by Reese, K. R.
“It’s alright you guys. You can come in. Happy tears.”
Trevor and Michael stepped further into the room then, sitting food on the table in front of them. “We got food for everyone.”
Michael walked over and reached out for Lillian. Ashlee watched at how well he was with her, how gentle. He walked to the other side of the room and sat down in the chair, placing her on his chest. Ashlee vaguely heard him whispering things to her, but she couldn’t make out what they were. A smile came to her lips. Tonight couldn’t be any more perfect.
Chapter Eighteen
Nothing had changed with their relationship. Ashlee had to keep reminding herself of that, though. Michael had bought his own place in Wilson Creek to remain close to Lillian, but he was at Ashlee’s house every day anyways. He seemed content with the situation, as it was. They had decided to have a get-together for a month after Lillian was born, to celebrate, so Ashlee was busy cleaning and cooking.
“You know everyone would have been fine with store bought lunch meat and side dishes. You didn’t have to go through this much trouble.” Michael came into the kitchen feeding Lillian.
“I miss cooking. It’s nice to have something to do that isn’t sleeping,” she said. And it was a nice excuse to have him around. Today was to celebrate the birth of their daughter. They weren’t in a relationship, not really, but they were closer than they had been when they were ever actually together. They’d bickered a few times, mainly when she was tired and just wanted to break down into tears from exhaustion, but Michael always stopped it and walked away for a few minutes.
Ashlee would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that she still loved him. They had talked after she was home from the hospital, but they also agreed it would be best to just be parents to Lillian right now. They’d often catch themselves flirting, but that was okay. She fidgeted slightly in the middle of the room. Michael had gone to lay Lillian back in her crib, nut she was sure that he would be back in a minute.
“You okay?” Michael asked, leaning against the wall.
“I’m fine. Just anxious about Nathan’s family coming.” They had invited almost the entire town of Wilson Creek, as well as her parents’ and Nathan’s family. Michael had been the one to encourage her to invite them, but it still made her nervous to think that they’d be here.
“You’ll be fine,” he assured, coming to stand beside her. He pulled her in for a hug and the electric bolt that shot through her made her heart stutter. They had avoided any type of physical contact since the night Lilly was born, and she had set those boundaries with him, but the sensation was still nice. “It’s just a casual get together, Ash.”
“It’s casual, but it doesn’t feel that way. You haven’t met my parents’ or Nathan’s. They are… classy. Wine and floral wear to all events. Besides, if its casual, why are you dressing up?”
He lowered his head to whisper in her ear. “Because I remember what dress shirts do to you,” he answered briefly, pulling away and going out of the kitchen. That was the most unromantic thing he could have said to her, but damn it if it didn’t set off fireworks in her entire body. Ashlee didn’t want things to be awkward between them, but she didn’t want this feeling of pure bliss to disappear either. A knock at the door had her wiping the sweat from her hands and fixing her hair. She hugged Ella as soon as she was through the door.
“How you holding up, mama?” Ella asked when Trevor went to find Michael.
“I’m okay. Still getting into a routine, but it’s getting better.”
Trevor came back into the kitchen with them, wrapping an arm around Ella’s waist and kissing her head. Ashlee felt a pang of jealousy at her friend’s happiness, then hated herself for it. Ella and Trevor’s relationship hadn’t always been perfect. They had to fight through a lot of obstacles and past hurts before getting to this point. It didn’t change the fact that she wanted all of that someday.
As more people poured into the house, Ashlee made herself scarce. After everybody had arrived, Michael came in and pulled her in front of everyone. She wasn’t comfortable with all eyes on her, and this celebration didn’t change that. Everyone’s attention was on them, looking at them as a family, when they were far from it.
“I wanted to stand up here with Ashlee and our daughter, and thank everyone individually for a lot of different things. But, that just doesn’t seem right anymore.”
Ashlee scrunched her eyebrows together. What changed his mind? What was wrong? She watched as a smile lit up his face and he shook his head.
“About a year ago, I attended my brother’s wedding. I hadn’t been home in a long time, even when I should have, and I didn’t plan on staying for more than twenty-four hours. But, then I met this beautiful, green-eyed woman who was frantic and seemed a little unsteady.” He stopped to laugh and others joined in. “Anyways, I couldn’t figure out what it was about her that fascinated me so much. Everybody knows I’m restless; I don’t do permanent. But this woman right here,” he paused to put his arm around her shoulders. “This woman kept me home more often than I had ever dreamed of. She became very important in my life the moment she looked right at me, told me what an asshole I was, and told me exactly how she felt about my behavior.”
Tears started to form in Ashlee’s eyes, and she looked down.
“This woman right here has more loyalty, courage and strength than anyone I’ve ever met. And all of those qualities aren’t even why I’m in love with her.”
Michael turned to her then, placing his hands on her hips because she was holding Lilly. Ashlee felt the flush begin to creep up her neck and into her cheeks. “Ashlee, I am in love with you. When I wake up in the morning, you’re the first person I think of. When I close my eyes to go to bed at night, you’re the last person to cross my mind. I wish that all those times we spent fighting, arguing and spitting fire at each other could’ve been filled with smiles and laughter. These feelings have been bubbling over for a while now. They aren’t going to change.”
Ashlee gasped and covered her mouth as Michael went down onto one knee. “I love you, Ash. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and Lilly.” Michael’s voice caught on their daughter’s name. Trevor came up behind him and handed him a ring. “Ashlee McCoy, will you make me the happiest person alive and do me the honor of marrying me?”
The love she saw in Michael’s eyes was genuine and real. He wasn’t asking her to marry him because they had a child together; he was asking because he truly did love her. “Oh, Michael, yes. Yes, I’ll marry you,” she sobbed, tears streaming down her face. All eyes were on them right now. He slid the ring on her finger and pulled her in close. He leaned down and lightly placed a kiss on her lips. A round of applause broke out and then they were being congratulated and passed around as a family.
After everyone had left and promised to meet for breakfast the next morning, they had bathed and fed Lilly, then laid her down for the night. Or at least a few hours. Ashlee had gone back downstairs to clean up the kitchen, and Michael had to drag her up the stairs to get some rest. It had been a long day for everyone, but his nerves had made it an extremely long day for him. Trevor had been in on the planning with him, but he had sworn him to secrecy in not telling Ella.
Now, he was lying in bed, watching Ashlee sleep and couldn’t imagine a more perfect night. Michael hadn’t known what her reaction would be when he got down on his knee, but he had to hope for the best. He almost backed out of the idea more than once, but Trevor convinced him to do it. Ashlee could’ve said no in front of everyone they cared about, and he hoped in the morning that she wouldn’t change her mind.
Scooting closer to where she was laying, he felt content. He felt complete. Today would forever be engrained in his mind as the second-best day of his life. The birth of Lilly would always be the first. As the moon shown through the curtains in the bedroom, Michael closed his eyes and had to smile.
Wilson Creek was the place he was supposed to be all along. It took him awhile
to come home, but now that he was, there wasn’t anywhere else he’d rather be.
THE END
From the Author
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Wilson Creek series
Come Back to Me
Fall for Me
Rescue Me*
Summer 2017
Chapter Fourteen