Chapter 42
Chapter Forty-Two
Adam
Six Weeks Later
Hayden glances over from the passenger seat of my boat. “Are you sure it’s safe to go out at night?”
“That’s what boat lights are for.”
“But they’re so tiny.”
I grin. “It’s a big lake, Hayden, and it’s late. I doubt we’ll pass anyone.”
She sits forward, scanning the dark water. “Okay, I trust you.” She doesn’t sound confident.
I laugh. “You sure?”
She looks over again. “What? I trust you.” I wink, because I know she does. My girlfriend just has trouble not being in charge. It’s a good thing I’m a strong man and can handle her.
Of course, I don’t tell her that or she’d kick my ass.
I stop the boat a little way offshore and cut the engine. “Where are those blankets you carried down?”
She stands and reaches toward the bow seats, and I grab her ass. She looks back. “That was sneaky.”
I shrug. “You know how I operate. You put that in my face and it gets fondled.”
She shoves the blankets at me and I chuckle. “Sit in your seat for a minute.”
“Why?” she asks suspiciously.
“Where’s the trust, my love?” She growls, and I spread out thick blankets on the floor of the back of the boat, smiling. I grab the pillow I remembered for the makeshift bed and lie down. I pat the covers. “Join me?”
She crawls over. “What are you up to?”
“I thought we could lie under the stars in the middle of the lake.”
She snuggles up and I cover her with one of the blankets. “Actually, that’s kind of romantic.”
We look up at the stars for a moment, my hand lazily rubbing her arm. It’s all for show. I’m a nervous wreck inside. “I spoke to Levi.”
“Oh?” She plasters her cold nose to my neck and nuzzles me.
“My father’s will was read a while back. I didn’t go. Couldn’t… Well, anyway, I wasn’t in any shape to see people. Levi said my father left something for me. I picked up the item a couple of weeks ago, but I wanted to wait until tonight to tell you about it.”
She scoots back to look at me. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Everything is perfect. Well, not perfect—we’re not perfect people and we’ll drive each other crazy from time to time.
” Now I’m rambling. Great job, Cade. “What I’m trying to say is that you’re perfect for me and I love you.
I can’t imagine life without you, and I’m tired of running back and forth to pick up clothes from my place. ”
“So…you want to live together?”
“Yes, that, but—Hayden—” I swallow. Jesus Christ, why is this so hard? “I want to marry you. I—I love you, and I want to marry you. Will you be my wife?”
She’s silent. And not moving.
“Hayden?” I lean in until our noses touch. It’s fucking dark, and I can barely see her eyes, but I think she’s crying. “We can wait. There’s no rush—” She launches on me, squeezing the air from my lungs. “Is that a yes?”
“I love you,” she says breathily, as if she’s run a mile. “Yes.”
I hold her tight, so grateful for my father right now.
Had I not done what he said and taken that job at Blue, I might not have gotten the opportunity to know Hayden.
We might have run into each other, since we have mutual friends, but it wouldn’t have been the same.
I wouldn’t have seen her daily, had the chance to annoy the crap out of her until she was forced to succumb to my charm.
Bottom line: I have a lot to be thankful for.
My father, my mother, my brothers, and this woman in my arms.
I roll her to the side and dig in my pocket. “You don’t have to wear it as your engagement ring. I can buy you another, but this was in the will. My father said that my mother wanted me to have it.”
I hold up the ring that’s set with a clear, cushion-cut diamond with smaller diamonds surrounding it. It’s pretty, but I don’t know much about this stuff, and I want Hayden to love whatever ring she wears.
Her lips press together, and this time I’m certain tears roll down her cheeks. I should have brought a lantern, dammit. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Her voice catches and she slides the ring on her left ring finger. “Don’t you dare try and replace it. I love it.”
I pull her close and hold up her hand. And for a moment, I remember this ring. The way it sparkled on my mother’s hand. She used to let me spin it around on her finger.
I look into Hayden’s eyes. “I’m about to say something corny, so brace yourself.
” I take a deep breath and blink back the emotion threatening to steal my man card.
“I’ve never been happier in my life than in this moment, and the last top five have featured you naked, so you can imagine the heights this one had to climb.
” She grins, and this one I can see, because it beams out from within.
“Thank you for never letting me get away with anything, and for loving me even when I’m being a jackass.
I’ll always be here for you—I’ll always be fighting for you. ”
I kiss her, and I swear the light that shines through her smile radiates into the kiss, warming my body and the heart I once thought had frozen over for good.