Chapter 47
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
W e visited Ophelia the next day in her rehab facility room.
“Well?” She slammed down her water bottle, knocking askew the plastic bendy straw. “Back together, I see. Good. I was seconds from cutting Dominic out of my will.”
Sighing, Dominic moved a chair next to the bed for me. “She took me back.”
I kissed Ophelia’s cheek before I sat down. “I’m lucky to have him.”
“Psht.” Ophelia narrowed her eyes, glancing back and forth between the two of us. “What happened?”
Dominic held up his hands. “I sent her presents and agreed to be a partner.”
I stared at him, my eyebrows raised.
“Oh, fine.” He crossed his arms. “After I reached out, she wrote she had something to tell me.”
Ophelia slapped her hand on the rail guard of her hospital bed. “Stop toying with me.”
“I’m pregnant.” I smiled at her. “Although it’s very early.”
“Oh, sweet Jesus.” She covered her eyes with a shaking hand. “You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“Give me a tissue.” She blinked watery eyes at me. “Good Lord. Well, Dominic, what happens now?”
He sat down on the bed next to her. “I’m moving to River Gorge.”
I sat up straight, warmth radiating in my chest. “Yeah?”
He smiled. “I did recently buy a townhouse there.”
“That was you?” I sprang to my feet. “You bought the townhouse from my ex and me?”
“I also made it clear that I wouldn’t be investing in River Gorge if he had a job there.” He held up a hand as I stared at him with my mouth hanging open. “They would have fired him without my encouragement. Probably.”
“But the townhouse sold after we broke up…”
He shook his head at me. “Even when I was angry, I knew I wasn’t letting you go. I needed to think. And I wanted to free you from River Gorge. But,” he rubbed his cheek, “I’m willing to try living there. If you insist.”
Ophelia cleared her throat as I went around the bed and threw my arms around him. “I’d like to be able to visit. Keep it in mind.”
“If Kelsey agrees, we’ll live in the townhouse until we find something to buy. A house with a guest suite on the first floor.”
Ophelia nodded regally. “That would do.” She patted my arm. “Don’t worry, I won’t be there all the time. Need to be around other old people.”
Dominic rubbed my back, his eyes warm as he stared at me. “What do you think?”
“I…it’s a bit fast, isn’t it?”
Ophelia slapped my arm, startling me. “Hush, girl. Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress.”
Dominic angled me away from her. “I’ve been yours since you bid on me at the auction. I would do anything for you. We’ll have a family, live in a small town—anything.” He cupped his hands around my cheeks. “My angel. I love you. Live with me. Marry me. Don’t ever leave me again.”
Trembling, I sucked in a breath. “Yes,” I croaked. “Yes.”
Ophelia and the three nurses standing in the doorway burst into applause.