"Ashley and I have to be back to make it official that she is mine," Canley whispers feeling the tears welling up inside.

Cullen wraps his arm around her and gently pulls her closer to him, "I have a few extra days to take off I will just stay and be here for my girls."

She smiles up at him as a single tear trickles down her cheek, "Thank you," She whispers.

He wipes her tear away and kisses her forehead, "I wish you didn't have to drive your pickup so I could keep my eagle eye on you."

"Cullen, you are so sweet, but sometimes your protectiveness gets annoying, maybe not now as much as it did growing up." She laughs glancing down at the now whimpering Ashley.

He laughs, "Okay I will try not to be so annoying. Do you want me to load you and Ashley's bags?"

"Yeah that's fine I just need to grab some clothes first."

He grins, "Why can't you just wear your adorable polar bear pajamas?"

"Um, because we are going to be in public?" She scoffs handing him Ashley and climbing out from under the covers. She picks out a pair of jeans and a tee shirt and heads to the bathroom. Five minutes later with her hair done, her clothes changed and her teeth brushed she reenters the room.

She takes Ashley and changes her diaper while Cullen takes their bags and puts them in her backseat. He then loads his own bags before heading back up the stairs and knocking on her door. She opens it and he enters with a sigh.

"I got that done without having to explain now the real work comes, telling them that we are leaving."

She smiles and uses her good arm to massage one of his shoulders, "It will be okay we just have to be honest and civil."

He nods, "Okay, are you and the chipmunk ready to face the storm?"

She giggles, "I think so, she is playing with the toys on her car seat so maybe she will be happy until we get going and then she will probably sleep."

"How long have you been taking care of her again?"

"Since Tuesday night, why?"

He shrugs smiling, "I was just thinking you have her figured out pretty darn well."

"Let's just go," She says making him laugh. He grabs the car seat and takes her hand in his. She glances down at their enlaced fingers a smile breaking her sealed lips. He too smiles as they descend the stairs and into the living room. All eyes turn to them as they reach the bottom.

Cullen clears his throat, "Canley and I have decided it would be best if she goes ahead and gets back home so she doesn't have to drive in the heavy traffic, and I will be going with her."

"So y'all are just leaving?" Canley's mom questions.

Cullen inhales deeply as Canley squeezes his hand, "No, we just thought it best if we got an early start and this way Ashely will be on her schedule for napping and stuff."

"Well we wish you safe travels and let us know when you get there." His mom voices standing and hugging them each. The others follow suit without the cheerful disposition.

"Thanks mom," Cullen whispers as he hugs her.

She nods, "Your welcome."

Cullen helps Canley get everything situated before getting in his own pickup and leading the way out and onto the highway. He turns the radio on softly and hums along with the song. He pulls over at the road side park and walks up to her window grinning, "I just realized that I have no idea where I am going."

She laughs, "I was wondering how long it was going to take you. Do you want me to give you the address and you lead or do you want me to lead?"

"Whatever you want to do."

She sighs, "I guess I will lead so that we take the easiest route, not whatever your phone comes up with."

He nods and smiles, "Okay."

***

Half way into the trip Ashley wakes up wanting to be fed so Canley pulls over and feeds be a bottle before burping her and hitting the road again. When they finally arrive at her place the dogs go crazy jumping at the fence and barking. She smiles and get the car seat out as Cullen walks up and takes it form her.

"So you really stuck with the dog breeding stuff?" He asks nodding towards the pens.

She smiles, "Yeah I have three litters right now, one is Border Collie, one is lab and the other is a Kelpie and Blue Heeler mix."

"All the same age?"

She shakes her head and fishes her keys out of her pocket, "Nah, the labs are the oldest and then the mix the Border Collies are the newest." She pushes the door open and forces him inside first.

Cullen sweeps his gaze around the small living and dining room, the tan walls give a cozy feeling and the decorations show her personality as her anything she had decorated always did. The maple wood table sitting in the middle of the room catches his eye and he turns to meet her gaze.

She nods, "Yeah I got it out of storage when I moved out." The table was one that they had built together to enter in a fair. It had placed well in its category and they were very proud of it, but there was no where to put it except in storage.

He runs his hand over the smooth wood smiling, "It still looks like new," He comments.

"So you want to eat off of it for lunch?" She asks smirking.

He laughs, "Is that asking if I want to eat at a table or the floor? I think I will take risking spilling food on it and getting chewed out."

"Thought so. So what do you want to eat, I honestly don't even know what I have to make." She opens the fridge and looks through the contents of it.

He grins and opens the pantry door, "You have floor."

Her eyebrows knit together, "Yes, what are you thinking?"

"Crescent rolls?"

"I haven't made those in ages. I will make you a deal, you grill steaks I will make rolls."

"Crescent rolls and steaks? What more could a man want?" He laughs and nods.

She finds the recipe for the rolls and starts to take out the ingredients out when Ashley starts to fuss form her car seat. Canley smiles and walks over to the car seat, "What you think, little girl? You want to swing and watch me cook?"

As she places her in the swing her phone rings, she sighs and buckles Ashley in before answering it. "Hello?"

"Canley, it is Chief Mitchel." The familiar gruff voice answers.

She smiles, "How are you?"

"I am good, I was just calling to make sure we are still on for Monday and I wanted to see how the little one is doing."

She nods, "Yes, we are good with Monday. Ashley is doing great, she has gotten adjusted a little more."

"That's good, my wife and I would love to have y'all over sometime if you would like," He says the smile carrying through his voice.

She too smiles, "I think that would be nice, my boyfriend is down for the next couple of days so maybe after he heads back?"

"He is welcome as well if he cares to join. Just let me know."

"I will, thank you for the invitation."

They say their departure before hanging up. She smiles and begins mixing the ingredients for the rolls. Ashley coos from the swing and swats at the toys hanging from the bar across the top making Canley's smile widen. Forming the crescent shape from the dough she peeks out the back window at Cullen as he flips the steaks. She could see her life like this, cooking for her family, having kids, Cullen as her husband. In a matter of a few days her views of him have changed drastically, from a close friend to boyfriend and now thoughts of marriage. The idea delighted her, but also frightened her. What if he didn't see things the same way?