“I think your men want to say something.”
She turned to them, love in her heart and eyes. She’d speak to Alex when he was ready, and thankfully, it looked like that might be soon. It had only been a few days since she’d finally told her men how she felt about them, and she took every opportunity to continue to do so. In those few days, her family had found out that she was pregnant because she kept blurting it out. Apparently, everyone was right, and she couldn’t quite keep secrets.
Well, she’d kept it hidden that she loved Jake for a while, but even then, a lot of people didn’t seem too surprised when the truth came out.
Jake was healing nicely. In fact, other than the slight bruise on his temple, he looked perfect. The little girl Border had kept safe had been moved to another family, and the case against whoever had killed her family had been pushed up. New evidence had come to light, and it seemed everything would be working out with that.
Jake was okay. He was happy.
Border was okay. He was happy.
They were okay. They were happy.
She sighed and moved toward her men even though they hadn’t beckoned her. She could see it in their eyes, though, they had something to say, and she might as well get close. She liked being close to them anyway.
Jake took one of her hands, while Border took the other. Jake cleared his throat and the room quieted. Maya froze, her heart thudding in her ears.
“So, since you’re all here, I thought I’d say something.” He looked at Border. “We thought we’d say something.”
Maya blinked but kept her attention on her men. What were they doing? The three of them had already told each other they loved one another. They were having a baby. There wasn’t anything else she needed. She thought they knew that.
“Maya Montgomery,” Jake began, “from the moment I saw you dancing in that bar, I knew you were something special.”
Her family laughed, but Maya couldn’t do anything but remember to breathe.
“I knew you from Jake’s letters,” Border added with a smile. “Every time he talked about you, I knew you were something…special.”
She licked her lips. Were her fingers numb? What about her ears? Could she even feel her ears? And why the hell was she worrying about things like that?
“You’re my best friend, baby,” Jake said.
“Don’t call me baby,” she said with a laugh, though it was more of a habit than anything.
“You’re my baby,” Jake said softly. He put his hand over her stomach. “You’re having our baby. You’re everything, Maya Montgomery. I’m so freaking happy you said you’d be with me. With us. I don’t think I could have become the man I am today without you.”
Tears freely flowed down her cheeks then.
Border wiped them away, and she cried harder. “You let me in, Maya. You didn’t have to. You opened your heart to me, and I’ll forever treasure that gift. I’m a better man because I know you. A better man because you’re in my life.”
They both knelt in front of her, and she swallowed hard. Other people sniffled in the room and her hands shook.
“Will you marry us?” they asked at the same time.
“Will you be my wife?” Border asked. “Will you be part of the three, part of our everything?”
“Will you be his wife and my everything?” Jake asked. “You’ll make him our family in truth and even though I won’t have the piece of paper, I’ll still be there. I’ll be part of it all. We’re asking you to be our wife, be our future. I have my brothers, but Border? He has us. That’s why he should be the one. Unless you want something different and we can do it that way.”
She opened her mouth to speak and nothing came out.
“Well, guys, you made the impossible happen—Maya’s at a loss for words,” Storm said from behind her.
She flipped her brother off without even looking at him, and the room erupted in laughter.
“Children present!” her mother admonished, even though she laughed.
Maya put her hands over her mouth before laughing, as well. “I’m going to have to learn not to curse or flip people off in every sentence when the baby comes.”
“You should be trying that now since my kids are here,” Austin added with a chuckle.
“Answer the guys already!” Miranda said, exasperated.
Maya went to her knees in front of them. “Yes. Of course. I love you both. I want to marry you. For now. Forever.”
They brought her to them, their large bodies surrounding her with their warmth and strength. Her family came around her, as well, shouting and celebrating, but she only had eyes for her men.
They’d endured their pasts, their pain, their angst and loss so they could have each other now. Without that, they wouldn’t be who they’d become, and their connection wouldn’t taste as sweet. They were hers, her men, her future, her everything.
“We need matching ink,” she blurted.
Jake cracked up. “Yeah, I think we do”
“Dibs!” Austin called out.