Irresistible (Cloverleigh Farms #1)(81)
“Of course I do. We’ll want to show them exactly where we were when I asked you to marry me.”
I stared at him. “What?”
He smiled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a ring. “The box wouldn’t fit in my pocket,” he said sheepishly. “I didn’t plan that part very well. Which brings me to my next point.” He took a breath. “I’m no prince, Frannie. I’m stubborn, I’m impatient, I have a foul mouth and a lot of fucking baggage. And I come attached to three small humans who run me ragged every day. But I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone.”
“I love you, too.” I’d started to cry, and he gently brushed tears from beneath my eyes with one thumb before taking my left hand and sliding the ring, a simple diamond solitaire on a delicate platinum band, onto my fourth finger.
“Then I have a question for you.” He got down on one knee, keeping my hand in his. “I can’t promise to build you a castle like this, or take you to Paris every year, or even clean up my mouth. But I can promise to spend every day of my life, and every night, treating you like a fucking queen—I’m sorry.” He looked nervous. “A regular queen. Jesus Christ, I can’t even propose without cursing.”
I laughed, sniffling through my tears. “It’s okay. I know exactly who you are, and I wouldn’t change you for anything.”
“Does that mean you’ll marry me?”
I nodded, fresh tears cascading down my cheeks. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”
He stood up and we threw our arms around each other, and the ground fell away beneath my feet. “God, I’m so glad that’s done,” he admitted.
“Why? Did you think I’d say no?”
“Not really, I was just afraid I’d fuck it up somehow. Lose the ring, forget what I wanted to say, screw up the directions to get here. There was a lot depending on my ability to get things right, and I don’t always trust myself.”
“Well, you should. You did it perfectly.” My toes touched the ground, but I hardly felt it. “I couldn’t be happier.”
“Good.” He kissed my lips. “Now we should call home, because I told the girls they could stay up until you said yes.”
I squealed. “They knew?”
“Only after we left. I didn’t trust them to keep the secret, so I called them while you were in the shower yesterday and told them it was happening. But they’ve known for a while I wanted to ask. And Millie helped me choose the ring.”
“She did?” I felt choked up all over again.
“Mmhm. Millie and April.”
I sighed. “We’re so lucky to have family like we do.”
“We are. And maybe we can even add to it.”
Leaning back, I looked at him in surprise. “Did I hear that right?”
He shrugged. “I figure I’m not that old. Might be fun to give the girls a little brother.”
“Or sister.”
He paused. “Um … a house with four girls in it?”
Giggling, I kissed his lips. “Five. Don’t forget your wife.”
He sighed. “We’re going to need more space. And I’m going to need a bigger swear jar.”
“Relax, babe. It’s gonna be okay. I’ve got you.”
“We’ve got each other.” He pulled me close again, burying his face in my hair. “And it’s only going to get better.”
The End