“Oh, I do, but this might tie for first place.”
I push open the front door and call out for Mom and Dad. They are sitting in the living room and get up to meet us as we step into the foyer. I give them each a hug as Tristan shakes Dad’s hand, but Mom pulls him down for a hug.
“Wow, he’s very handsome, isn’t he?” Mom whispers to me.
“Yes, he is. Don’t embarrass me.”
I had taken my ring off before we walked inside. I want to talk to them first before I spring the fact we are getting married to them. Tristan has already told me we can do it at the ranch if we want, and it wouldn’t cost a lot to do so. He said he doesn’t care where it happens, just as long as he can finally call me his.If that’s not book-worthy, I don’t know what is.
We sit down at the table after each of us grabs a drink, and Mom brings dinner over. Dad jumps right in and starts grilling Tristan about his schooling, the ranch, and even about how he skipped out on me years ago. Tristan handles it all with good grace. I hold his hand under the table and step in a few times when he seems to be struggling.
“So, you’re having a baby with my daughter. Are you planning on moving?” he asks.
“Actually, Dad, I’m moving to Wyoming.” He stops mid-bite and puts his fork down. “I’ve already talked with my boss, and she’s agreed to let me work remotely and fly out as needed.”Lies, but he doesn’t know.“The ranch is very important to Tristan and his family, and I don’t want him to uproot his life.”
“But you’re willing to do that for him?” he questions.
“Yes.” I pull the ring from my purse and slip it on to my finger. “He’s asked me to marry him, and I’ve accepted. He’s a good man, Dad. I love him, and he’s who I want.”
Dad glares at Tristan. I’m about to step in again when he starts to talk. “I know my past actions don’t put me high on your list of approved people for Lana, but I can promise you, no one will love your daughter like I will. I come from a good family with a strong work ethic. I will work as hard as I can to make sure your daughter and our child have everything they need. I want her and our baby to be happy.”
Mom puts her hand on my dad’s forearm. “Henry.” He looks at her, and his gaze softens. I remember hearing stories about how my Grandpa didn’t care for Dad when he met the family, but Dad proved him wrong time and time again.
He sighs, pats my mom’s hand, and looks at us. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, one-hundred percent.”
“Do your parents approve, Tristan?”
He glances at me with a huge smile on his face. “My parents love her. You both did a fine job raising her. The ring I gave her was actually my mother’s. She gave it to me when I told her I wanted to ask her.”
Mom is crying and comes over to give us both a huge hug. She starts asking questions about the wedding—where it will be, when it will be, where we plan on taking a honeymoon. All the standard questions. I wish I could answer them, but I just don’t know.
I also don’t want anything over the top. I have Tristan; that’s enough for me. It’s funny how our tastes change from when we are young. When I was little, I wanted an over the top wedding with the biggest dress, the nicest flowers, and the most expensive venue. I wanted to be a princess in every aspect of the word.
Now, I just want to be with Tristan.
First things first, I suppose. I need to speak with Eloise about staying on as a remote worker, and I need to decide if the baby will be born in Massachusetts or Wyoming.God, help me!
I leave Tristan in my apartment and walk to the office to meet with Eloise the next morning. When I step into the office, everyone’s in a frenzy.
“Hannah, what’s going on?” I ask when she gets off the phone.
She holds a magazine out for me to take, and I see a picture of the room I decorated for Mrs. Carrington on it. “Turns out, you’re a hit. The phones have been ringing off the hook with people looking to have their houses remodeled, too. We have people in the U.K., along with people across the States. You’re an overnight sensation.”
I stare in awe at the cover of the magazine. I pull up a message to Russ.
Me:Tell your mom I said thank you for the magazine.
Russ:That’s all you, but I will tell her. Congratulations.
I sit at my desk and read his text over and over. I feel like I should tell him I’m pregnant—that I’m happy—but I can’t get myself to do it. The phone on my desk rings, and Eloise is on the other end. She requests me in her office for a chat. I pull myself together and get ready to tell her my news.
I knock and slink in through her doorway. Before I can even sit, she’s talking a hundred miles an hour about new projects, clients, and more opportunities to travel. It’s everything I had ever wanted and more—except, now I don’t.
“Eloise, I’m moving,” I say. She stops her buzzing about and looks at me, blinking in surprise.
“What do you mean, you’re moving?”
