Chapter 13

Lane’s tiny hand fit perfectly inside mine. I held on tight to it as I led her around the backside of the house. Nerves inside my skin jittered. What I was about to do hopefully would change both our lives. All I needed was for her to say yes.

“What was that about in there? Did you say something to her?” Lane asked, breaking me out of my thought process.

“No. Nothing. But she knows,” I answered.

“Why did you make such a scene at the car?”

I stopped and turned her to face me. “I’m sorry, but I was worried about you. Besides, Kathy’s smart. I’m sure she would’ve picked up on it soon anyhow. She point blank asked me in there when we were going to tell her that you’re pregnant.”

Lane gasped and brought her hand to her mouth. “Oh my God. What are we going to tell her?”

She was starting to freak, so I had to reel her back in. I placed both hands on her shoulders and dipped my head, forcing her to look me in the eye. “Don’t worry. We’re adults. Things are going to be okay. If this would’ve been five years ago, yeah she might’ve given us some shit. They all would’ve. But this baby, it’s part me and part you. Our families are going to love it.”

A single tear slipped down her cheek, and I wiped it away with my thumb. “Things will be perfect, Lane. There’s nothing we can’t accomplish together, including raising our child together. Have faith in us.”

She leaned her face into my palm, cupping it. “You really believe that?”

I nodded. “I do.”

Lane threw her arms around my neck and pressed her tiny body against mine. “I love you.”

“Forever,” I whispered before I pressed my lips to hers.

She frowned when I pulled away and grabbed her hand again. “Where are we going?”

I bit my lip. “There’s something down at the dock I want to show you.”

When we came over the hill, I turned so I could watch Lane’s expression when she saw what we had done earlier. Her eyes trailed down the dock, taking in the sight of the flower arrangements and candles lined up along the edges. The white rose petals sprinkled everywhere was the perfect touch, and I was glad Mom added that in.

“Noel…? You did all this?” she asked still not removing her eyes from the scene.

I cleared my throat. “Not totally on my own. I had some help.”

“You did?”

I nodded. “Yep. Mom and Dad.”

Her head whipped towards me. “Frank was here? Did you talk to him?”

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. “Yeah. We’re working on things.”

“That’s fantastic news!” she exclaimed, peering up at me. “I bet that makes your mom happy.”

“And me, too. It’s hard to believe how much I actually missed him. This will be a good thing, especially now.” I placed my free hand on her stomach. “Our kid should know all of his grandparents.”

“Or her grandparents,” Lane corrected.

I laughed. “Or her. Come on. There’s more.”

“More?” I could hear the skepticism in her voice.

I led her carefully down the hill, and once on the dock, I stooped down at the first arrangement and grabbed a single rose. It was a deep, rich red, and it reminded me of how deep she worked her love into my soul. Our love was eternal.

She smiled as she took it from my outstretched hand. “Oh, Noel. It’s beautiful.”

She put it to her nose and inhaled its luscious scent with her green eyes closed tight. “Yeah, you are.”

She opened her eyes and grinned at me.

We walked together to the end of the dock where two chairs faced each other surrounded by candlelight. My Gibson guitar leaned against the railing, just waiting for me to carry out my plan. I held my hand out, gesturing for Lane to take a seat.

I sat across from her and picked up my guitar. She opened her mouth to protest, but I held up a finger to cut her off. “Before you say anything just hear me out. I’ve had this planned from the moment you came back to me. Our current situation has no effect on my feelings for you, other than making me love you even more. I had no idea it was possible to love someone so much. But I love you, Lane. You are the one for me. The only girl.”

A few soft cords sounded as I strummed the cords to an acoustic version of Only Girl originally by Rihanna but sung in the style of Boyce Avenue because it fit my feelings for Lane perfectly. I sang about how she made me feel like a real man, and that she was the only one who was in control of me. I gazed into her green eyes and sang about making her my wife. She placed her fingertips to her lips as her eyes glistened.

The best part of the song was conveying that every moment with her meant everything to me. Singing was the best way I could get out everything I felt. Music spoke to my heart, and I knew from past experience it spoke to hers, too.

I bit my lip as emotions overcame my mind. The last verse came out, and I stopped strumming the guitar, completely lost in her eyes and the feelings I saw there. My voice softened as I got down on one knee in front of her and laid the instrument on the dock to continue the last chorus.

“You’re the only one who understands.” I took her left hand in mine and kissed each one of her knuckles, lingering on the one above her ring finger the longest. She was truly the only girl in the world for me.

A sniff from her drew my attention. Tears poured from her eyes, and my heart pounded in my chest unsure of what those tears meant.