Page 127 of Already Callin’ You Mine

Presley gasps again, a hand flying over her mouth. I flash a quick smile back at her, but then turn to the one whose answer I’m waiting on.

Otis frowns, his little mouth turned downward. “But what about Mama?”

Oh, my heart…

This kid owns me. Heart and soul. If he only knew how much.

I smirk, loving that he just gave me the most perfect segue ever. It’s almost like we planned this. Only, there’s no way I could have ever planned something this perfect.

“If I had a way to make it so Mama wasn’t left out, would you say yes?”

Otis nods emphatically, as if everything in the world were that simple. Good thing this one is.

“That’s what I thought you’d say, Little Man. Which leads me to my next question…”

Sliding off the couch, I land on one knee and dig into my pocket. The fire crackles behind me, as if on cue, all of my senses on high alert.

“Seventeen years ago, you walked into my life, Presley, and I was…stupid. And because of that, I missed out on you. Thankfully, the universe gave me another shot. One I almost missed again. Because I’m a jack⁠—”

I cut myself off, Otis’s attention catching me off guard. Behind him, Presley snickers, knowing exactly what I was about to say.

“Rabbit,” I save. “I was a jackrabbit.”

I clear my throat, trying to remember everything I rehearsed in the shower this morning. It was so easy then, coming up with the perfect words to tell her how much I love her. How I want her and Otis and a family together. How I plain old want her—mommy tummy, tiger stripes, and all. That all the pieces of herself that she’s self-conscious about are some of the parts I adore the most. Because they’re what makes her her.

Right now, here in this moment, down on one knee, I can’t remember a damn thing though. It’s all mush inside my brain, that I need to not be mush when it comes out of my mouth.

Now is not the time to word vomit.

“What I mean is…” I swallow hard. “Presley, I love you. So much. You are the center of my world. I know I said that I don’t know what the future looks like, and I didn’t become psychic between then and now, but I know what I want it to look like. What it looks like in my brain. And that’s you and me. And Little Man, and whoever else comes along.”

I pull the ring box out of my pocket, but I don’t flip it open quite yet. There’s still more I need to say.

“I want to spend my life with you. Packing lunches, cleaning up puke, dealing with whose turn it is to take out the trash. I wanna argue over what’s for dinner, and whose parents we’re going to spend a holiday with. Or for you to get grumpy because I overdid it for a birthday or Christmas, which I won’t ever stop doing. I want for you to be Mama, and me to be Dad, and our life to be so wildly wonderful we make everyone sick looking at us.”

Slowly, I open the blue velvet box, my heart skipping a beat. It took some doing, trying to figure out exactly what kind of ring to get her, but I managed it. Mostly thanks to her mom, who somehow had access to a secret file of exactly what Presley had been dreaming about.

“Presley Elyse Callahan, will you marry me?”

“Yes!” Otis screams.

Well, that settles that…

There’s no holding back my laugh. I let it out, squeezing my eyes shut, my heart ready to burst. At least one of them is on board.

I look up at Presley and the tears in her eyes, waiting for her to answer. The tears, paired with that perfect smile, tell me everything.

“Of course,” she whispers. “I choose you.”

Grabbing her hand, I slip the ring on and push up to my feet, just enough to kiss her. It’s quick, sweet, and at an awkward angle with a kiddo in between us, but couldn’t be more perfect. I want a million more just like it, and can’t wait for a lifetime full of them.

I want another one, so I lean in again, but I’m cut off by an unmistakable chime.

“Doorbell!” Otis announces, as if we didn’t hear it ourselves. Pushing out from between us, he takes off running again.

“Who did you invite over?” Presley asks.

“No one,” I say honestly. “This was supposed to be just an us moment.”

Nodding, she sighs, accepting my answer as she pushes to her feet. I stop her, stealing a quick kiss.

“Sit, relax. Let me.”

“You sure?”

“I told you, Mama. I got you.”