Invisible Strings

Chapter Forty-Three

Delaney's POV:

"I know we talked about telling the kids when we got to the beach house but I don't think I can wait that long." I said excited from the passenger seat of my SUV. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I was carrying three little lives inside of me. One would have been a blessing. Two would have been an even bigger one. But three? Well, that was nothing short of a miracle. A miracle that I was ecstatic about. Sure, having three kids at once, on top of the four that Brantley and I already have between the two of us was going to be a learning adventure, but it was one that I was more than ready to take on.

Now, after they are born and all three are screaming in the middle of the night while I'm utterly exhausted from a day of work and raising kids might be a different story. And even if it is hard on me, I'll never take any of this for granted.

"I don't want to wait either," said Brantley, taking his eyes off the road only for a moment to look at me, a huge smile spread across his face.. "I want to shout it from the damn roof tops."

"Want to tell everyone when we get to your mama's?" I asked. "Pretty sure Mama and Daddy both are over there."

"Absolutely. I just need to call dad and Kolby, see if they can meet us there."

"Okay."

I sat, looking out the window as the landscape passed me by outside as Brantley made his calls. Not for the first time since reconnecting with Brantley, I thought about how different my life is with him, about how lucky I am to have a man in my life that loves me with his whole heart. I know it sounds cliche to say but it makes love feel even more special when you know that the feelings you have for someone are reciprocated, that the love you have for someone is given back to you just as strongly as you can give it. To say it's a big change from what I thought love was just a year ago is a gross understatement.

"Whatcha thinkin' about so hard over there." said Brantley, lifting our connected hands from the console and to his lips, placing a kiss on my knuckles. I'd been so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even realize that he had finished making all his calls.

I turned to him, a smile on my face. "Just thinking about love and life."

"Well, if that smile on your face is any indication, it means that you are happy."

"B, I'm so much more than happy. I honestly don't think there is even a word in existence that covers just how happy I am."

"Same here, baby."

"And it's all because I came home to lick my wounds after my divorce."

And here I was thinking it was because of your inability to tell Chloe and Colt no when it came to them wanting a puppy."

"That too." I smiled. "I didn't know it that day but those puppies were the beginning of some of the best days of my life. There have been some bumps for sure but that day, reconnecting with you, getting to live out high-school-me's dreamt up life everyday for these past few months have been a literal dream. You have shown me what it means to be loved and to love someone so deeply. You have shown me how a woman is supposed to feel loved and cherished. You've shown my kids what a father is supposed to be. And for all of that B, I will love you for the rest of my life."

"Then marry me, Delaney."

Brantley's words made my heart skip a beat. Did I hear him correctly? Did he just...

"Yes, Laney. I really said it." Said Brantley, seemingly reading my thoughts.

"B, I–do you think–"

"The only thing I think right now is that I want you to be my wife." said Brantley, cutting me off, pulling the SUV off to the side of the interstate. Outside, cars sped past us, but I didn't even notice. All I could think about was what he was asking, and the fact there wasn't even a doubt in my mind as to how I would answer that question –once I could get my mind and my mouth on the same page so that I could tell him.