Lacey shut her lips tightly, her eyes dancing with laughter as Karson chuckled. “Yeah, Ma.”

“Why are you calling me when you’re in bed with someone?” she yelled, obviously freaking out a bit. It was bound to get worse once he dropped the bomb of information he was holding. Glancing over at Lacey, he shot her a grin, kissing her lips before looking down at the phone.

Taking in a deep breath, he said, “Because I wanted you to say hi to your daughter-in-law.”

Crickets.

Karson swore he could hear the crickets on the other end of the line. Lacey looked over at him with worry lining her lips, but he shook his head. He knew his mom just needed to process it, and then she would be okay. Regina wanted nothing more than for her baby to be happy, and Lacey was the one to do just that.

“What’s going on, Regina? Why are you looking at me like that?” Karson heard his father ask.

“Our son got married,” she breathed and Karson grinned.

“What? Who?”

“Karson, he got married in Vegas.”

“What! Did he knock the chick up?” his father boomed.

“Oh my God,” Regina breathed. “Karson, am I going to be a grandmother?”

Before Karson could answer, he heard his dad snatch the phone out of her hand and then said, “Karson, son, what the hell is your mother talking about?”

“Hey, Pops,” Karson said slowly.

“Don’t ‘Hey, Pops’ me. You got married? To whom? Did you knock her up? Did you at least get a prenup before you went and married some girl you don’t know?”

“At least they want to protect you,” Lacey commented with a grin.

“Who’s that?” his father asked. “My daughter-in-law?”

“Yeah, Dad, and it isn’t just some girl I don’t know. It’s Lacey Martin.”

“Lacey? Why do I know that name?”

“Because I’ve loved her my whole life,” Karson answered, cupping Lacey’s face. “And I married her, Pops. I couldn’t waste another second without her.”

“Wow. You sound like a damn pussy, Kar, get it together,” Karl grunted as Lacey snickered against his lips.

“Oh, he’s a character,” she whispered.

“You have no idea,” Karson laughed as he kissed her nose. “I’m in love, Pops!”

“Still, be a man about it. Smack her ass, tell her she’s pretty and that you love her. No need to get all sappy and shit,” he said, making them both laugh again. “But okay, congratulations and can’t wait to meet you, Lacey.”

“Can’t wait to meet you, Mr. King.”

“That’s Pops to you, honey. Here is your mother. Maybe she can process some info now, but is she pregnant?”

“No, Pops, no kiddos yet,” Karson answered, and he didn’t miss the way Lacey bit her lip, the worried look back on her sweet face. Lacing his fingers with hers, he kissed her knuckles as Karl said, “Here, Regina. He married that girl he was in love with from college, Lacey, and they aren’t pregnant. Just in looooove.”

Lacey laughed out loud before saying, “I already love him.”

“Yeah, he’s pretty loveable,” Karson laughed as his mother got back on the phone.

“You married Lacey? How? I thought you hadn’t seen her in years!”

“Yeah, I got in a cab in Chicago, Ma, and she was there. It was like time hadn’t even passed,” Karson admitted, and it felt good to say that to someone else. “I went and won the game for her and then asked her to marry me. She said yes.”

“Oh my God, how romantic! That is just darling. I’m so excited for you and her,” she said, heavy emotion in her voice.

“Thanks, Ma. Once we are settled, I want you to come meet her,” Karson said as Lacey grinned.

“No, you two come here. Your next game isn’t till Friday. You can come here before going home,” she insisted.

“Ma, we have to pack her up and stuff. I’ll fly you two out to Nashville.”

“But I want to meet her now!” his mom protested. “You didn’t give me the chance back then, and now that you two are married—which by the way I didn’t get to be a part of—I think it is only fair that you stop in. Even if it is only for a couple hours.”

“Fucking hell,” he muttered and Lacey chuckled beside him. “Hold on.”

Hitting mute, he looked at Lacey. “What do you think?”

“I mean, if we don’t, she’s going to assume I said no. We really have no choice.”

“I know. She is a sneaky little shit.”

“Yeah, let’s stop on the way home. I’ll call and see what I can do.”

“We have to deal with your family next; are you sure?”

She nodded, her face warm with love. “I like that you said we.”

“’Cause that’s what we are. A unit. I’m not going to sit back and let you take shit for this, Lacey. We both wanted this.”

“I know,” she agreed. “It’s just my family hates you with a passion.”

He nodded. “I get that, but in the end, they’ll see that I’m what’s right for you.”

Placing her hand over his heart, she kissed the side of his mouth. “I know that and that’s all that matters. Finish with your mom while I call the airline.”

“Okay,” he said, going to hit the mute button, but first he met her gaze and smiled. “I love you.”