To the Stars (Thatch #2)(102)

“I just pulled up to the house,” Harlow said excitedly, and tried, but failed, to suppress a giggle. “I love this house!”

I smiled to myself. I knew she did. Harlow had decided a few months ago that she wanted to be in Thatch so she could be closer to Grey and the baby, and since I’d moved into her apartment a month before, Graham and Deacon were glad that I was coming back to town. They’d acted like Harlow and I had betrayed them by living in Richland, since I’d lived with them for almost seven years, even though I was there half the time anyway for work.

And even though I no longer needed to give Harlow space now, I’d let her pick out our house. She’d hated her last house. I knew this one needed to be perfect for her—and it ended up being perfect for us.

We’d finished moving in over the weekend, and I was still supposed to be at work until tomorrow morning, but I’d taken off the entire shift. After spending the day with her parents in Seattle yesterday, I’d made sure Harlow would be busy out of the house today while I transformed the entire entryway to look like a meadow of red poppies.

I heard Harlow’s car door shut as she told me about her day, and my eyes snapped up to the front door as I listened to her voice get closer and closer.

“Harlow?”

“Yeah?” she asked when she put the key in the lock.

“Why would anyone waste their time only loving someone to the moon when they could love them to the stars?”

She’d finished the last few words with me as she opened the door, then said in confusion, “You’re not at—” Harlow’s eyes widened and her gasp filled the entryway as she dropped her arm holding the phone up to her ear. “Knox,” she whispered in awe. “You remembered.”

Like I could’ve forgotten.

I fingered the ring in my pocket, and swallowed roughly as I waited for her to look back at me. “I thought of buying you a new one, but I knew it belonged to you the instant I saw it five years ago, and every time I see it now, I know that’s still true.”

Harlow covered her mouth when it fell open, and her blue eyes brightened with unshed tears when I pulled the ring out and closed the distance between us. It had a white gold band that looked like twisted rope, with a round diamond solitaire resting on top.

Once I was in front of her, I took her left hand in mine and dropped down to one knee. “When I met you seven and a half years ago, I knew one day I would make you mine. It’s taken us a little longer to get there than I’d originally planned, but I can’t complain when I get you for the next fifty-nine and a half years.”

She laughed behind her hand, and her left hand squeezed mine.

“No matter what happens in our lives, I will love you with everything that I am for the rest of mine, and I will make sure you know every day what it’s like to be loved to the stars,” I vowed. “Harlow Evans, will you marry me?”

“Yes!” she choked out, and barely gave me long enough to slide the ring on her finger before she launched herself into my arms and crushed her mouth to mine. She pulled back enough to look into my eyes and whispered, “Thank you for waiting for me.”

“Always.”





Acknowledgments


CORY. THANK YOU, thank you, thank you! Honestly, I could not have done this book without you. I know I always say that, but oh wow, we’ve never had a baby girl in our lives before this! Thank you for being so incredible! I love you!

Tessa Woodward. You’re amazing. Thank you for letting me endlessly bother you with random questions—even when it took us to the Cartier and Harry Winston websites for far too long! Thank you for understanding my need to tell this story as it is. Creepy husband, and all!

Kevan Lyon. Thank you for finally letting me tell this story! Ha! You are, by far, the best agent ever.

A. L. Jackson. I don’t know what I would do with every book if I didn’t have you to bounce ideas off of. I love you, BB!

Kelly Simmon. I love you! Thank you! So many thank-yous and exclamation marks! I love that you just got the creep factor, and embraced it.





About the Author


MOLLY MCADAMS grew up in California but now lives in the oh-so-amazing state of Texas with her husband, daughter, and fur babies. Her hobbies include hiking, snowboarding, traveling and long walks on the beach . . . which roughly translates to being a homebody with her hubby and dishing out movie quotes.

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