He’d teach them to ride a bike, to bait a fishing hook no matter if they had boys or girls. They’d spend weekends at the beach building sandcastles and flying kites. And every night he was home, he’d hold her tight and every day he’d thank God for the time she nearly ran him over in the hospital parking lot.
Now that he’d imagined the possibilities, returning to the army and resuming his career as a special ops medic would no longer be enough. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Rachel. He wanted this baby. And more children. Then grandchildren. Suddenly, he wanted everything.
And to get that, he knew exactly what he needed to do.
But the clock said it was only a little after five in the morning and no respectable jewelry store in a ninety-mile radius opened before ten. For a moment he considered waking her and asking her to marry him right then and there. But he screwed so many things up between them that he was determined to do this one thing right. He wanted to have a ring in hand, maybe even get down on bended knee. Either way, it meant he’d have to wait. So he slid out of bed, changed into his running gear and hit the pavement in the hopes of running off some of his nervous energy.
As his feet pounded the blacktop, he knew in his gut everything would work out right. They’d have to be apart for a little while since she couldn’t be with him for the twelve weeks he’d be in RASP. But as soon as he was assigned to a battalion, whether it be in Washington state or Georgia, he’d find a place for them to live off-post, and then, finally, they’d be able to start their life together.
He could hardly wait.
Lucky had run several miles already when he turned down the two-lane road past Rachel’s place. Her trailer had just appeared over the hill when he noticed the familiar silver pickup towing a fishing boat coming to a stop at the end of the drive.
As he got closer, the window eased down and Rachel’s landlord waved his hand. “I wondered if that was you. You’re about the only person I know who runs out this way. How are you doin’ this morning?”
“Not too bad. How about yourself?”
“Can’t complain. How’s your girl doing?”
Lucky rested his hands on his hips, taking a second to catch his breath. “She hasn’t been feeling well, so I loaded her up and took her to my house.”
Walter chuckled. “Wanted something more to sit on than those silly camping chairs she’s got?”
“That and cable.”
“Can’t say as I blame ya.” Walter shook his head. “I have an old couch in storage that I offered her to use, but she said she’s saving up for one she found in a magazine. And that she’s more motivated to save her pennies if she’s having to use those chairs.”
Lucky knew just the couch he was talking about. The page Rachel ripped from a Pottery Barn catalog had been hanging on her refrigerator for weeks. Her plan was to wait until after Christmas to order it and pay cash. Little did she know he’d ordered it a couple of weeks before as her present even though it wouldn’t arrive until after Christmas.
They chatted for a few more minutes until Walter slapped his hand on the door frame.
“Well, I better get going. Those fish won’t be bitin’ forever. Tell Rachel to feel better.”
“Will do.”
Lucky waved goodbye and continued on with his run with an idiotic grin on his face. This was the happiest he’d been in weeks. Even when he and Rachel had moved forward with their relationship, there still had been something missing. But once he signed that contract to reenlist, he knew that hole had been filled. Now all he needed to do was hang on to her.
She was still asleep when he returned home, sprawled out facedown across the bed, her face hidden from view by all that fiery red hair. The blankets hung off the far side of the bed so he straightened them out and pulled the covers up to her shoulders. She stirred a moment, but thankfully she quickly fell back to sleep. So he showered, dressed, and left a note on the refrigerator that he’d be back by lunch at the latest and if she needed anything to give him a call.
The three hours he spent driving to Dallas and back he tried to work out in his head what he was going to say and do. The older saleslady recommended he just speak from his heart and not worry about rehearsing anything. The younger sales guy told him to just give her the box because “ ’nough said.” It was safe to say that Lucky wouldn’t take his advice. If ever there was a time to talk to one of the married guys from regiment, it was now. They’d give him good advice. But he sure as hell wouldn’t ask Gibby his opinion.
As he crossed the Red River back into Oklahoma, his excitement reached epic proportions knowing he’d be home within a matter of minutes. And the closer he got to home, the faster he drove. He’d barely turned off his Jeep when his feet hit the ground and he was jogging up the front steps to his house. As he unlocked the door, the thought crossed his mind he should have brought her flowers. But it was too late now because there was no way he was waiting another minute to ask Rachel to marry him.
The moment he walked through the door he was calling out her name, finally finding her sitting on the edge of his bed as she slipped fuzzy socks on her feet.
“You’re up.”
She smiled weakly. “Shocking, I know.”
It was obvious she didn’t feel well. Her blue eyes weren’t as bright and her lips were pale. Most of her copper red hair was piled on top of her head and secured with a rubber band and she was wearing the same clothes she did the day before. But she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.
“Morning sickness?”
“More like morning, afternoon, and evening sickness.”
“Well, maybe this will make you feel better.”
And before he knew it, he pulled the ring box from his pocket and dropped to one knee at her feet. “Rachel Dellinger.” He eased the box open and looked into those big blue eyes. “Will you marry me?”
HOW MUCH TIME over the course of her life had she imagined this very moment? The face of the man kneeling at her feet had changed several times over the years. The setting was usually more romantic with flowers and candlelight. And she sure as hell wasn’t wearing yoga pants and a sweatshirt. The ring, however, was far better than anything she’d dared to imagine.
Rachel stared at the diamond solitaire nestled in the black velvet box he held out in front of her. Her eyes drifted up to meet his to see the smile on his face had reached his dark brown eyes. He didn’t look like a man who was proposing marriage out of obligation, but deep in the pit of her stomach she felt she’d forced his hand. Because he was a good man. A loyal man.
“You’re killing me, Shortcake.”
All those times she’d daydreamed about this moment, she’d never imagined it would go down like this.
Rachel covered the small box in his palm with her hand, unable to look at it anymore.
“I can’t,” she said through tears that sprung up instantaneously. “I’m sorry, Lucky. I’m so, so sorry.”
She didn’t know how he would react, what he would say. But she definitely didn’t expect him to snap the small box shut, stuff it into the front pocket of his jeans, then sit beside her on the edge of the bed. Even more surprising, he pulled her into the warm embrace of his arms and held her tight as she cried.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” he said against her temple. “It’s a really big step. One you need to be sure of. I’ve had more time to consider this. Take your time. There’s no rush.”
She turned her head, resting her cheek on his shoulder. “You sure about that? Don’t most shotgun weddings occur before the baby’s birth?”
Lucky’s arms tightened around her, pulling her even closer. “Don’t think of it that way. No one has a gun held to my head. No one is forcing me to propose. You of all people should know no one makes me do anything. I go with my gut, my heart. Would you at least try the ring on for me?” he asked wh
ile pulling the velvet box from his pocket for the second time. “I had to guess since I have no idea what size you wear.”
“Why does it matter? You’re only going to return it.”
“You don’t know me very well if you think one little ‘no’ will deter me. This way, if it’s the wrong size, I can be sure to have it resized before I ask you the next time.”
Before she could protest, Lucky plucked the ring from its little nest and slid it on her finger. And of course it fit perfectly. The facets caught the bright sunlight streaming through the window and shot sparks of color around the room.
“It’s beautiful.”
He tipped her chin upward so she was looking him in the eyes. “I don’t want to marry you because some people in this world think it’s the right thing to do. I want to marry you because I love you.” His hand cupped her face, his thumb caressing her cheek, her lips. “Believe it or not, I’ve loved you a lot longer than a month.” And then he smiled. “So if anyone in this room trapped someone into marriage, it was me and my supersperm. Not even Plan B can stop them.”
She laughed then. “Damn your supersperm.”
He, of course, smiled proudly.
“So you take all the time you need. I’m willing to give it to you.”
Rachel looked down at the ring on her hand as she fiddled with the unfamiliar weight on her finger. “I do have one request.”
“Anything you want. Just name it.”
She slid the ring off her finger and handed it back to him. “I think it’s time for you to take me home.”
IGNORING HIS GUT instincts and what he wanted, Lucky did as she asked and drove her home. When they arrived at her place, he followed her inside, carrying the small bag she packed the day before and the few groceries he’d bought. As Rachel disappeared into the bedroom, he remained on the entryway tile, uncertain as to whether she wanted him to stay or to go.
A few minutes later when she emerged with a load of clothes in her arms, he was still standing there.
“What are you doing?” she asked as she breezed through the living room to the small laundry room off the kitchen. He heard the water start, the washer lid slam shut, and then she was back, that little crease between her brows and her arms crossed over her chest. “Why are you just standing there?”
“I wasn’t sure I was invited in. And I didn’t want to just dump your things and leave.”
Her expression softened and her hands fell to her sides. “You’re always welcome here, Lucky. Day or night. You have an open invitation.”
“Okay, then.” He carried her small duffel into her room, then put the grocery bags on the counter. “Just so you know, I’m not giving up on us.”
“I didn’t expect you would.”
She stared at him with those bright blue eyes, the one corner of her mouth hiked up higher than the other. For a moment, as they stood in the silence just staring at each other, he honestly thought she was going to change her mind. He could feel it building between them, just another minute or two . . .
Without any warning she turned and headed into the kitchen, strategically putting the breakfast bar between them. “I thought I should take advantage of the fact I’m feeling a bit better. For now, I’m just going to do some laundry, clean my bathroom, and probably take a nap. Surely, there’s something else you’d rather be doing?”
He wanted to spend every minute with her that he could before he left for Benning, but there were other things he needed to do. Like get his fitness back up before he showed up for RASP. “I should probably go work out.”
“Didn’t you run this morning?”
He nearly laughed. “I did. But a two-hour run won’t be enough to get me through a twenty-hour day.”
“My God. What all do they make you do there?”
Lucky did laugh then. “Shortcake, you don’t want to know.”
So he put on his best smile and kissed her goodbye, promising to return with dinner. With several hours to kill he headed for the gym and put himself through a vigorous workout that would make his Ranger buddies proud. Pull-ups. Push-ups. Flutter kicks. Weights. Another five-mile run.
It distracted him for a while, but the minute he finished, he decided to go talk to the one person he could always count on. And man, did he have a lot of explaining to do.
He drove across town to the house where his dad lived now and rang the doorbell. The look on his face must have said it all, because the moment Brenda laid eyes on him after opening the door, she immediately went to fetch his dad. No rambling small talk. No offering of food or drink. No teasing remarks about how he needed more meat on his bones and a new razor.
His father greeted him with a hug, held him a little tighter and a little longer than usual before they finally took a seat in the living room. Since Lucky had pretty much avoided his father for the past few weeks he didn’t even know about his being thrown out of the ER and his subsequent resignation. So he spent the first twenty minutes explaining everything that happened in that emergency room weeks before.
“The woman lived, right? Sounds to me like you did the right thing. I’m sure her family appreciates all that you did.”
“But I knowingly violated hospital policy.”
“You saved a life.”
“I know that . . .”
“Then focus on that. You saved her life,” his father said, arm waving as he spoke. “I couldn’t do that. Brenda couldn’t do that. Ninety-nine percent of the people in this town couldn’t do that.”
“But that’s not all.” Lucky winced, knowing his father was far more likely to be upset he’d taken so long to tell him. “When I went to Maryland, to Walter Reed, I kept seeing all these guys who’ve just come back, and knowing how much medics are needed . . .”
“You reenlisted.”
Lucky studied his father’s face. He was neither happy nor upset. No indication of any anger or hurt. Just the same neutral expression he often wore. “I did. How did you know?”
“To be perfectly honest, I’m surprised you lasted this long.” Duke shrugged. “As much as I love having you home and seeing you every week, you don’t belong here. You were destined for far greater things than this small town. Even if you’d gone on to medical school and become a doctor, you still wouldn’t have fit here. But I have to wonder what Rachel thinks?”
And he knew this would be the hardest part of this visit. How was he going to explain to his father that not only was he leaving town and the woman he loved, but one who also happened to be pregnant with his child?
“There’s something else.”
His father didn’t say anything, just waited for him to speak.
“Rachel’s pregnant.”
Still no significant reaction. “And?”
“I don’t know. I’ve messed everything up, Dad.” Lucky rose to his feet and began pacing around the living room. “I immediately bought a ring and proposed to her. Not solely because of the baby, but because I love her. And I want to marry her and spend the rest of my life with her.”
“And she doesn’t want that?”
“It’s just like you’d warned me all those weeks ago. That she might never leave this town.” Lucky growled and pulled at his hair in frustration. He swore out loud and immediately held up a hand in apology. “Sorry,” he said as he resumed his pacing. “It’s just that I don’t want to be an absentee parent. I don’t want to be like Mom. I want to know my kid. I want to teach them to tie their shoes and ride a bicycle. I want to be more than the occasional email or annual birthday phone call.”
“Then that’s what you’ll do.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t report to Benning. I can get out of it. I can tell them there’s extenuating circumstances and that I didn’t know she was pregnant at the time I reenlisted. It’s not like the army could do anything to me. And if I go back to school here, at least I’d be
close to Rachel and the baby. I could help out at least. Maybe I could get my job back at the hospital. Or find an ambulance service I can work at.”
His father leaned forward in his recliner and pointed directly at him. “No,” he said emphatically. “Whatever you do, do not do that.”
Lucky stopped in his tracks. “Why would you say that?”
“Because I know you. You won’t be any happier here for the long term than your mother was. And your child will know it. They’ll feel it. It’s exactly why I told your mother to go. I know you missed her. I did, too. But if she had stayed, she would have done far more damage in the long run. I wanted you to miss your mother, not resent her.”
Lucky made one last trip across the living room before he fell back onto the sofa. He rested his elbows on his knees and scrubbed his face with his hands. “You do realize if I can’t convince her to go with me, you’ll end up seeing my kid more than I will.”
“Have a little faith. That girl loves you. Anyone who sees the two of you together knows it. She’s got a lot on her plate at the moment. Let her get it all sorted out. And I bet money she’ll come around.”
Dear God, how he hoped his father was right.
Chapter Twenty-Four
AS IT TURNED out, two and a half weeks was not enough time to convince Rachel to marry him. And from where he stood, halfway across the country in the barracks in Fort Benning, Georgia, the possibility of her never marrying him looked pretty damn likely. He had no choice but to leave the decision in her hands along with the ring he bought her. He could only hope and pray that the three months she’d have to think about it while he was in RASP would be enough.
Not much about RASP had really changed since he went through it a decade earlier—except for the name. The same Ranger hopefuls who talked the biggest game before things got started were usually the first ones to quit. And while many of the recruits were the same age as Brittany and her crowd of giggling friends, these guys didn’t spend their time talking about The Real Housewives or One Direction. Many of them did, however, spend a great deal of time talking about how much they kicked ass at HALO or Call of Duty and arguing over which video game was better.
Here And Now (American Valor 2) Page 23