by Cheryl Yeko
“Marry me, Angel.”
Angela’s mouth fell open, Stacey gasped, and J.D. snorted.
“What?” Angela giggled nervously.
“I love you. Please marry me. Forgive me for being such a dick.”
“Begging might work,” J.D. said helpfully.
Stacey punched him in the arm.
“Would it, Angel?” Jake grinned and reached for the covers. “I’ll get down on my hands and knees right now and beg if that’s what it takes.”
Angela burst into laughter and grabbed his other hand. “Don’t you move, mister. You stay right there in that bed.”
Jake relaxed back into the bed. He wouldn’t have been able to get up anyway. Just that small movement caused fire up his side, and he was growing sleepy. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could stay awake. But it was worth it.
Jake placed her hand over his heart. “Is that a yes?” His eyes drooped as sleep crept in.
“Yes, Jake,” Angela whispered.
He forced his eyes open and smiled into hers, before they drifted back shut.
“I’ll marry you.”
The incredible words echoed in his ears as sleep claimed him.
“I heard him. Remember. I was there.” Stacey glanced at Angela with a frown. “Give the man some credit.”
Angela blew out a breath. She should just ask him, but couldn’t seem to work up the courage. “He almost died. What if he wasn’t thinking clearly and now regrets it?”
She stirred the chili and turned the burner down to simmer. They were at J.D.’s, waiting for the guys to return from a baseball game with the boys.
“Pfft.” Stacey waved her hand in the air. “That man is crazy about you.”
“I know that.” Angela chewed on her bottom lip. “But, he hasn’t mentioned marriage since that day. That was over a month ago. What if he changed his mind? Or it was the morphine talking.”
Stacey placed the rolls in the oven, then turned to her. “Do you love him?”
“Of course.”
“Would you stay with him even without a marriage proposal?”
“Well. Yes.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Angela's lips curved into a smile. “I’m pregnant.”
Stacey’s mouth dropped open, then she squealed. “That’s awesome, Angela.”
Angela smiled as happiness flooded through her. “Yes, it really is, isn’t it?” She wanted this baby. Jake’s baby.
“So, and I repeat, what’s the problem, girlfriend?”
“I don’t want him to marry me just because I’m—”
The door opened and Jake and J.D. came in with all three boys in tow.
Angela had gotten to know the boys over the last month and loved them dearly. Nick stayed with J.D. during the two weeks of Jake’s recuperation at the hospital, although he’d been at the hospital with her almost every evening, keeping Jake company. He was a good kid and seemed happy to have her in his dad’s life. And Angela’s grandmother absolutely adored Jake.
All three boys made a beeline to her and Stacey, and hugs and laughter ensued as they filled her and Stacey in on the game.
“. . . and then, Alex made a great hit. Smack!” Nick imitated hitting a baseball with his bat. “He ran all the way to third base. It was awesome, Angela. You should have seen it,” he said with a huge smile.
Stacey reached out and ruffled Alex’s hair. “Way to go, champ.”
“Yeah, it was kinda cool,” Alex said, grinning from ear to ear. He glanced at Wesley. “But Wes hit the next ball and I was able to run home.” He slapped his brother on the back. “It was the winning score.”
Wesley grinned. “Can we play Star Wars for a while?”
Angela met Jake’s gaze, his eyes filled with love and heat as he watched her. Her body came alive, just like it did every time he was near. Since his release from the hospital, they’d spent a lot of time together, making love and getting to know each other better. “Sure, I think that’s fine. Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes.”
The boys ran off into the living room, the sound of their video game filled the house as Jake pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “Miss me?” he murmured against her lips.
“So, Jake. When’s the wedding?” Stacey asked in her usual blunt fashion.
Angela gasped and whirled around to glare at Stacey, who had her arms wrapped around J.D.’s waist, while his arm was flung across her shoulder. She wore a look of innocence. J.D. smirked.
“Stacey!” Angela scolded.
Jake laughed and tugged her back against his chest. His lips brushed across the top of her head. “How about August? That gives you lovely ladies plenty of time to plan it.”
Stacey chuckled, an I told you so smirk on her face. Angela stepped from Jake’s embrace and turned around to face him. “You still want to marry me?”
Jake’s expression turned serious. “Of course, Angel.” He cupped her face in his hands. “I want to marry you more than I want my next breath.” He leaned in and kissed her nose. “Why would you think anything different?”
A blush rose to her cheeks, even as exhilaration washed over her. “Well, you—you haven’t mentioned it since the first day you woke up in the hospital.” She glanced down at her feet and bit her bottom lip, then peeked back up from under her lashes and into his loving eyes. “I thought maybe you’d regretted asking me?”
He pulled her into his arms, burying his face into her hair. “I’m sorry. I never meant to cause you one more ounce of unhappiness.” Jake leaned back and met her gaze. “I was waiting for your ring to be ready from the jewelers.”
He glanced at Stacey with a disapproving frown and then back to her, with a smile that lit his eyes. “It’s ready to be picked up. I was going to give it to you tomorrow over an intimate dinner and a proper proposal.”
“Whoops,” Stacey chuckled. “My bad.”
“You most definitely are bad,” J.D. said with a low, raspy laugh.
Stacey giggled.
Angela caressed Jake’s cheek. “I don’t need fancy words or expensive dinners, Jake. I just need you.”
“You have me, Angel. For as long as you want me.”
Angela brushed his hair off his forehead. “Forever.” She smiled. “But, we might want to move the date up a little.”
Jake arched a brow as he studied her. “Whatever you want, babe. Is there any particular reason why?”
She glanced over her shoulder and met Stacey’s smiling eyes. Stacey gave her the thumbs up.
Angela laughed and turned back to Jake. “I don’t want to walk down the aisle looking like a balloon. I’m pregnant.”
Jake’s mouth fell open and he froze as a myriad of emotions flashed across his face. Then a grin covered it, his eyes blazed hot and possessive as his gaze dropped to her stomach. “That’s fantastic.” He placed a hand over her belly and lifted his gaze back to hers. “Forever,” he vowed.
Pure unadulterated joy filled her and she felt like the luckiest woman on the planet. She had Jake and Nick, and a new precious baby on the way, and wonderful friends. She glanced at Stacey and J.D. Life was good.
J.D. quirked a brow with another snort. “What, bro? Never heard of a condom?”
Stacey chuckled, then pointed to Jake. “Kettle, meet pot,” she said straight-faced, turning her finger back to J.D.
J.D. looked confused. “What?”
Stacey giggled. “I’m pregnant.”
The room went silent as everyone looked at her in wonder. She beamed and met Angela’s open-mouthed stare with a wink.
Then J.D. gave a loud hoot, placed his arms around her waist and lifted her off the floor to give her a passionate kiss. Still holding her, he turned back to them. “Looks like it’s going to be a double wedding.”
“Damn straight,” Stacey said as laughter filled the room.
