Page 121 of Hash

She should be at work.

My heart is starting to race as I walk through the house trying to find her.

“Baby doll,” I call out, not finding her anywhere in the house.

I stop as I walk through the dining room into the kitchen, backtracking because I caught a glimmer of orange out of the corner of my eye.

Sure enough, there she is, sitting outside wrapped up in a blanket with the outdoor heater I bought her lit.

Her head turns my way as I open up the door and step outside and make my way over to her.

“You got here fast,” she says, a soft smile lingering on her lips.

That smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes. She’s worried about something.

“I’m not going to fuck around when you sounded like you did on the phone. What’s up?” I ask, my hand worming its way under her blanket and squeezing her thigh.

Aisling looks at me, her smile turning into a small frown as her hand moves to cover mine. “I’m just going to come out and say it.”

“That’d be much appreciated.” I’m proud of how even my voice sounds because inside I’m nervous as fuck.

Why is she acting so goddamn weird?

“I’m pregnant.”

My hand flexes on her thigh as my mind blanks as I try to process what she said.

“Hash?” she asks, sounding unsure.

She’s pregnant with my fucking baby.

She’s giving me a second chance to do it right this time.

I don’t know what I did to deserve her or this.

Aisling tries to slide her hand off of mine as she starts to pull away from me, mistaking my silence for rejection. My hand snatches hers up as I pull her into me, settling her in my lap.

“You’re fucking pregnant?” I ask as I nuzzle her neck.

“That’s what the test I took this morning says. It’s not doctor confirmed, but I wanted to talk to you first to maybe see… if you wanted to go to the appointment with me. You don’t have to if you don’t want to. It’s just a thought,” she rambles as she fidgets with her hands.

“Baby doll,” I interrupt.

“Yeah?”

“I’m going to be there every step of the way. When is it?”

It’s whacked she thinks I wouldn’t want to come.

“Next week.”

I nod against her neck before pulling away from her and moving her off my lap to the seat next to me. I was going to wait to do this, but I’m not fucking waiting. Not when she’s carrying my second baby and we’re in her spot.

Aisling looks at me confused as I get down on one knee before her.

Reaching into my back pocket, I take out the small black velvet ring box and open the top, revealing a marquise solitaire diamond on a rose gold band. Aisling gasps as her hand covers her mouth in shock. “The first day I saw you, you were walking across the street headed into the salon. I didn’t see your face, but I saw your cherry cola hair, and something told me in my gut that I just had to know this girl. The next day I made an appointment to get my hair cut with Frankie. I didn’t keep coming back because I wanted Frankie to cut my hair. I came back for you, baby doll. And I’ll keep coming back for you. Will you marry me?”

Tears are streaming down her face as she nods her head violently. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”