Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
“Alright, I’m assuming you already told Kennedy your idea on names,” I ask for good measure.
“Only about every time she’s been over here. Now, skedaddle. I’m going to take a nap.” She pulls my head down, kisses my forehead, and then closes her eyes. I slip away quietly, say my goodbyes to my parents, trying to hold on to the good instead of the bad. But I can’t help thinking today is my final goodbye to my Gran.
--
“Kennedy, Briar, where are my girls?” I call, opening the front door. I didn’t come home right away after leaving Gran’s. Since Mom and Dad’s house is in Kennedy and Asher’s mom’s neighborhood, I stopped by to talk to them, letting them know when I’d be popping the question, and they welcomed me with open arms. I probably should have gone to Kennedy’s dad’s house, but they haven’t been talking recently, and he’s out of town. When I mentioned it to Mike, he shook his head, grumbled under his breath that he should get his shit together before it's too late. I didn’t say anything, though I damn sure agree. I needed to drive around a little bit with everything going on with Gran, to kind of clear my head, and then call Asher. I let him know what I was doing, and he gave me his blessing, though I’d have still asked without it.
“Trent!” Briar barrels into me head on. I dip down, pick her up, and hug her close to my chest.
“How was your day, sweetheart?” I ask the same question I do every day. Sometimes I get one-word answers, some days she spills all the tea from her day at elementary school.
“Good, Mommy and I are cooking dinner. Wanna help?”
“Yep, let’s go help her out.” I set her down, then Briar grabs my hand and leads me through the house. Kennedy has put her stamp on our place. There’s a multitude of pictures that weren’t there before, some candid, some posed, most of them have the three of us, and then there are a few where it’s the two of us.
“Hi, there, honey. You’re home earlier than you thought,” Kennedy says, putting the spoon on the rest she placed in the middle of the stovetop.
“Hey, babe, stopped to see Gran today.” She comes to me immediately, arms looping around my neck and holding me tightly. Yeah, my woman gets it. She must have seen it for herself, or Gran herself let her know in some type of way.
“You okay?” I nod, dipping my head and pressing my lips against hers. Briar wraps her arms around both of our legs, making it a group hug. There’s no better time than now.
“I am.” I pull back. “I’ve got a question for you, Briar.” I get down one knee, pull the ring from my pocket I bought her, and hold it out.
“Oh my god,” Kennedy breathes out. Briar is looking from me to her mom and then to the ring.
“Will you accept this ring to be my daughter and allow me the pleasure of marrying your mommy?” Briar nods. Before I can add on the last part about me loving her like my own, she launches her little body into my arms and hugs me so tightly, she makes it hard to take a deep breath.
“Does this mean you’ll be my daddy?” she asks in a whisper, but it comes out loud enough Kennedy can hear her question.
“Yeah, sweetheart, that’s exactly what it means. I love you.” She lets go of me a little bit, and I manage to wipe away a stray tear before sliding the gold band with her birth stone on her right ring finger.
“I love you, Daddy. So much.” I’m knocked flat on my ass. Briar needs me as much as I need her. Fuck, but I love her. It doesn’t matter that she didn’t come from me; she’s mine in every way imaginable.
“I love you, too. Want to help me ask your momma next?” I hand her the ring but stay planted on one knee, looking up at Kennedy. Tears are heavily streaming down her cheeks, hands covering her mouth, and she’s never looked prettier.
“Kennedy Fontaine, marry me. Make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife.”
“Yes, god, yes.” This time, I really am on my ass, with my girls, and I’d happily stay here forever. My mouth seeks hers, and she mutters, “I love you, Trent Hawthorne, with everything I am, and I’m going to love you until I can’t love you anymore.” I’d deepen our kiss, except we’ve got Briar in our arms, and she doesn’t need a damn anatomy lesson. I’ll be saving that for later.
“I love you, forever.”
“Put the ring on Mommy. It’s beautiful!” Briar holds it out, and I help her slide the ring on Kennedy’s finger, exactly where it’s meant to be.