[Fiona's POV]
"Okay, Lucas, what brings you here?" I asked him, and he nervously sat on the couch across from me.
I had moved back to Heath's place after the talk with Gian and Clover, though I would see Lucas now and then when he visited Heath or when he drove to Selby to see me. He was kind of distant.
"Um…. So… I have been thinking," he speaks, "it might seem too quick or maybe I am rushing things, but I feel like this is the right time."
"The right time for?"
"I want to ask Selby to marry me," he says.
I feel mixed emotions, marriage? Now? He might be right about this being too sudden.
"But…. Lucas, you hadn't introduced her to your family yet, and you haven't met her family either," I reasoned.
"Oh…. I am going to meet her parents next month. I plan to ask her father for her hand in marriage," he said so confidently.
I looked at him, bewildered. "Ask Selby's father for her hand in marriage the first time you met him?" I asked.
He nods, confused as to why I was surprised by this, "War veteran Robert Green?" I asked again.
"Um… yes," he said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Lucas, do you have a death wish? Don't you think you need to know him a bit so you can coerce him a bit into allowing you to marry his daughter?"
"What? Do you think he will say no?"
"He will kill you before he says no, man, he has tried to kill so many of our exes. I have lost count," I sighed, "I get this, you want to marry her as quickly as you can, but I would suggest you get to know her family a bit and then ask for her hand in marriage."
"How long should I wait?" he asked.
"I don't know. First, have a talk with her about marriage, see where she stands, and then meet the families and take it from there. If she is cool with marriage, I'd say wait like a month or two," I told him.
He nods his head hesitantly; it is somewhat admirable how he really wants to marry Selby and how determined he is about it. I cannot help but chuckle at him, "Anyway, I need to get going, I am meeting Selby, and she would kill me if I were late."
"Need me to drop you off?" he asked, standing up.
"No, Heath would flip out if he heard I didn't let the bodyguard drive me," I say, "he says 'we need to be extra cautious' all the time."
"Don't blame him, that man is a mess when there is a subtle hint, he might lose you," Lucas said, "Is it true he drank himself into oblivion in your first fight?"
"Yes, man, he looked a mess, you should have seen him."
Lucas and I continued to chat until we were both on our way to our respective places. I met Selby just in time; she had taken a day off just to plan this for Lewis.
"It has been a while, hasn't it?" Selby says.
"Yeah, since you have been busy and all," I say, "you don't take time out for me."
"Don't speak nonsense, I always take time for you," she says, hugging me.
We both catch up on each other's lives and her new work life, and we begin with little Lewis Easton's welcome party.
It almost gives me baby fever planning this. I say almost because I know for sure Heath and I are not ready to be parents.
"So, when are we getting your baby?" I teased Selby.
She rolls her eyes, "Not anytime soon," she says, "I still need to introduce Lucas to dad."
I laugh. I kind of know how bad that is going to go already, because meeting Robert Green is no walk in the park.
"Has he met Mom yet?"
"Yeah, I introduced them last week when we went to Durban for work," she says.
"And you didn't introduce him to your father at the same time?"
"I am not taking Lucas to that man's house until I know for sure he will come out alive," she says. "By the way, Dad said he can't wait to meet Heath."
A very loud cough is heard as I choke on my drink, "When did he say this?"
"He called yesterday, telling me he is coming to Cape Town and cannot wait to meet both mine and your boyfriends," Selby says before smirking, "at least Lucas doesn't have a bad track record with the ladies, he will not be dodging those old bullets."
"Don't joke, okay?" I tell her, "You know Dad would give him a hard time for just existing."
"He just wants what is best for us," Selby says.
Selby's father's visit might not only be a problem for Lucas, but it also seems Heath needs to suit up to convince the war veteran, who still has three bullets reserved for any man who hurt his princesses.
[Later that day]
The thought of Robert disapproving of Heath consumed my mind the whole day. I am not saying it would ruin our relationship.
Dad (Robert) was not one to tell us who to love and the like, but he never hid how he hated any of our previous boyfriends; he always showed his disapproval of them boldly.
And over the years, there has never been any person who changed his mind about them.
"What is worrying your pretty little head?" Heath says.
"You are home," I say, jumping off the couch to hug him.
"Of course, you thought I wouldn't come back. Now what is worrying you?"
"Nothing much," I lie, "just hate staying at home doing nothing."
"Well, you will not be staying at home for long," he says, scooping me into his arms, "I have a plan for us next week."
"Next week?"
"Yes, after Lewis comes home, though, because it will be out of town."
This scares me and excites me at the same time. It seems this man can sense danger from afar.
"Mhhhh, so you are taking me on a baecation?" I teased.
"Of course, you really need one," he says, pulling me into a kiss. I am happy.
[A week later]
Selby and I had cooperated well to make sure Lewis's welcome home party was everything. With the help of both Lucas and Heath, we were able to make a party worthy of a prince. Lewis was.
Gian and Clover went to the hospital to pick Lewis up, leaving us, the catering business, and the décor people to finish setting up for his party.
It was a very intimate event, just his grandparents, us, the godparents, and our partners. Bonnie was also there, who was set to be Lewis's nanny.
Lewis's welcome home party was perfect, though Clover could not stop crying. Everything was just so perfect with everyone there to support.
And given that we never had a baby shower or a gender reveal, everyone brought so many gifts to the happy couple.
Holding Lewis for the first time was even more glorious; he was so tiny and adorable, with Clover's beautiful eyes, one would think he was born from Clover only.
"Can't wait to have one of our own," I gasp with shock, making sure I hold Lewis well, he does fall.
"What? We haven't even... can you stop teasing me?" I scold him. It seemed that after meeting Lewis for the first time, he had been feeling some baby fever.
I gently put Lewis back in his crib, then Heath quickly moved to his crib before picking him up, gently, almost as if this was not the first time he had held a baby.
"You think your genes will be as dominant as Clover's? I want our child to look like you," he says, smiling at Lewis.
"Can you not let baby fever take over?" I say, "We are not ready to have kids yet."
"I know, we will have to get married, live together, and all that, but we are going to do all that," I am sure he surely wasn't listening to himself, because how is he so nonchalant about talking about marriage like it will be that easy?
"Come on, you do want one eventually, right?" he asks, and I just pout.
"I haven't had time to think about children, and I am not going to start now. When the time is right, I will think about it," I tell him.
"Yeah, fine when the time is right," he said sarcastically, "but I still wish all our kids looked like you."
"It wouldn't be bad if they looked like you," I say, "You are not a bad-looking man."
"I am hot, no need to shy away from the truth," he says. "We are truly blessed when it comes to the gene pool; our kids will be such beauties."
"Isn't it too early to think about kids, young man?" It felt like a roar; I could distinguish that voice from a loud crowd at a festival.
That commanding tone, like he was leading any of his military training. Robert Green was here. I thought he was coming next week.