AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Caden gave him a challenging look. “Now would be good.”
“It’s okay,” Lexi said with a nervous giggle. “You don’t have to, Max.”
“Yes, he does. You’re having a baby. He loves you. I love you. You should get married.”
Lexi stared at Caden. “You… you love me?”
Caden shrugged. “Don’t make a big deal out of it.”
“It’s a very big deal,” Lexi said tearfully as she leaned in to hug and kiss Caden, who tolerated her affection admirably. “And guess what?”
“What?”
“I love you, too.”
Caden grinned at her.
“Hang on just a second,” Max said as he got up and left the room.
“Where’d he go?”Caden asked Lexi. “Things were just getting interesting.”
Lexi laughed as her heart pounded with excitement and anticipation. Was this really happening?
“When will the baby come?” Caden asked her.
“In the fall.”
“That’s a long time from now.”
“We’ve got a lot to do before then. It’ll be here before we know it.”
Max returned to the room, looking as undone as she felt. He moved his chair out of the way and then dropped to his knees before her. “Cade, come here, will you?” Max held out a hand to his son.
When Caden stood next to his dad, Max put an arm around him and then looked up at Lexi with his heart in his eyes. “My son and I were doing fine for years, but since you came back into my life and into his, we’ve discovered there’s a lot of ways to improve on ‘fine.’ You bring the light and the laughter and the love. So much love.” Max seemed to falter for a second before he found his composure again. “In all the years we were apart, I was looking for you, for what I have with you, and it took seeing you again to realize there’s only one you, and no one else will ever do. Will you marry me?”
“And me?” Caden added, making them laugh through tears.
“Yes,” Lexi said, reaching for them. “I’ll marry you both.”
They hugged for the longest time as tears spilled down her cheeks. This was really happening. She was going to marry Max Abbott—and his beautiful son. Dreams did come true. She was living proof of that.
“I forgot the best part,” Max said, pulling back to reach for her left hand.
Lexi held her breath as he slid a diamond solitaire onto her ring finger. “It was my grandmother’s engagement ring. Gramps gave it to me to give to you when the time was right.”
“Oh, Max, it’s beautiful! I’ll treasure it always because it was hers.”
“Why do girls cry when they’re happy?” Caden asked, making them laugh.
Max used a napkin to wipe away her tears and then kissed her.
“We cry when we’re happy because our hearts are so full, they overflow with tears,” Lexi said.
“That’s weird. Can I go watch TV?”
“After you clear the table.”
Caden made fast work of clearing the table, while Max and Lexi lingered, still in happy shock over how this evening had unfolded.
