Page 95 of Griffin
My heart clenches. He doesn’t like calling my son after his brother? I feel like ever since our chat in his office, he’s been a little more at ease with this. His shoulders not as tight, his face not as angry. But maybe I was wrong.
“You don’t want him to be called Tommy anymore?” I frown, disappointed.
“I don’t want him to have the last name Shepherd anymore. I think Patterson is better. I’d like him to have my last name if you agree?” He continues massaging my feet like he didn’t drop a bomb on me.
“You want to adopt Tommy?” I can barely get the words out. In complete shock. Happily so.
“I do. While we’re at it, I’m thinking we should change your name to Patterson too.”
I’m glad I’m sitting down because had I been standing, my legs would’ve given way.
“I… I, um…” I can’t talk. I’m excited, surprised. I look down at Tommy, tears in my eyes, and Griffin's hands leave my feet to reach up, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers linger at my jaw, warm and steady, and my breath catches as I look up at him. There’s something in his eyes I can’t name, something soft, something certain, something that makes my heart stumble.
I’m about to agree, but then I watch Griffin lower down on bended knee beside me. At the sight, my stomach does backflips.
“Savannah. Sweetness. Nothing we’ve done has been what anyone could call traditional or in any usual pattern of how couples build relationships. But that seems to be our thing. I didn’t think I was made for this. For a woman. For a child. A son. It doesn’t matter that he isn’t my blood. He’s mine because you are mine. I knew the moment I met you there was something different about you. I couldn’t put my finger on it at the start. Just had this natural pull. It was new, different, and scary as hell. But now that we’ve been doing life together for a while, I figured out what it is about you that has me completely transfixed.”
I stay silent. I can’t talk because I can’t even breathe, the air leaving my lungs almost completely.
He clears his throat, eyes locked on mine like he’s afraid I’ll vanish if he looks away. “It’s the way you walk into the room and I feel like I can breathe again. It’s the way you fight for the people you love and for yourself, even when you’re breaking inside. You make me want to be a better man, even when I don’t know how the hell to do that. I’ve spent most of my life keeping people out. Easier that way. Cleaner. But you… you tore down every wall I built. And I didn’t even see it happening until I realized I can’t imagine a single day without you in it.”
My lips part, but again, no words come, everything he’s saying overwhelming me with the certainty of my love for this man.
He keeps going, voice rough, almost breaking. “I don’t have fancy speeches. I don’t have promises of perfection. What I’ve got is me, flawed, stubborn, grumpy as hell. But I’m yours. Every damn piece of me. And I want you to be mine. For the rest of whatever time we’ve got.”
He pauses, swallowing hard, and the silence between us feels like it’s holding its breath. “So I’m asking you, Savannah, here in the quiet morning hours, with our son in your arms, if you’ll be my wife.”
With that question lingering in the air, he pulls a small box out from under the rocking chair, clearly having had this planned for a while. My throat dries as he opens it and I see a sparkling diamond throwing patterns around the room from the reflection of the nightlight.
I look at the ring, then back to Griffin, feeling like I’m going to have a heart attack.
“Yes…” I whisper, my eyes steadily leaking tears as I pull in a breath, filling my empty lungs. “Yes, Griffin. Yes, I will marry you. I want to be your wife, want your last name, want you to be mine, officially.”
He grabs my hand, sliding the ring on, and kisses me hard before he kisses the top of Tommy’s head.
I lift my hand and look at the jewel that now adorns it. The diamond catches the faint nursery light, scattering tiny stars across the walls. It’s simple, elegant, and heartbreakingly thoughtful. If I were to choose a ring to wear forever, this would be it.
I cup his jaw as he looks deep into my eyes from a mere inch away.
“I love you,” I whisper again, my thumb brushing the rough line of his jaw. He looks more relaxed now. Happy.
Griffin’s lips twitch into the smallest grin, the kind that only ever shows when he’s caught off guard. “Guess that makes two of us, then.”
He rises and presses his forehead to mine, his breath warm against my lips. Neither of us speaks. We don’t need to. The room feels different now, fuller somehow, like the air itself has shifted to make space for this new version of us.
Tommy sighs in his sleep, his tiny body warm between us, and I swear I can feel the future settling around us like a blanket.
“See? Even Tommy’s on board.” He presses another kiss to Tommy’s head.
I smile through my tears. “Team Patterson all the way.”
40
Savannah
I should feel safe. Secure. But every time the bakery door jingles, I’m on eggshells.
Waiting. Knowing my family is going to come back. Maybe with more reinforcements. They could be outside watching, waiting. But I have a feeling that the security Griffin hired would spot them. Which makes me think they’re planning something big.
