Serena and Milo entered. A bucket seat was slung over Milo’s arm. Their eight-month-old son, Austin, blabbered away as Milo hefted him out of the seat and Serena handed gift bags to Dani. A few minutes later, Peyton’s adoptive parents and Rhett’s parents arrived, and the party was in full swing.
They’d spent the evening laughing, passing around Austin, opening gifts, and talking about her pregnancy. After dinner, Rhett stood and held up a glass of non-alcoholic champagne and lifted it toward the table. He’d told Peyton he didn’t want to drink alcohol when she couldn’t, but he’d bought an expensive bottle to celebrate with after the baby was born. “Thanks, everyone, for coming, and for all the lovely gifts. Clarkson is so lucky and spoiled already—I can’t wait to see how much happiness he brings our families.”
Peyton settled back in her seat and folded her hands over her jumping belly. Rhett would be disappointed he’d missed Clarkson’s gymnastic work, but she didn’t want to stop his speech. Glancing across the table, she saw her adoptive mother’s eyes fill with tears. She winked at Peyton and nodded toward Rhett. Peyton hadn’t realized how much, deep down, she’d strived for her adoptive parents’ approval over the years. She’d kept their relationship at arm’s length because she knew her life path was a disappointment. After she’d tossed all her equipment and moved her cash into investments and savings, she’d confessed the truth about her career to her mom and dad and vowed that things would be different now. Maybe that’s why Loretta was staring at Rhett with hearts in her eyes.
Suddenly, Rhett turned and faced her, and then moved his chair out of the way and dropped to one knee. The air left her lungs. He picked up her hand and placed his free one on top of Clarkson’s foot. A fascinated grin spread across his face, like it did every time he caught his son’s movements. She felt a flash of disappointment. For a second, she’d thought he was going to propose. He must have simply sensed the action in her belly and stopped his speech.
He kissed her hand, and everyone around the table “awed.” Embarrassment brought a rush of heat to her cheeks, but she kept her gaze on Rhett.
“Peyton, I’m madly in love with you.”
Her heart rate slowed again then kick-started. She dragged in a shallow breath.
“Actually, if I’d told you I loved you when I first realized it, in Key West, you would’ve run screaming for the hills.” He shrugged. “But like my mother always said”—he looked across the table and grinned at his mom’s plump, joyful face—“‘When you know, you know.’ And I have no doubt that you’re going to be an incredible mother to our son. I pray we’re blessed with ten more babies . . .”
Her jaw dropped, and she swatted him.
“. . . and that you’ll please be my wife.”
Her stomach dropped and she sat forward in her seat. Tears, which had been rushing to her lashes more often now, as if pregnancy had removed some kind of emotional filter, rolled from the corners of her eyes. She brushed them away. “Are you s-serious?”
His gruff laugh shook away her doubt. Pleasure lit up his crystalline grays, and happiness threatened to explode from her ears.
“As a heart attack.”
She threw her arms around his neck. “Yes, I’ll marry you! Yes!”
He enclosed her in a bear hug and showered kisses on her cheek and hair. “You’ve made me so damn happy, Priss.”
She pulled away an inch and caught his cheek in her hand. “No, you’ve made me so happy. You and our son are my dreams come true. Thank you for loving me.”
He kissed her mouth, and she fought the urge to slip her tongue between his lips—later, when they didn’t have an audience. Cheers filled the room, and Rhett pulled her up to stand at his side.
She looked from one smiling face to the next—her parents, her future parents-in-law, and her friends who were closer than siblings—and her heart had never been fuller. She stared at Rhett’s profile as he grinned at their guests, and a wave of gratitude hit her. At one point in her life, she’d thought she’d never deserve this kind of happiness, had sworn it wasn’t in the cards.
She placed her hand on top of Rhett’s on her belly. This was all she’d ever wanted, and now she had found her own joy with the most incredible man, who treated her as if she were more valuable than the air he breathed.
Finally, she’d found her own family.
More Books by Samantha Keith
Dangerous Distractions series
Abducted
Bait
Exposed
Pretty Thieves series
The Last Heist
Fully Loaded
Straight Shooter
About the Author
Samantha Keith resides in Saskatchewan Canada with her husband and two daughters. Teddy, their multi-poo, completes her family. Samantha writes steamy, fast-paced romantic suspense novels in the rare moments she has uninterrupted—even interrupted, she manages to apply words to paper. Aside from her love of writing, her other interests include cooking vegan meals, fantasizing about working out, and eating far too much chocolate.
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Straight Shooter Page 21