A Lie for a Lie (All In, #1)(87)

After we eat, I decide if we’re celebrating one thing, we might as well celebrate two. Lainey’s agreed to move to Seattle, so I’m pretty confident that means we’re in it for the long haul.

“I’ll take Kody up and get him ready for bed.” I kiss the top of her head.

She drops a tea bag in her mug and looks up at me. “I can do that.”

“I’ve got it. You enjoy your tea—we’ll be down in a few to say good night.”

She smiles up at me. “Thanks.”

I take him upstairs, change him into his jammies, and make a stop in our bedroom. “I need your help tonight, little man, okay?”

“Da!” He shoves his fingers in his mouth.

I slip my hand under a pair of socks and find the box. Closing the drawer with my hip, I take a deep breath. I’ve practiced this a million times over the past couple of months, what I’m going to say, how I’m going to do this. But my family is right—I don’t need a grand gesture, because that’s not what Lainey likes.

She likes simple and thoughtful.

I flip the box over between my fingers and take Kody back downstairs. Lainey’s tucked into the corner of the couch, reading a magazine.

I set Kody on the floor and hold up the small box, tied with a white ribbon. “Can you give this to Mommy?”

I pass it to him, not sure if handing something like this over to an eleven-month-old is actually a good idea or not. The first thing he tries to do is shove it in his mouth.

I pull it away from his mouth. “Take it to Mommy.”

I point at Lainey, and he bumbles his way over to her, holding the box in one fist. “Ma!” I follow behind him and make sure he doesn’t try to eat it again.

She sets the magazine on the table and uncrosses her legs. Sitting forward, she holds out her arms, ready to catch him if he falls. “Hi, baby, you look like you’re ready for bed. Do you want Mommy to come up and tuck you in?”

He waves the box around in her face, and her gaze shifts from Kody to me. She tips her head in silent question.

“Give the box to Mommy.” I drop down in front of her and help steady Kody’s hand—sort of, since mine is shaking too.

“What’s this? My birthday isn’t for another two months.”

“It’s not a birthday present. Go ahead and open it.” I set Kody on my knee.

There’s a wet spot on the box and some teeth marks, but that’s par for the course around here these days.

The ribbon unfurls as Lainey tugs the end. I kiss the top of Kody’s head as she opens the lid, my stomach in knots, my palms sweaty. She withdraws the tiny velvet box inside.

“RJ?” Her eyes are wide and already hazy with the promise of tears. I love that about her, that I can see her emotions play out on her face as she experiences them.

Kody grabs for the pale-blue box, so I give him the pieces and set him on the floor. He plops down beside me—not the best wingman, but he isn’t even a year, so I can cut him some slack. He slaps the two pieces together and squeals with delight.

“Let me.” I turn the velvet box toward her and flip it open. The light on the side table hits the diamond, making it glint and throw prisms on the floor, which Kody tries to catch, giggling happily.

“Oh!” Lainey’s hand flutters to her mouth, and she seems caught somewhere between laughter and tears.

“I love you, Lainey—both of you, so much. I thought those weeks in Alaska with you were the best of my life, but I was wrong. Every day with you beside me is better than the last, and I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life loving you—all you have to do is say yes. Marry me?”

The sound that comes out of her is definitely half laugh and half sob. “Yes. A million times yes. I love you, and I can’t imagine my life without you and Kody.”

I slip the ring out of its cushioned home and slide it onto her finger. Lainey throws her arms around me and kisses my neck, my cheek, and then finally my lips, whispering I love you over and over.

Kody uses my knee to pull himself to a stand, shouting, “Ma!”

We both laugh, and I know that—despite the lack of romance—this is exactly the kind of proposal that works for us, because Kody is part of every single equation.

We take him up to bed. When he sees the ring on Lainey’s finger, he tries to pry it off, and when that doesn’t work, he tries to put her hand in his mouth.

Lainey holds his favorite teddy bear in front of him as a distraction. He grabs for it and cuddles it to his chest. We kiss him good night, put on his music, and turn on the night-light before we leave his room.

“This is beautiful. It’s exactly what I would have picked for myself,” Lainey says as we uncork a bottle of champagne so we can have our own private celebration.

I debate whether or not I should take the credit for it. “Remember when I took Stevie shopping over the holidays?”

“She needed something for some kind of event, but you came back empty handed.”

“I may have lied about that.”

“I figured it was just an excuse for the two of you to get some time together.”

“Well, there was that too. But really I wanted her help picking out the ring. It was between that one and another one.”

“You’re so sneaky.” She grabs the front of my shirt and pulls my mouth down to hers. “I can’t believe you’ve been holding on to this for months!”