eighteen in fifteen years, and you’ll be stuck with me when she grows up and lives her own life.”
“I’m going to be sick,” Easton murmured. When I turned to look at him, he did look a little green.
My poor husband refused to think of our precious girl living her own life. He had a couple more years to get used to it.
“You ready, Trouble?”
“Almost. Let me go say goodbye.”
Robert popped into the house. “Your grass looks amazing. Even with the creepy gnomes,” he muttered.
Robert followed us to where we heard our little girl having a tea party with her grandma. We moved into a house on the same street as Easton’s parents when we found out we were pregnantwith Maggie. Of course, Jules and Cole moved right next door with their little boy, Matthew.
My husband had been on a mission since he saw Gnomen and Gnomar on my kitchen island. He’d been buying me gnomes whenever he found one he thought I’d like. I loved them all, even Jernome, but Gnomen would always be my favorite. My collection of gnomes were all over our lawn, and Easton happily paid the fines to the HOA every month.
“We’re here,” Jules called out while we were saying goodbye to Maggie.
“Here,” Matthew called out.