Page 152 of Kaden & Keegan
Bristol choked out a laugh which made him smile.
He’d always figured he would have some big speech prepared when he proposed to a woman. Something that reflected how he felt about her, all the promises he wanted to make, the future they would share, but as he stared up at her, emotion clogged his throat, making it impossible to speak.
He couldn’t believe they were here, at this point in their lives.
“Marry us,” Keegan rasped, swallowing past the lump in his throat.
It was then he realized he hadn’t even phrased it as a question.
Oh, well.
“We want to spend the rest of our lives with you, Bristol Adrienne Newton,” Kaden tacked on.
From the phone on the counter, Keegan heard his mother’s gasp, but he was too focused on the tears that sprang to Bristol’s eyes. His chest squeezed and for a brief moment panic flared.
“We have a ring,” he said quickly. “But it’s just not here right now.”
“I have it,” their mother shouted, as though they couldn’t hear her clearly. “They left it with me for safekeeping.”
“It belonged to our grandmother,” Kaden explained.
“My mother,” Sue Ellen clarified.
Keegan rolled his eyes, smiled. “She gave it to us and said one day we’d meet the one woman who would deserve it.”
“She was very proud of that ring,” Sue Ellen called out. “It outlived both of her husbands.”
Bristol frowned.
Kaden laughed. “Mom, that makes it sound like she was married twice.”
“Oh, sorry.” Sue Ellen giggled. “No. She was married to twins.”
Bristol’s eyes widened and a tear slipped out.
“Marry us,” Keegan repeated.
Bristol started nodding as more tears fell. “Yes. Of course. Yes.”
Sue Ellen squealed, and Keegan heard their father clear his throat. If he had to guess, his old man was fighting tears of his own. Gerald always was an old softie.
“We’re gonna have to call you back, Mom,” Keegan said in the direction of the phone.
“Oh, don’t bother, honey. We’ll see you tonight at Curtis’s.”
Keegan and Kaden got to their feet, glanced at one another, frowned.
“You’re here?” Kaden asked.
“Last night when Keegan called,” Sue Ellen said, “I figured it was a good time for us to come down, check out the real estate.”
“You’removin’here?” Kaden asked, his voice reflecting his shock.
“Figured it’s about time. I’ve got a future daughter-in-law to get to know and a grandbaby to prepare for.”
Kaden’s gaze swung over to Keegan, his eyes wide.
Oops. He might’ve left that part out.
