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“Thomas?” Hadley’s brows pop up.
“My grandfather’s name,” I explain. “He built our home.”
She smiles as she looks down at the baby in her arms. “Welcome to the family, Buddy Thomas.”
When my parents take Colton and Piper back home, we’re alone again and it’s the perfect opportunity to discuss something that’s been weighing heavily on my mind. Marriage. We’ve been engaged now for a while and have only discussed getting married once. Hadley shot down the idea of a quick, courthouse wedding for several reasons.
“Call it vanity, but I don’t want a baby bump in my wedding pictures,” she told me.
“We can have another ceremony after the baby is born,” I insisted.
She shook her head. “No. I want to do it once.”
I didn’t want my own jaded perception of weddings to ruin ours. She also wanted to make sure Serena’s place in our life was settled before bringing more change to Piper and Colton’s life. I couldn’t argue with that. Serena’s return collided with Hadley’s pregnancy announcement and our lives were a little hectic.
Even with the addition of Buddy, life is more settled now. We have a schedule with Serena that works, and I see no reason why we can’t finally discuss getting married.
I know Hadley is mine forever, but I want to make it official.
I slowly walk toward the bed where she’s holding the baby against her, watching him nurse with a content smile on her lips. Fuck. She makes motherhood look sexy. She’s glowing, her body is softer, her curves more generous.
Keep your hands to yourself.
“Hadley,” I say, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “When are you going to marry me?”
She lifts her face, her gaze meeting mine. “Whenever you want.”
Now. I want to marry her now. I’m ready to run down to hospital chapel and drag the cleric back to this hospital room and do it today. And maybe she’ll finally agree but is that what I want? My first marriage was a lie, but this one will be my last and it will be real. Hadley is my forever and I want our wedding to reflect that.
I lean over and brush my lips against her, teasing her with my kiss, hinting at the filthy things I’ve envisioned over the last few weeks. “You’ve got three months, baby. Not a minute longer.”
Two days later, Hadley and Buddy are discharged from the hospital. We spend a few quiet moments together, just the three of us, settling in before my parents arrive to drop off Colton and Piper.
Colton seems disinterested in his new brother, maybe it’s because he’s already done the “big brother” thing before. Piper, however, settles into her new role as a big sister easily. She hovers nearby, ready to help me or Hadley with whatever we might need.
“He’s so cute,” she whispers before kissing the top of Buddy’s head.
“You know what’s even cuter?” Hadley asks just as the doorbell rings. “The dog we adopted from the animal shelter.”
