Page 76 of The Dare

“Of course,” I tell her, patting my breast pocket and pecking her cheek.

Nobody pays Michael Stapleton’s way. Plus, I know for a fact that Neil couldn’t afford one wedding, let alone two plus whatever else he’s arranged.

His intentions and his heart are definitely in the right place. The zeros and commas in his bank balance aren’t.

But they will be once he banks this check.

My present to him and Renee, congratulating them on renewing their vows.

“I’ll see you out there, huh?” I ask.

“I should hope so!” she says jokingly but really covering her own nerves with laughter.

I open my mouth to say it, to tell her how much I love her but she asks me with her eyes to save it.

Tell me at the altar… as my husband.

* * *

“Some honeymoon?” I remark, slapping my hands free from the dust before getting back in the truck after changing the second tire of our trip.

“Would you rather—” she starts to ask, and I shake my head.

“Nah,” I tell her.

“No more trains and planes are too noisy anyway,” I remind us both. “But, if we get another flat, we’re walking the rest of the way,” I warn her and she orders me to take it back.

“Just saying,” I mumble, pulling back onto the dirt road I know leads us home.

“As long as we have fresh tires before our next big day,” Natasha remarks, running a hand across her belly again as she puffs air out of her cheeks.

“You alright?” I ask, reaching over for her.

“Yeah. Just this little guy’s really taken to moving house… literally.” She wheezes, shifting in her seat a little before settling again.

“Little guy?” I ask. “Girls can kick way better than any boy,” I say as if it’s common knowledge.

I press the brakes, easing us back onto the soft shoulder of the road.

“Wait. Did you just say, little guy?” I ask slowly, noticing her growing smile as she reaches for something.

“I know you wanted it to be a surprise… so… surprise!” she says, excited but tired at the same time as she produces a little blue velvet box.

“What’s this?” I ask, shutting off the motor, feeling emotional before I even open it.

“It’s his ultrasound image… I know you wanted to wait to find out, but I couldn’t. I had the jeweler set a little holographic image of it into a pendant.”

I open the box, gasping as I see a three-dimensional rainbow image of our unborn son, dancing on a chain set with a single diamond.

“Oh, baby… It’s beautiful,” I cough, kissing away her tears and adding a few of my own in the process.

“I didn’t think we were getting each other anything though?” I ask her, feeling like I should’ve.

Like I would’ve if I’d known she was gonna do this.

“You’ve already given me the greatest gift, Michael,” she reminds me, pressing my hand over our son inside her belly.

The sight of the homestead as we wind our way home for the first time as a family is something I’ll cherish.