"How're my girls doin'?" Ryder asks a couple hours later as he walks into the living room, looking completely exhausted. He comes closer and I raise my eyebrow as I take in the dust and the paint spots all over him. What on earth has he been doing?

"Good, she actually slept long enough for me to get a decent nap," I reply, barely maintaining my excitement about whatever the surprise is.

"Feel like goin' out for a little while? It won't take too long," He asks, bending over the bassinet I had moved into the living room earlier to kiss Rylee's cheek.

"Sure, just give me a minute to change and get her ready," I reply, pushing myself up from my position on the couch to go back up to my room.

"I got her," He tells me as he picks her up gently and I lead the way up the stairs and go to my room. I get my most comfortable pair of jeans and a t'shirt out of my closet, along with clean underwear, and go to the bathroom to change. When I come back to my room a few minutes later he's got her dressed in warmer clothes and buckled into her carseat, her diaper bag slung over his arm. I shake my head. How did I get so lucky? I grab my jacket and follow them out to his truck, watching as he deftly buckles her into his truck again and helps me in.

"Where are we going?" I ask as I watch the scenery pass by through the window.

"You'll see," Is all he tells me. I sigh and turn the radio on to try and distract myself. A song I've only heard a couple times comes on and I'm shocked once again when he starts singing along with it. I look over at him in amazement, never having heard him sing before.

"Sorry," He apologizes and stops singing. I blink.

"No, don't stop. That was amazing," I reply and he glances over at me, trying his best not to blush. He doesn't succeed. and I lean across the seat to kiss his reddened cheek. He smiles at me and then continues singing along with the radio until we reach our destination. He parks and I pull myself out of my trance and look out the windshield. Then I blink again, shocked for the second time today.

"A house?" I ask stupidly, staring at the medium sized house surrounded by trees in front of me.

"Our house, if you'll do me the honor of stayin'," He replies softly and I pull my eyes away from the house to look at him.

"You bought a house so I would stay in Texas?" I ask, trying to make sense of all this and failing.

"Well, not exactly. I already had it, it just wasn't suitable for anybody to live in and I never got around to fixin' it up. Now I do," He answers and I continue looking at him, not sure what to say. I'm overwhelmed with shock and happiness. Most of all happiness. I unbuckle the seatbelt and practically throw myself into his arms, burying my face in his shoulders and wrapping my arms around his neck tightly.

"You are the most amazing man on earth," I mumble into his shoulder, trying my best not to start crying. I hate crying. Especially happy tears. It just seems so wrong to cry when you're so happy. He wraps his strong arms around me, holding me close to him as he rubs my back gently with one hand.

"Nah, just desperate," He replies, continuing to hold me. "I can't lose you two now, Casey. I love ya'll too much."

"We love you too, Ryder," I reply, still on the verge of tears. The only time I've ever been this happy was when Rylee was born. So much happiness this close together should be illegal.

"So you'll stay here with me?" He asks, placing tiny kisses all over my face and neck. I can't help but giggle because my neck is extremely ticklish.

"Of course I'll stay with you, silly," I answer, wiping my eyes and pulling back to look at him. He smiles and frames my face with his big hands before kissing me and taking my breath away once again. We finally pull apart when Rylee starts fussing, both of us out of breath. "I think somebody's impatient to see her new house."

"Can't keep the princess waitin'," He replies and I crawl back over to the passenger seat so he can get out. He gets her out and gives us a tour of the house. I follow him in a trance like state, still shocked beyond words.

"It's only got two rooms, so the girls'll hafta share when I have Kels," He explains as he opens the door to a light purple room across from the other bedroom. I nod and glance around the freshly painted room. No wonder he looks so exhausted. I look over at Rylee in his arms and smile. She's snuggled into him again with her eyes wide open, looking around the room herself.

"I think she approves," I tell him and he looks down at her and laughs.

"I'm very glad," He replies, playing with one of her hands gently with two of his fingers. By the time we finish the tour I'm completely in love with the house and even more in love with him. If that's even possible.