Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 59120 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59120 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
I am mesmerized by Travis’s voice, my eyes fixed on the stage as he starts singing. He always starts with a cover, and tonight it is “Give Me Love” by Ed Sheeran. Our eyes lock across the darkened room. He stops mid-verse, then beckons me with a crooked finger. The audience falls silent. I look around, as if there might actually be someone behind me that he is calling.
“Girl, he is calling you, go!”
“I...”
A security guard appears at the door and nods to me.
I push to my feet, pulse pounding in my ears, as I walk onto the stage where Travis is waiting, a grin on his face so big I forget about the crowd. I can only see him. “Everyone, you remember my girl, Mischief,” he announces, voice booming. “She’s pregnant with my baby. Best news ever, right?”
A tsunami of cheers washes over us.
He grins down at me. “We’ve had our share of chaos, people pushing us apart. But she fought her way back. She’s my rock, my light.”
My cheeks burn. “Travis...” I start, but he’s already dropping to one knee.
The room goes eerily quiet.
“Mischief,” he begins, voice thick, “there was never a before you or after you—only you. You made me a better man. Will you marry me? Be my light forever? God knows I fucking need you.”
Tears blur my vision. I kneel beside him, taking his face in my hands, voice shaking, “Yes—oh God, yes!”
The crowd erupts into screams that feel as though I might just lose an eardrum. Travis sweeps me up, twirls me until the world spins, then presses his lips to mine in a kiss that sets my heart on fire. When we break apart, Harley hands him a velvet box. He opens it to reveal a diamond white-gold ring. I gasp. It’s so goddamned beautiful. He holds my hand in the air as the audience roars. Against my ear he whispers, “You’ve made me the happiest man alive.”
And I know, without a doubt, he’s made me the happiest woman.
18
“Oh my God!” my mother cries, dancing around the living room.
I grin and tighten my grip on Travis’s hand.
“I can’t believe we saw that on the news, you could have told us it was tonight!” Chief grumbles.
“Wait, you didn’t ask Chief for permission?” I question Travis, lightly.
He grins. “Course I did, baby. He just didn’t know when it was going to happen.”
“Oh, it’s all so romantic. I want to watch it over and over and over...” Mom sighs.
Chief grunts. “Alright, woman, calm down.”
“Why can’t you do something romantic like that, Caden?”
He snorts. “Do you want me to do it again? I can get down on one knee now, Angel, so I will.”
“Yes, and I want a ring and roses and...”
“Always were hard to please!” he teases.
“Was not,” she retorts, hands on her hips.
He flashes her a grin. “Was too.”
I laugh. “Alright, you two!”
“A baby, a wedding...” Mom hugs me, and I can feel her heart pounding purely from excitement.
“Wedding after the baby,” I say. “I need to get skinny for my wedding dress and this belly is only going to grow.”
“Oh darn, but you’re right. My grandbaby first.”
“We are getting married first anyway, can’t give you all the fun, kid,” Chief winks.
Mom turns to him. “Yes! We should.”
“What’s stopping us?” he murmurs, sliding a hand down her cheek. “You name the date, I’ll be there.”
“Let’s do it next month then!”
I laugh and Travis chuckles.
“Done.”
She cries out with pure happiness and leaps on him. “Oh, Caden, see, you can be romantic!”
Another grunt.
I roll my eyes. “Well, now you’ve stolen the spotlight, father...”
He grins. “Can’t let you have all the fun.”
“Good on you, Travis,” Mom turns to him, hugging him tight. “I knew one day you would make her yours.”
He laughs. “Well, the baby wasn’t planned but I had to give her a reason to say yes.”
I nudge him with my shoulder. “I would’ve totally said yes anyway.”
He winks at me. “I know, baby.”
“Anyway, now I am pregnant, I need sleep. I can’t party all night like I used to,” I announce.
“Get used to no sleep, kid, you’ve got years ahead,” Chief throws at me with a shit-eating grin.
“Thank you, Dad. Always saying the right thing at the right time.”
“You’re welcome. Seriously, though, I’m proud of you, Mischief.”
My heart feels warm. “Thanks, old man.”
His eyes swing to Trav. “You take good care of my baby and her baby, Travis.”
“You got it.”
“Come back tomorrow so we can organize my wedding and talk babies.” Mom beams at me.
I can’t wipe the smile off my face, so happy to see her radiant and glowing.
Just as we are about to leave, Jasmine walks in. She rushes over, grabs my hand and lifts it. “I had to see it up close! That was so epic!”
“It was!” I grin.
“I can’t believe he did that on stage—oh, where can I find one?”