“Great.” I smile at her.
“Oh, I know that smile.” She grins.
“Does this have anything to do with the fact that you left the office before noon today?”
“Owen left early? And it wasn’t for work?” Sam asks in disbelief.
“Yep. He also instructed me that everything could wait until tomorrow. He didn’t want to be interrupted.”
“Traitor,” I say, trying to sound offended, but my smile shines through my voice. I can’t help it. Today was incredible. Better than I ever could have imagined it could be.
“I’ve seen a change in him, and we have you to thank for that.”
“Wait, is this déjà vu?” Sam asks. “Didn’t I tell you the same thing when it came to you and Royce?”
“Similar,” Sawyer agrees. “It’s true, though. We all see it. You’re good for him.”
“He’s good for me.” I don’t tell them that life for me before Owen was dull and void. I know they know my story. There is no use in bringing up the bad when there is so much good to talk about and celebrate. “All right, baby hog. Hand her over,” I say, setting my now empty plate on the table and holding my hands out for the baby. These women, they accept me, and make me feel like we’ve all been friends forever. I can’t believe I almost didn’t come to Nashville. That would have been the biggest mistake of my life.
“Aw, do I have to?” Sawyer says, her eyes shining with mischief.
“Yes, now hand her over.” I reach for Aria, and she comes to me with ease. “Hello, beautiful,” I coo at her. She’s such a gorgeous baby. She has her daddy’s blue eyes and her mommy’s dark brown hair.
“I’m telling you, Sawyer, you need one.” Sam points at Aria. “You both do.”
“Someday,” I admit. “Everything is still so new for us.”
“Love is love, Layla. The only timeline you’re on is set by you,” Sawyer tells me.
“Royce told you that, didn’t he?” I ask her.
“Possibly.” She shrugs.
“Owen said something very similar to me.”
“Let’s not talk about timelines. Jase and I broke records.” Sam laughs.
The sound of the front door opening catches our attention. “Well, they held out longer than I thought they would,” Sam jokes.
“There’s my girl.” Jase leans down and kisses Aria on the head, where I’m holding her in my lap, before heading toward the chair that Sam is sitting in. Without a word, he takes her hand, pulls her from the chair and takes her seat, pulling her down onto his lap.
“You ladies have a good time?” Royce asks, sitting on the loveseat next to Sawyer, kissing her temple.
“Girls’ Night, Riggins,” she answers.
“Hey, it wasn’t just me this time. These two jokers couldn’t stand to be away either.”
I feel the couch dip, and I turn to look at Owen. Aria reaches out and latches onto his beard, and he chuckles. Carefully, he removes her hand from his beard and takes her from my arms. I watch in fascination as he leans in and blows raspberries on her chubby cheeks, making her giggle.
“We need one of those.” I hear Royce say, his voice low. I don’t hear Sawyer’s reply, but I don’t need to. It looks like baby Aria took the broody right out of her uncle Royce.
“You both need one,” Jase chimes in. “It’s the best, man. I’m telling you.”
Owen looks at Jase, then turns his gaze toward me. “We do have some bedrooms to fill.” My heart trips over in my chest, and an emotion that I’ve come to associate with Owen clogs my throat.
Happiness.
I wasn’t sure I would ever find it, but this man sitting next to me… he is my happiness. And those bedrooms he says we need to fill. I can see it. Our kids running and playing in the backyard. Maybe a big swing set. I know that we’re nowhere near ready for that, but I want to be. Someday I want that vision to be our truth.
“Damnit, Sawyer,” Royce pouts. “We either need to start trying without a date or set a wedding date,” he tells her.
“I want to get married at the lake,” Sawyer blurts.
“I know that. I told you I don’t care where it is as long as the end result is that you’re a Riggins.”
Sawyer looks at Sam, then over at me. We both give her nods of encouragement. “I want it to be winter, around Thanksgiving, but before Christmas, just like our proposal.”
“Done.”
“Wait? What?” she asks, surprised.
“I told you I want it to be a day you’ve always dreamed of, one we will always remember and can tell our kids about one day. You want to recreate that night, and I’m going to make it happen.”
“I thought you would fight me on it. It’s a few months away.”
“Four to be exact, and I’m not waiting a minute longer. I’m ready for you to be my wife,” he says, leaning in and kissing her. “And you two—” He points to Owen and me. “We get to have the first Riggins grandchild. I am the oldest, after all.” He smirks.