EPILOGUE PART 1
Hannah
"What do we have planned?" I ask. Luka hasn't been the least bit forthcoming with his plans. I hope that he'll propose, but I'm wondering if maybe I shouldn't be the one to get down on one knee and surprise him.
I'm not sure how he'd feel about me popping the question. I don't want to hurt his ego or make him suffer amongst his friends at home. Those men would never let him live it down if I was the one to make the grand gesture and ask him to marry me.
"It's a surprise," Luka says.
"I hate surprises," I mutter.
Luka laughs, unconvinced. "You just want spoilers, Zaya." He cocks a sideways grin.
I've finally learned that his cute little nickname for me, Zaya, means bunny. Like I'm his pet. "I want a hint," I say.
He pulls up out front of a bar and parks the car.
"You're taking me to a bar?" I ask. This is the least romantic place that he could come up with for a proposal, especially since I'm pregnant. I can't even enjoy a cocktail or two. Maybe he doesn't want to marry me.
Luka shuts off the engine and climbs out. He heads around to the passenger side, but I'm already out of the vehicle, my arms folded across my chest.
"I thought it would be fun, a night out with just the two of us."
"It's still sunny outside," I say.
"You are quite observant," Luka acknowledges. His hand falls to the small of my back as he leads me into the bar.
I'm not sure what I'm expecting. There are no familiar faces. No surprise party, although is that even a thing for a pre-engagement? The man hasn't proposed, and I haven't said yes.
But I will.
If he ever asks me.
Sure, he tried to propose. We were interrupted, and while I want to hate Lucy for dropping in unannounced and uninvited, I hate to admit that I like her.
There are pool tables across the bar, and Luka escorts me toward one of them. "How about a game?"
"You're not going to offer to buy me a drink?" I ask.
"I was hoping that you'd do the buying," Luka says.
That is so unlike him, asking me to pay for our drinks. I don't even know what to say or think. "Yeah, uh, sure," I stammer. "What do you want?" I ask.
"Get me whatever you're having," Luka says. He mustn't be thinking clearly.
"You want a Fuzzy Navel?" I ask.
He shakes his head and winces. That doesn't sound appealing to him. "Yours better be a virgin and order me a Jack and Coke."
"Yes!" I don't know whether he's finished or not, but I can't seem to contain my excitement. My eyes widen. "Were you done?"
Luka chuckles. "Honestly, I forgot my entire speech. I just made that up on the fly. But it's true. I want to spend my life with you and Bay. Maybe we'll get a cottage, retire, and move someplace less dangerous one day."
I can't imagine Luka walking away from his work with Mikhail. "You'd give it all up?"
"One day. I said retire," he points out. "I'm not ready to do that just yet.
Good, because I rather like Madisyn and Lucy. I don't want to leave it all behind."