All I Want Is You (A Chester Farms Novella) (14 page)

She leaned up and kissed him. "I got you something too. It's in the bedroom."

"Mine's in here. Run and get it."

She pressed another kiss to him and hurried to grab the small package from her bag. It wasn't much, but it was all she had to give.

He stood by the window, no package in his hand, but the bottom of her stocking had a new shape. She cupped the soft velvet and felt the small box inside.

She held his gift out. "You first."

He ripped open the end of the wrapping paper and tore open the box. He pulled out a new welding cap. A smile spread on his lips as he touched over the dancing red peppers. "Thank you."

She lifted a shoulder. "I noticed you needed a new one."

He lifted her stocking and held it away from her. "Don't freak out, this doesn't mean right now."

What was that supposed to mean? "Okay."

"Promise you won't."

"I won't freak out."

He slowly handed the stocking to her with care like there was possibly a pet stuffed in that little box. She watched him as she reached inside and the corner of a box poked her finger. She pulled it from the toe of the sock and something rattled around inside. Relief hit her. Not a poor pet he smashed in there. "Hope it's not breakable."

He grinned. "Open it."

She picked the tape off the side and lifted the lid. The light caught it first and air choked out of her as she stared at the big ring. "Is this what I think it is?"

He lifted a shoulder. "Maybe. It was my grandma's. Mom gave me more than just the stockings."

"I can't believe she gave this to you."

"Mom trusts me to know what I'm doing and feeling."

She was breathless and there were words somewhere in her head…hanging out in there, somewhere. She stared at the ring and couldn't quite catch her breath. "I can't accept this."

He closed his hand over hers, trapping the box inside her grasp. "I want you to hold onto it until you're ready. I'm waiting for you and I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

"We barely know each other." She shook her head. "This is a family heirloom."

"I know what I know. I know Christmas has never been any big deal to me. Just another day in the year, but this time it's all I've thought about because I’m with you. I always had ideas for the future, but I keep seeing it different than I thought because you’re in it and I like the new version." He put his hand over her stomach. "This is happening. That future is coming and this is putting us together forever. I don't know if this is love or not, but I know I like it and I don't want it to end. And you promised not to freak, so stop."

"I like you, too. A lot. I'm grateful you're sticking with me, but I'm not ready to make a decision like this."

"This is my promise that I'm here and waiting for when you're ready." He leaned forward and left a kiss on her cheek. "I want you to go put it away in your bag and take it home."

For it to be something tiny to fit around her finger and wear every day for the rest of her life, it sure was heavy. She walked to the bedroom and lowered over her bag. The box just didn't want to fall free from her hand though. Maybe just one more look.

She cracked it open and the diamond standing up from the gold band winked at her. She turned it out in her hand and rubbed the smooth metal and the sharp points of the stone. It didn't seem as heavy as it was. She'd done worse things in her life, so she slipped it on and held her hand out.

A cry started out, but she stopped it with a sniff. It looked so perfect. The diamond was just the right size for her hand. The ring was a little big, but it wouldn't take anything to size down. And it'd be hers to wear forever. And marry the man with it. She turned the band around her finger and slipped it off with a heavy heart.

Too soon. It was just too soon. Wasn't it?

Footsteps came down the hall and she pushed the box down in the bottom corner of her bag so it couldn't fall out. She turned on her heels as he walked in wearing the welding cap and not a stitch of anything else.

He gave the cap a light tug. "How does it look?"

If she hadn't swallowed her tongue, she could answer that question.

Chapter Thirteen

Tasha took advantage of the time she had left to do this and bent forward to stretch her back. Snaps and pops sounded out in a satisfying release along her spine. And then the bell over the front door dinged and ruined the moment. The sunny New Year’s Eve Day had people in and out nearly all day. Customers she rarely saw were even popping in. She straightened for her next customer and Whitney walked through the doorway. "You're back!"

Whitney stretched her arms. "We got back about half an hour ago."

"Patrick said y'all are always back for New Year's Eve, but he wasn't sure what day. Since it was already here, I thought you weren't making it."

Whitney frowned. "Oh no. We don't spend this holiday away from home. Something was going on with the car engine and they had to order a part or we would have been home two days ago." She slid into a chair at a table. "I'm supposed to be helping with fireworks, but I want to know the latest on you and Patrick. Going good?"

Heat went through her from head to toe. Lord, she had a lot of updates to give her. "Yeah."

"Perfect." She leaned back looking satisfied and smug about something as she rested her elbow on the chair back and crossed her legs. "I knew it."

"Knew what?"

"That you two were perfect for each other. It's why I set you up that first night with my no show thing."

Tasha put her hands on her hips. "Whitney Chester, I can't believe you did that."

She blinked. "You didn't know? I thought Patrick would have told you. He found out that night."

"He didn't say a word about it." Not that she was really upset over it or anything.

She lifted a shoulder. "Well, that's the truth. I was a dirty schemer. Now give me all the details and fast because I don't have a lot of time."

Oh, where to start. It was a habit that started five days ago, but the motion was so comfortable as she reached up and touched the ring hanging from a necklace under her shirt. If someone broke in and stole it, she'd never forgive herself. Or worse, if she lost it. It'd gone on a thick chain the day she got back here.

That, and a tiny—huge—part of her wanted to wear it somehow. "It's been an interesting few weeks."

"Oh yeah?" Whitney glanced her way and propped her legs up on another chair.

Tasha nodded. "I'm pregnant."

Whitney's mouth dropped and she put a hand to her chest. "You're joking."

Tasha shook her head. It was getting easier to say. "Nope."

"Oh my God, warn a girl next time!"

Tasha chuckled. It's all she knew to do. "After telling everybody, I've decided it's easier to just come out with it."

"When?"

"Almost positive it was Thanksgiving."

"Wow." Whitney leaned forward and pumped her eye brows. "You two didn't waste any time."

She snorted. "Yeah. Not exactly planned, but it's happening."

"If it's a girl, you have my permission to name it after me. Or a boy, but I would feel bad if he’s teased."

Tasha laughed. It's was good to have Whitney back. "I'll keep that in mind."

"What did Patrick say?"

"He wants to marry me."

Whitney's mouth was open again. "Wow."

She fished the chain out from under shirt. "He gave me his grandma's ring and told me he was ready when I am. I think I'm supposed to decide if I want to or not. If I do, then okay. If I don't...then I don't know. He seems pretty sure I'm going to say yes at some point."

"Are you?"

She lifted a shoulder. She wished she knew. "I'm tempted, but I don't know. A lot has happened and what if we get married and we hate each other two months after the baby is born?"

"Momma got knocked up when she was sixteen and that's how Tate happened."

Tasha straightened. "I didn't know that."

She nodded. "Yep. Her parents signed off for them to get married and it's been happily ever after since."

Recalling Sam and Jana together painted another picture in Tasha's mind. One with her and Patrick and kids of their own setting the table at Thanksgiving. She was going to have to learn to cook a turkey. Add it to the list of so many other things she would have to figure out. "I just don't know if it's the right thing to do."

Whitney's head tipped to the side. "I've known Patrick pretty much my whole life. He doesn't go back on his word. Once he settles his mind on something, it's made up. He's one of the best guys I know. Shit would have to be thrown off the fan hard for him to give up on something like marriage."

She knew most of that. Especially the part about the best guy ever. But what if he set his mind on married and committed? Would he just live miserably because he wouldn't go back on his word? "He’s already picked up a second job. He works all day long, gets a few hours to rest, then works all night long. Few hours rest, then back to work. I don’t know how much longer he can keep doing that. I’ve done that before over summer break and it’s exhausting and hard to maintain for longer than a few months at a time. I feel like I should do something more, but he doesn’t want me getting another job since I’m already on my feet most of the day."

Whitney dropped her feet and leaned on the table. "He truly is one of the best guys I've ever known. I wish there was another just like him who I wasn't such good friends with."

“He told me y’all used to date.”

“Tried. It just wasn't there. We're too good of friends. I hate it, but it's hard to look past the puking we did together as kids when we came down with the stomach virus at one of my birthday's."

"Do you think I should marry him?"

Whitney patted her hand. "I think you should do what you want. I know you haven't been with him long, but Patrick doesn't pretend to be someone he's not. You're getting the real thing right now and he's been just like that for as long as I've known him."

That was good to hear. She liked him just as he was. A customer approached the door and she pushed to stand.

Whitney looked over her shoulder and waved her back down. "Stay here. I'm going to wait on him."

Tasha shook her head. "You don't have to."

Whitney headed for the counter as the man got close to the front door. "I want to. Besides, I need to learn how to do this. Someone is going to have to help you when your belly gets too big for you to bend over in that cooler to scoop!"

"You're not doing that for me!"

"Yes, I am." Whitney nodded and stepped behind the counter as the man walked in. Tasha faced the table and slid the ring on her finger. Since it was a little big, she could slide it on with the necklace chain.

She really, really like the way that looked on her hand. Even more, she really, really liked the image in her head of that Thanksgiving years from now. Then there was still that one from Christmas, where there were two kids. Her heart sighed and she looked to the corner where the tree had been. It had started wilting so she'd been forced to pull it down yesterday. Next year the baby would be big enough to knock off the lower ornaments, but the one after that, there would be a child who could hang them on the lower limbs.

It all bloomed together as a clear picture in her head as Patrick lifted the kid—their kid—high over his head and put a star at the top of the tree. She sighed and looked back at the ring and pulled it off her finger.

"Hey Tasha?"

She glanced over her shoulder. "Yeah?"

"Turns out, I don't know how to work this register."

Tasha laughed and hurried around the corner, offering an apology and rang him out real fast. He stepped outside and left her alone with Whitney again.

Whitney hugged her. "You'll be okay with whatever you decide to do. Mom would probably say something like follow your heart right now."

Tasha squeezed her friend back. "What is that supposed to mean exactly?"

Whitney laughed and leaned back. "I have no idea. I wish I could stay, but I have to find a fireworks stand. You are coming to the farm tonight, right?"

"I guess. What are y’all doing?"

Whitney’s lips parted and her jaw hung a moment. "Just the biggest fireworks show Bella Warren puts on every year. We're twisting fuses together now to light them later and we're behind since we got back late."

That was fear pinching her gut. Definitely a little bit of fear. "Can't wait."

Whitney went out the door and Tasha was left with her thoughts that were thankfully interrupted through the rest of the afternoon by families coming in and out. Little kids looking through the curved front of her coolers for that special flavor they wanted while mom and dad picked out their own.

Some went on their way to eat. A few sat down together and she couldn't help but steal glances their way as they talked and laughed. That's what she wanted. More than ever she touched the ring at her chest and pictured them together like that. It was so easy to see.