I went to my girl, opened her up, slid in and rested my forehead on the steering wheel.

Creed had wanted to come up, be with me while I said my good-byes, ride with me on the way down. I told him he needed to get back to his life, his kids and I wouldn’t be far behind but I would be okay without him.

I was wrong.

I sucked in breath, lifted my head, started her up and headed to Charlene’s were I was sleeping on the couch because my house was empty.

* * * * *

The next day, early…

I stood in the back room of my house, Adam leaned heavily into my side.

I hated my house.

I loved this room.

I had Creed for the second time in this room (and a few other times too).

I saw his tat for the first time in this room.

And right then, I was standing with a little boy I loved so much it hurt leaning into my side in this room.

I put my hand on his head and slid it down his hair to curl around the back of his neck.

“Is Gunny okay?” he asked the room.

“Yeah, baby. Tucker said she made the trip just fine in his truck,” I replied.

He looked up at me. “Mom says you’re gonna come to visit us at Grandma’s.”

I nodded. “I absolutely am.”

“Will you make me Cocoa Puffs?” he asked.

“Yep,” I answered.

“Will Tucker bring donuts?” he asked.

“Absolutely,” I answered.

He grinned. “Good.”

“Good,” I whispered, sliding my hand to his cheek.

He tipped his head to the side and asked, weirdly, “Sylvie, do you know what love is?”

I stared into his face and answered softly, “I do, Adam. I absolutely do.”

He stared into mine and replied just as softly. “I do, too.”

That was when I knew.

I knew.

I had to lose Creed and endure Richard so I could have Adam.

And Knight.

And Charlene, Leslie, Theo, Ron, Rhash, Live and everybody.

So that was also when I knew…

It so totally sucked.

But it was worth it.

* * * * *

Sixteen hours later…

I barely got one wheel over the curb in my turn into Creed’s drive before I saw his garage door go up.

The Expedition was to one side in the garage. The sedan was parked out in the drive. Creed was walking out the door that led to the kitchen.

My heart skipped.

I rolled my baby in, turned her off and exited, a stray candy bar wrapper falling to the cement of Creed’s garage floor.

I’d pick it up later (maybe).

That was my last thought before my feet left the ground, an arm around my waist holding me close, a hand shoved into the back of my hair pulling my face down and Creed kissed me.

I slid my arms around his shoulders and kissed him back.

We did this a while.

When we stopped, I opened my eyes and looked into his blue ones just as he said gently, “Welcome home, beautiful.”

Home.

I smiled.

* * * * *

Two minutes later…

Hand in hand, Creed walked me through the dark house into his bedroom.

One light was on at Creed’s nightstand and, at what it illuminated, I stopped dead.

Holy shit.

Holy shit!

“How’s that for hearts and flowers?” Creed murmured and I tore my eyes away from his huge bed that looked entirely covered in deep red, velvety soft rose petals to tip my head back and look at Creed.

I opened my mouth.

I closed it.

I opened it again.

I closed it.

“Fuck me, she’s speechless,” he kept murmuring as he grinned down at me.

“I… holy shit,” I muttered and his grin turned into a smile.

I pulled my hand from his and walked to the bed. “Jesus, babe, how many flowers did you have to pluck to do this or can you buy just the –?”

I stopped talking abruptly when I saw it.

In the middle of the bed, a black velvet box, opened, and in black satin sat a humongous, princess cut diamond ring, set in what looked like platinum, inlaid with more diamond baguettes around the band.

It was stunning.

It was exquisite.

It was huge.

“Holy shit,” I breathed.

Creed’s arms wrapped around my chest from behind and I felt him arch so his lips could be at my ear.

“Gonna do it, go big,” he whispered.

I agreed. I so totally agreed.

That rock was completely ostentatious. It had to cost a mini-fortune.

I f**king loved it.

“How you feel about marrying me?” he asked in my ear.

“How I feel is, Vegas is a six hour drive away so that’s not outside checking off our to do list for tomorrow. That and stopping by the grocery store so I have Cocoa Puffs.”

Creed’s arms squeezed me reflexively.

Then he burst out laughing.

Then he picked me up and threw me on the bed and, as I bounced, he put a knee in and joined me. He tagged the ring case, pulled out the ring, threw the case aside, shoved the ring on my finger and, eyes on mine, he kissed it.

My heart swelled.

Then he used his hand around mine to yank me to him.

Other things swelled.

Then he made love to me on a bed of rose petals.

Seriously.

My man.

Was.

Genius.

* * * * *

Three weeks later…

I was pacing the bathroom, phone to my ear, white stick in my hand.

“Nothing’s happening,” I told Charlene.

“Honey, you just peed on it. I heard you. And, by the way, I love you but I never want to hear you peeing again.”

“Charlene, you’ve heard me peeing in bathroom stalls in bars. This is no different,” I replied.

“Oh, right,” she mumbled then, “Adam’s here. You want to talk to him?”

“No!” I hissed. “I’m waiting for a plus sign, Charlene. I love him but I can’t talk to Adam while waiting for a plus sign on a pregnancy test. Jeez.”

“Oh, right,” she mumbled then I heard her cover the phone but not well because I also heard her say, “You can talk to Sylvie next time she calls, okay, honey?”

“Okay, Mom,” I heard Adam say then a shouted, “Hi Sylvie!”

God I loved that kid.

I couldn’t think of that now. I was busy staring at a plastic stick.

Charlene came back to me. “Anything?”

“No,” I answered.

“Give it time.”

Fuck. The suspense was killing me.

“Should I shake it?” I asked.

“I don’t know. What does the box say?”

I snatched up the box and it didn’t say anything so I dropped the box and snatched up the instructions and read them.