Book 13 Love After Dark #5
That night, Paul hears Ethan giving Hope a hard time.
They’re moving after the wedding, and it sounds like Ethan doesn’t want that any more than Paul does.
He goes to intervene and helps Ethan understand that Marion’s worsening health is the reason Hope no longer has a job.
Ethan calms down, and after some time with Hope, Paul returns home, devastated that they’re leaving.
Alex happens to be at the house when Paul returns. He convinces Paul to tell Hope he loves her and propose to her. He even suggests that Paul give Hope the ring their father gave their mother. It’s what their mother would want.
Alex and Jenny have a beautiful wedding day. It’s everything they hoped for. Alex meets Jenny’s family and Toby’s, which hits him hard, as he realizes once again that Toby’s death had made room in Jenny’s life for him. They honor Toby during the ceremony by lighting a candle for him.
Erin introduces her parents to Slim. After he charms her mom and dad, he leaves to get them a drink. Erin tells her parents that his real name is Tobias. Her parents recognize, as she did, that her brother sent him to her.
After the wedding, Paul arranges for Ethan to spend the night at Seamus and Carolina’s with Kyle and Jackson.
He convinces Hope to stay with him for the night.
When they get home, he goes in ahead of her and lights a fire.
“Remember when we talked about you and Ethan staying here, and I said I’d take care of you? ”
She nods. “I remember.”
“It occurred to me afterward that I’d left out a few important details.”
“What details?”
His heart pounds double-time as he drops to his knees before her.
She gasps. “Paul…”
“The most important detail I forgot to mention is that I love you, Hope. I love you, and I love Ethan, and I want you both in my life to stay. When I said I wanted to take care of you, I meant it, but I also understand how important it is to you to be financially and professionally independent. And that’s why I think you should go forward with your plans to get a job on the mainland, but maybe a part-time job one or two days a week?
We’ll rent an apartment over there for when you have to work, as long as you come home to Ethan and me when your shift ends.
I want to make this our home—and you can do anything you want to the house to make it your own.
I want to raise Ethan as if he were my own.
I want to have more babies with you. I want everything with you, and I swear to you—on my life and the lives of everyone I love—I will never be untrue to you. Will you marry me, Hope?”
Tears slide down her cheeks, and for the life of him, he can’t tell if they’re happy tears or sad tears.
“Hope?”
“You… You love me?”
He laughs softly. “Did you hear anything else I said after that?”
“I heard all of it.” She wipes away the tears that keep coming.
From his pocket, he produces the ring he’s carried around all day like a talisman, hoping it would bring him luck.
“That’s your mother’s,” she whispers.
“Alex gave it to me and told me to give it to you. He said our mom, the mom we knew and loved for so long, would want you to have it because she’d love you for me. She’d love us together.”
Hope covers her mouth and shakes her head.
Is she saying no? He honestly doesn’t know how he’ll cope if she turns him down.
Suspecting she loves him as much as he loves her, he slides the ring on her finger.
“Well, look at that,” he says reverently.
“It fits like it was meant for you. My father gave my mother this ring on their twentieth anniversary. She loved it almost as much as she loved him. I want what they had, Hope. I want what Alex has with Jenny. And I want it with you. So, will you please marry me?”
“Yes,” she whispers, so softly that he thinks for a second he’s hearing things.
“You want to say that one more time so I can be sure I heard you right?”
“Yes, Paul,” she says, smiling as tears continue to roll down her cheeks. “I’ll marry you.”
The next day, Paul and Hope drive to Seamus and Carolina’s to tell Ethan their news.
They pull into the driveway, where Ethan is playing soccer with Jackson, Kyle and their dog.
When Ethan sees them, he lets out a happy cry and runs for his mother.
She scoops him up and peppers his face with kisses. “Are you guys having fun?”
“So much fun.”
She puts Ethan down and reaches for Kyle and Jackson, who ran to her, too.
Her sweetness to the boys hits Paul right in the chest.
“I don’t hafta go home yet, do I?” Ethan asks.
“Not quite, but Paul and I wanted to talk to you.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No, baby.” Hope gathers him into her arms again. “It’s really good news. At least we hope you’ll think so.”
While Kyle and Jackson look on, Paul squats so he can look Ethan in the eye. “How’d you like to stay here on Gansett?”
Ethan’s big eyes widen with glee. “Really?” He looks up at his mom, who nods. “So we don’t hafta move away?”
“Last night, I asked your mom to marry me, and she said yes. Now I’m hoping you’ll say yes, too, so you guys will get to stay here with me.”
Ethan hurls himself at Paul, who manages to keep his balance as the boy hugs him.
“Should I take that as a yes?” Paul asks, thrilled by Ethan’s reaction.
“We really get to stay forever?” Ethan asks his mother.
“Yes, honey.”
“And will you be my new dad?” he asks Paul.
The question hits him with the force of a gut punch. “If that’s what you want,” he says gruffly.
“It is.” Ethan breaks free of Paul’s embrace. “Hey, you guys,” he says to Jackson and Kyle, “me and my mom are gettin’ married!”
Paul exchanges glances with Hope, her smile as wide as his. He holds out his hand to help her up. As the boys run inside to tell Seamus and Carolina the news, Paul hugs her. “I guess it’s official now.”