Perfect Embrace by Kaylee Ryan
Chapter 27
Laken
It’s just after four when I get back to the store. My heart sputters when I see Grayson’s truck parked behind my building. Grabbing my purse and keys, I make my way inside. As soon as I push open the door, I spot Grayson sitting in a chair. He looks up, and the relief I see on his face startles me. His shoulders drop, and he expels a breath.
Before I can say hello, he’s on his feet and has me in his arms. It’s the perfect embrace, something that he’s good at.
“I was worried,” he whispers, not letting me go.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t think, I-I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one who’s sorry. As far as the worry, I’m afraid that’s never going to go away. You and the girls are just going to have to get used to it. That comes with me loving you.”
Tears instantly fill my eyes. “I have to get used to it, huh?”
“I hope so. Laken, baby, I’m so sorry.” He cradles my cheeks. “I was letting the guilt get to me, and that’s on me. I let fear rule my heart, and I know it was wrong. Can you forgive me?”
“I love you, Grayson. Of course, I forgive you.” The words are barely out of my mouth when he crushes me to his chest once more.
“Daddy?”
“Is it time?” The girls’ voices reach us.
“You brought the girls?” I ask, wiping at my tears. “I know you don’t want me to replace Holly, but, Grayson, I love them. I love the three of you, and I promise I’ll never let them forget her. I just want the chance to love them. To love all three of you.”
“Girls,” Grayson calls out before placing a kiss on my lips.
“Waken!” They come running to me, and I drop to my knees to accept their hugs. “We missed you.”
“I missed you too. So very much.”
“We gots you pwesents,” Harlow says, holding up a small gift bag with the number two on it.
“Mine says this many.” Hayden holds up one finger. “You hafta open it fiwst. Right, Daddy?” She looks up at Grayson.
“That’s right, sweetheart,” he tells her.
“Open it.” Harlow jumps up and down.
“Okay.” I smile down at her. Taking the bag with the white number one on the side, I pull out the tissue paper and remove a small box with the name of the jewelry store in Billings on the outside.
“Open it,” Hayden tells me.
My eyes flash to Grayson’s.
“You heard the girls. Open it,” he says.
I lift the lid. Inside, there is a beautiful charm bracelet. A single charm hangs off it, a small silver heart. “Thank you so much.” I pull Hayden into a hug.
“Now mine,” Harlow says, thrusting her gift bag with a small number two written on it.
I repeat the process, only to find two small boxes. Lifting the lid on the first one, I read the charm, and my eyes well with tears. I look up at Hayden, but I can’t really see her through my tears. “Thank you,” I tell her. “Grayson?”
“There’s more,” he tells me.
A tissue is thrust into my hands, and when I look up, I notice it’s not just the four of us. My sister, Trace, our parents, along with Grayson’s parents and Holly’s. Standing behind them all is Tate. “What’s going on? Why is Tate here?” I ask softly.
“I wanted to make sure she got all the details right.”
“Grayson-,” I start, but he stops me.
“You have another present to open,” Grayson tells me.
“Grayson, this says Mom.” I look at the charm nestled inside the box.
“I know.” He smiles. “You have another one.”
Lifting the lid on the second box from bag number two, I see there’s another charm. This one holds a small charm with the word love. The O seems to be a small diamond from the way it sparkles.
“The girls’ birthstone,” Grayson explains. I cover my mouth as a sob breaks free from my chest.
“Gray—” I start but stop. I can’t seem to find the words. I close my eyes and take a deep breath as I try to decipher what this means. My heart is afraid to hope it means that they’re mine—all three of them.
“Waken, Daddy said that if you said yes, you could be our mommy,” Harlow says.
“Yeah, our here mommy. We have one who is an angel alweady,” Hayden adds.
I look down at the girls only to find Grayson kneeling before me, holding the most gorgeous ring I’ve ever seen.
“Laken. We love you. We want to spend the rest of our lives loving you. Will you do me the incredible honor of being my wife?”
“And our mommy,” the girls add in unison.
I pull the girls into my arms. “I love you so much,” I tell them.
“We wove you too,” they reply.
“Baby?” Grayson asks.
“Baby?” the girls ask.
“Oh, can we have a baby bwother?” Harlow asks.
“And a sister,” Hayden adds.
“Girls.” Grayson huffs out a laugh. “We have to get her to marry me first.”
“Waken! You hafta say yes. Then we can call you Mommy, and we can have a bwother,” Harlow tells me.
“And a sister. Oh, pwease,” Hayden chimes in.
“Yes.” I nod. Tears stream down my face. “Yes, I’ll be your here mommy, and I’ll marry your daddy.” My heart is full of love and feels as though it could burst from my chest at any moment.
Grayson kisses me hard. A throat clearing has him pulling away and sliding the ring on my finger.
“When do we get a bwother?”
“No, a sister?” the girls ask, making us all laugh.
“I love you,” Grayson says against my lips.
“I love you too.” The words are barely out of my mouth before the girls are piling on us and yelling out, “Group hug!” It’s the best hug I’ve ever received.
I used to think that Grayson gave the best hugs, and he does, but nothing beats the hugs of Grayson and our girls.
This right here is definitely the perfect embrace.
