Total pages in book: 296
Estimated words: 284055 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1420(@200wpm)___ 1136(@250wpm)___ 947(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 284055 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1420(@200wpm)___ 1136(@250wpm)___ 947(@300wpm)
“Go ahead, River. Open it up,” John encourages.
I swallow hard and do exactly what he says.
This is the last and final clue
You know what you have to do
Meet me at Mama’s in the backyard
Finding me won’t be too hard.
I’ve got a surprise you’ll never guess
I love you darlin’, you’re the best.
All I can do is laugh. Happiness like this should be illegal. I have no words as I tell my heart to stay calm because it’s about ready to flutter out of my chest. There’s too much excitement bubbling inside me as I grab the flowers and turn around.
“Wait up, I’m riding with you,” John stops me before I make it to the door. I wave him on because I’m so damn impatient right now, I can barely contain myself.
We get in the Jeep, and I carefully place the roses in the back seat. It takes no time at all to arrive at his parents’ house. As soon as I park and shut the door to the Jeep, my adrenaline spikes. John is nothing but smiles as we walk around the house. It takes everything I have not to run to the back like a kid.
Once we’re in the backyard, I look everywhere for Alex but don’t see him. At a closer look, I see a group of family members under the old oak tree and can hear them chatting and cutting up.
John and I move closer, and I can’t see Alex, but I see Benita and Aaron, the boys, Mr. Bishop, Mama, Patsy, Charlotte, Evan, Jackson, Dylan, and John goes to join them. When I get about twenty feet away, everyone who’s standing close together, moves out of the way, and that’s when I finally see Alex. He’s standing in a black tux and tie with messy hair and a sexy smile on his face. He’s holding Riley in his arms who’s also dressed in a little tux. When our eyes meet, the world around me fades away. My breath catches, and I feel like I can’t take a step forward.
I glance around at everyone, forcing myself to walk toward him, wondering what the hell is going on. Just as I open my mouth to say something, Alex drops to his knee, holding Riley close to his chest. My hands fly to my mouth when I realize what’s going on. Mama takes Riley from Alex’s arms, and he waves me closer with a smirk.
“River,” Alex says, digging inside his suit jacket. When he pulls out a black velvet box and opens it to show me the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen, I don’t feel like I can keep standing because my knees go completely weak.
“Meeting you a year ago has changed my outlook on everything. A life without you in it is no life at all, and every night, I thank God for you and Riley. I can’t imagine a day without the two of you, and I never want to. You’re the absolute best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’m so happy to call you mine.”
Before he can even finish the rest of his speech, I fall to the ground and swing my arms around his neck, not able to hold back the tears that stream down my face. I have to kiss him, taste him, touch him.
“I love you, River.”
“I love you so much,” I say, my voice barely working. I don’t want this moment to end.
“Please spend the rest of your life with me,” Alex whispers across my mouth.
My eyes flutter closed, and it all seems like a dream. “Yes, yes. Forever.”
For a moment, I forgot everyone was standing around watching us until Jackson yells out, “GET A ROOM!” We start laughing and pull away, and he wipes the tears from my cheek with his thumb before he slides the ring on my finger.
We all exchange hugs and congratulations, and I’m so overwhelmed, so damn happy, and completely ecstatic that I’ll be a Bishop too. Today is the anniversary of our beginning, and it also marks the start of our forever. The excitement doesn’t wear off, and then Mama tells me she’s keeping Riley overnight. At first, I hesitate, but when Alex squeezes my hand three times, I agree.
“I want to be alone with you. I brought everything she could ever need for him while you were on your little treasure hunt,” he whispers in my ear as we walk hand in hand toward the house. Benita is chatting about bridal parties and wedding showers, and when she asks me if she can start planning them, I tell her yes, because it makes her happy, and I know she’ll go above and beyond because she’s a party planning extraordinaire. She hugs me tight, and Aaron pulls her away with a chuckle.
“Welcome to the family. So excited I get to keep my honey bun overnight,” Mama says, giving me a big hug. As soon as Riley was born, they turned Alex’s old bedroom in the house into a nursery. It was a sweet gesture that warmed my heart, and I’m happy his parents want to be involved. She’s a wonderful grandma and proves that every single day with her love.