Assured (Soul Serenade #2)(69)

In one long stride, Cole is next to me. His index finger lifts my chin so he can see my eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“All right, love birds, when can we eat? I’m starving,” Tristan asks.

“Here,” I laugh at him, “make yourself useful and carry this out to the deck. I’m right behind you. Once Gavin says the meat is done, we are good to go.”

Tristan takes the two bowls and heads out the door. “You, G. . . .” His voice trails off as the door closes behind him.

“I’ll go gather the rest of the troops.” Cole smacks my ass and strolls out of the kitchen.



Dinner was amazing and the house is full of our families. My parents and Cole’s are chatting on the deck. Tristan, Gavin and Kyle are talking sports. Logan and Chloe are discussing babies and pregnancies. Chloe is due with baby number two in a couple of months. I’m sitting with Mia as we play with the bubbles I bought for her.

“Aunt Stacy!” she shrieks when I blow a string of bubbles in her direction. She laughs and takes off running.

Cole appears at my side. “Hey, sweets.” He kisses my cheek.

I smirk at him as I dip the wand back into the bubbles, catching him off guard when I blow them in his face.

“You little—” I drop the container and take off running. Why, I don’t know, since his legs are longer than mine. He catches me easily, swinging me around by my waist. We both fall to the ground in laughter, trying to catch our breath.

“Unca Cowe!” Mia runs into his arms. She’s grinning like crazy. “You wuv her?” she asks.

Breathing heavy, wearing a blinding smile, he tells Mia, “Yeah, I love her.”

“I know, I was telling you,” she replies.

“Oh, yeah, and how do you know?”

“You can’t bweave,” she says, like we should know where she’s going with this.

“I was running,” he says, winded.

“No, Unca Cowe. You tode me you get mawied when you can’t bweave without her. That’s why you running. You needed to bweave. You wuv Aunt Stacy.”

Cole hugs her to him. “You’re absolutely right, Princess Mia. I can’t breathe without her,” he says, his eyes locked on mine.

“Yay!” she runs off, chasing a butterfly.

“That’s what I told her. That you get married and have babies when you find the one person you can’t breathe without. I didn’t want to blacken her reception of happily ever after at the time.”

I don’t say anything, unable to look away from the intensity in his eyes. “Even she can see how much you mean to me. You think ours will be as perceptive?”

Ours.

Our kids.

“Probably,” I say, because they will be his. He’s the most assured person I’ve ever met.

“Positive. I’ll make sure they see it every day. What it means to need someone to breathe. Hell, all they’ll have to do is see me look at you. At least, that’s what my mom tells me.”

Mia falls into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and giggling. “Piggy back, Unca Cowe.” She laughs.

Not one to disappoint, he stands and carries her around the yard.

I watch them play as my heart fills with love.

This is my dream.

This is now my future.





Tristan and Gavin are the last to leave, staying hours after everyone else. I hate that they’re going home to an empty house. Neither of them seems to be in the mood to hook up. There is more going on there, but both are tight-lipped. We spent some time on YouTube listening to some independents waiting to get their big break. Soul Records is searching for that diamond in the rough.

Stacy is upstairs in our room; she’s just climbing into bed. “Hey, you can’t take that sexy ass of yours to bed without me,” I scold her.

“Excuse me, Mr. Hampton, sir.” She mock salutes then bursts out laughing.

“Hey,” I say, sitting on the bed next to her. “Don’t mock me. Besides, my last name is f*cking awesome,” I tell her. Her green eyes sparkle with happiness, and I know this is it.

“Oh, yeah, and why’s that?” she fires back.

I cup her cheek and lean in close, my lips close to hers. My eyes hold her stare. “Because it’s going to change yours.” I kiss her.

She doesn’t kiss me back, so I pull away.

“Wh-what?”

I stand from the bed, bringing her with me. I reach into my pocket and pull out the small blue case that’s been there since I got dressed this morning. I chose to wear baggy shorts on purpose. I fall to my knees and look up at her.

“I’ll be there to catch you when you fall apart under my touch. I’ll be there to catch you when life knocks you down. I’ll be there every damn morning when you wake up, and I’ll hold you in my arms each night. You’re my lover and my best friend.” Tears are streaming down her face as I open the box. “Will you also do me the incredible honor of being my wife?” I use her words from all those months ago.

“Cole?” There is question in her voice.

“I love you, Stacy. I can’t breathe without you. Mia was right. I was just about to ask you then, but she came back and the moment was lost. I want it all, baby. Marriage, kids, dog—hell, you can even have a white picket fence placed around the property. I want all of it and I want all of you, with my last name, for the rest of our lives.”