on crutches.”
“Oh, you need one of those wheel things, you know you rest your knee on it and drive and push with the other foot.” Harrison’s grinning. “I think my grandma used to have one.”
“Fuck off,” I grumble good-naturedly.
“We’re leaving,” Gwen says, trying like hell to hide her amusement. “Call us later. I’ll bring dinner over so you don’t have to cook.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Gabby is quick to shut down the idea.
“Nope. It’s done. We’re stopping at the store on the way home. I’ll just throw some lasagna in the crockpot or something. You have your hands full with three Callahan boys.”
“Hey,” Colt and I protest at the same time.
“Who are you calling boys? I’m all man, right, Gabs?” I smirk.
“And we’re out,” Harrison says. He hands Milo to Colton and takes Sophia from Gwen before taking her hand and disappearing behind the door.
“Call me when you’re close and I’ll come to the garage and help you get him into the house,” Colton tells Gabby.
“Thanks, Colt.” She kisses Milo on his little head and hugs my brother.
Instead of jealousy, okay, maybe a little jealousy, I feel relief. I’m so glad they get along. Gabby fits so well into my life, it’s as if she’s always been there. Like she was meant to be there.
“I think we should start planning our wedding,” I say as soon as the door closes behind Colton.
“Oh, yeah?” She smiles.
“I don’t want to wait. So, you tell me what you want, and I’ll make it happen.”
“What if I said I want a long engagement?”
I shake my head. “I can’t give you that, Gabs. I want to give you the world, but I can’t give you that. I feel like we’ve lost all these years, bickering and hiding behind what we were feeling. I want you and this baby to have my last name. No, I’m not doing this because of the baby,” I say before she can ask. “I want this. I want you, and I want it sooner rather than later.”
“Okay.”
“I— Okay?” I was prepared to plead my case.
She nods. “Let’s do it.”
Grabbing my phone that’s lying beside me on the bed, I pull up the notes app. “Tell me what you want. Big? Small? Destination? Tell me and I’ll make it happen.”
“The cabin.”
“What about the cabin?”
“I want to get married at the cabin. That’s where we met. That’s where you proposed for real.” She grins. “I just want a small intimate ceremony at the cabin.”
“What else?”
“That’s it. All I need is you.”
“Is a month long enough? I mean, you have to find a dress and stuff, right?”
“I’m sure I can find something.”
“Don’t settle.”
“It’s not about what I’ll be wearing, or where we say our vows. It’s not about who’s in attendance or what kind of food we serve. It’s about us, Chase. It’s about the love that we’re going to pledge to one another. It’s about the miracle that is this baby we created together. Nothing else really matters. We can wear jeans for all I care. I just want the day to be a celebration of love.”
“Fuck.” I reach out, slide my hand behind her neck, and pull her into a kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Wow,” the doctor says, laughing. “Sorry to interrupt. I have your discharge papers here. Do you have any questions?”
“No.” I’m ready to get the hell out of here.
“This is Jackie, your nurse. She’ll go through your discharge and follow-up instructions. Once she’s done, you’re free to go.”
“Thank you,” Gabby and I say at the same time. Thirty minutes later, Jackie is wheeling me outside in a wheelchair.
“Why do you have Gwen’s car?”
“Because Colt drove me last night, and I wasn’t leaving you. I asked them to drop it off to me today. Colt can’t drive two cars. When they come over later, they’ll pick it up.” With that, she opens the door and Jackie helps me into the passenger seat.
All the way home, I keep my hand on her knee as we discuss our wedding. There is a lightness to her, and excitement fills her voice. I’m glad. I want this day to be her dream wedding. For me, I couldn’t care less where we marry, what we wear, or who’s there. I just want to give her my last name. Tie her world with mine permanently. It’s fast, but really when you think about it, it’s not. We’ve been dancing around our attraction for years. That’s one long stint of foreplay. I’m