Page 222 of True Blue

“You’ll be Dr. Williams⁠—”

“No,” she says firmly. “Absolutely not.”

“Wait—what?” I ask.

Indie smiles shyly. “I’ve been thinking about that. I don’t want to take your last name when we get married.”

The word makes me smile when I realize she still wants to get married to me. “That’s fine, lots of people are⁠—”

“But I don’t think I want to be Dr. Miller anymore either.”

I blink at her, confused. Indie sighs, running her hands through my chest hair and smiling when she feels the rumble in my chest. Her hands always do that.

“What do you mean, baby?”

“So,” she starts, eyes not meeting mine. “I was talking to Mimi about it, and she said that her sister and her sister’s wife chose their own last name because neither was attached to their last names. I was…”

She trails off, eyes shifting like she’s nervous. I reach up and cradle her cheek. “Tell me, honey. You can tell me anything.”

“I was thinking we could take Ambrose as our last name.”

My heart stops as I stare up at this wonderful woman. Ambrose. Pop’s last name died with Nana, since my mother was hellbent on being in a traditional marriage with traditional values. As were my aunts. Indie wants to take Ambrose as her last name.

I could have Ambrose as my last name.

Indie and Teddy Ambrose.

Dr. and Mr. Ambrose.

My body is already moving, standing up from the bed, arms wrapped around Indie, who squeals with laughter as she wraps her arms around my neck.

“Teddy, you’re still inside of me!”

“No place I’d rather be,” I say, squeezing her ass as I walk us, both still naked, me still inside of her and growing harder by the second.

She giggles as I carry her to the closet, crouching and somehow grabbing the fire safe. With one hand, I open it with the code, and Indie watches as I grab the small box and bring it between us.

Indie flips it open with shaky fingers.

When she sees the ring, her eyes go big and teary.

“Teddy…”

“I love you, Indie. You are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I bought this ring when I wasn’t worthy to be your husband. But now I think I am. I wanted to be a man you were proud to stand next to⁠—”

“You are. You always were, you just had to believe it,” she laughs wetly, cupping my cheek. “Silly bear.”

I press a kiss to her palm.

“Will you marry me, Indie?”

Indie presses a long kiss to my lips.

Then, she murmurs. “Yes, Teddy.”

My stomach flips.

“Yes?”