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Meagan was beside herself with joy at Guy's generous gift. She hugged him tightly and exclaimed, "You're the best brother ever!" He smiled modestly, pleased that she liked the surprise.
Megs grabbed both of our hands, "Whose idea was this?"
I looked at Guy, and he looked at me. Finally, I explained, "Well, when Guy heard I had bought you a ring, he suggested he wanted us to live nearby. I'm tired of my man cave, and I know you aren't a fan.... although, you've been a real trooper, Megs." I pulled her in for a hug, leaving out how Guy was also motivated to make the offer so Martha could move into the guesthouse. I figured that would be a good story to tell in years to come, but best kept between us men for now.
"Let's look around, shall we!" Ariel gestured toward the kitchen.
Our rustic cabin excursion held many surprises, including the charming two-bedroom, one-bath abode perfectly sized for our family of three. As Meagan's eyes brimmed with tears of joy, she exclaimed excitedly: "It is perfect!"
"The large back porch off the kitchen could be easily sectioned to create a spectacular master bath," I suggested.
When Megs and I hugged, I felt like the luckiest man in the world. "Thank you from the depths of my heart. This will be our little slice of heaven."
"How much longer do we have to stay at your apartment? I can't wait to get moved...."
"I've already contacted a designer and a contractor. All we were waiting for was for you to say "yes."
"I can't wait to get started," Megs kissed me and hugged Guy one last time.
"Ariel, let's get out of here it’s time for dinner. Jonathan will be starved,” Guy said, grabbing Ariel's hand.
Ariel turned to me at the door and asked, "Don't you have a doctor's appointment tomorrow.... and your first ultrasound?"
I nodded, "Yes. We can't wait."
"Just remember what I told you a few months ago when we had our heart-to-heart...No matter what happens, if you truly want a family, you'll make it happen!"
“Fingers crossed,” Megs answered.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Meagan
A soft, tender touch on my shoulder stirred me from slumber. As I opened my eyes, there was Chase with a breakfast tray in hand with an inviting grin spread across his face. A savory scent of eggs and bacon permeated the air, making my stomach grumble hungrily. "Oh, good morning…what a surprise.”
"Rise and shine, sleepyhead," Chase said gently as he set the tray on my nightstand. His eyes gleamed in the sun's rays once he opened the curtains, ushering its inviting glow into our room.
Sleepily I propped myself up, admiring his bare chest while he arranged my breakfast on the nightstand. "What an excellent way to start the day! This could become a habit."
Chase passed me a mischievous smile. "I wanted to give you a proper breakfast in bed on this special day now that we finally get to meet our little one. There's enough for both of us," he said, rearranging the plates on my nightstand. To complete the table setting, Chase artfully set a bowl of delectable fruit in the center and placed an inviting mug of hot decaf coffee beside it.
In shock, I couldn't contain my joy as I glanced up at him. His careful attention to detail was awe-inspiring and filled me with immense contentment. Chase then sat beside me, handing me a fork from the tray. We settled on the bed side-by-side and relished our breakfast while discussing our last-minute plans.
As I spread my toast with jam, I inquired, "Can you clarify our plans after the doctor's appointment? You mentioned something about Mitch calling last night, but I don't remember what you said. I was dozing off."
"Sure. Well, Mitch phoned us to let us know the patent for our Golden Key software was granted. Consequently, we were able to block Valley Tech from applying for the grant — leaving only ourselves as potential contenders — according to Ms. Hawkins."
"So, does that mean we will for sure get the funding?" I asked. "And I thought you mentioned a trip somewhere."
"Not sure about the funding exactly, and yes, Mitch called after you were in bed," Chase replied with a smile as he nibbled on his bacon. "He's renting out a private jet for us to take all the staff to Vail over a long weekend. So, we can ski and celebrate our win together."
Chase then explained how this could be an excellent opportunity for us to relax with everyone on the team after all the stress with the grant and the criminal case still hanging over our heads.
"I'm pretty sure Mitch was thinking of us... most especially you. Your recovery has been nothing short of a miracle. But then, when it seemed impossible, you got pregnant — something we both secretly wanted but needed a little push from Mother Nature to make happen!"
"This sounds like an amazing plan!" I exclaimed, not being able to contain my excitement anymore. The idea of having a ski trip with friends sounded like bliss after so many days of hard work and long hours on the project. "I'm glad he's planning it before I get too far along."
"But for now, we have more important things to attend to. So go take your shower while I clean up the kitchen. Your appointment is at ten o'clock."
