Chapter forty-six
The ring weighed heavy in my pocket, and as I looked at her, beautiful, smiling, and a little flushed, with the beautiful view of the bay behind her shoulders. As well as a woman who loved my daughters as much as I did, I hoped that I would have Helena by my side to share the rest of my days with or enjoy everyone that I could because every second mattered.
When I called her name and it echoed, she looked at me and smiled. I could wait for the starter to be served, but I immediately wanted to ask her to be mine for the rest of our lives.
“I'd like to know...” I pulled the velvet box out of my pocket.
She stared at me, but before I could lift the ring and make the request, that was the question my heart was waiting most for the answer to. Diana appeared in my view, huffing and dodging the restaurant security guard who was trying to stop her.
“Thomas, you can't do this!”
“What is this woman doing here?” Helena was surprised by the terrible apparition.
All I didn't want was to have my marriage proposal interrupted by my dead wife's crazy sister.
“My sister would never approve of that.” He put his hands on his waist, puffing out his chest.
“We disagree on that, but in any case, Daphne is no longer here.”
“They're her daughters; in my sister's absence, you have to listen to me.”
“If you seem so concerned about the girls, you should have been here over the last few years, especially when they were babies and needed help with everything.”
“I'm here now.”
“Go away, Diana!”
“She's the one who has to go.” He pointed to Helena.
My cell phone started ringing in my pocket. It was definitely not a good time for a call. I pulled it out to turn it off but was surprised to see the number of the investigator I had placed behind Diana.
“Bruce?”
“Sir, she's following you.”
“I get it.” I snorted, annoyed. “I should have sorted her out.”
“I thought it was supposed to be discreet.”
“Whatever! Don't worry; I'll find a way to get her out.”
“I found out why she came back.”
“Speak up!” As much as my evening wasn't going as I'd imagined, I'd love a reason to get rid of that interruption as soon as possible.
“She ran a few scams on millionaires in Europe using a false name and was under investigation. I imagine that with the firm's fame and the Lennoxes' influence, she could get away with it.”
“Scams?”
“Yes, sir. I have more information...”
“You can send everything to me in a report by e-mail.”
“Of course.”
“I'll talk to you later.” I hung up the call and put my cell phone back in my pocket. “It seems we've just found out who the scammer is here” I spoke to Diana.
“Her, of course.” He pointed to my girlfriend.
“You'd better get out of my sight, or I'll find a way to send you to the European police. I know you have some unfinished business to take up with them.”
“How did you find out?” He took a step back, his eyes widening.
“Did you think you'd come here, try to disrupt my life, and mess with my daughters' heads, and I wouldn't do anything?”
“I'm just trying to protect my nieces.”
“If you're trying to protect anyone, it's yourself.”
“Thomas, please...” She changed her posture completely but struggled when the restaurant's security guards grabbed her by the arms.
“Disappear, Diana, just as you did in Daphne's life a long time ago.”
“The girls need me.”
“They've done very well without you so far and will continue to do so; you can be sure of that.”
“You can't do that!” He tried to hold on to the men's grip, but they were much stronger.
“If you ever get close to Helena or my daughters again, you can be sure I'll do a lot more than just throw you out of a restaurant.”
“You asshole!” he growled.
“Get her out of here.” I made a gesture, and the security guards left, dragging her away.
“Sorry about that.” I turned to Helena while she was still staring at my ex-sister-in-law disappearing over the horizon.
“It's not your fault.”
“Even so. It wasn't what I wanted for the evening. I hoped it would be perfect for both of us.”
“It still will be.” She gave me a broad smile that calmed my heart.
“Helena...”
“Thomas.” She interrupted me.
“What's wrong?”
“There's something I need to tell you.” His expression became more serious, which made my heart squeeze tighter.
“Should I be worried?”
“Maybe.” He grimaced.
My perfect evening was vanishing right before my eyes.
“Speak.”
“I...” She put her hand on her stomach, going down to her belly.
“You?” I insisted that she speak.
“I'm pregnant. I know we hadn't planned it or said anything about it, but...”
I ended the distance between us and pulled her face towards me, kissing her with all my passion. After Diana's terrible interruption and my tension at the interrupted marriage proposal, that was the best news she could give me.
“Pregnant?” I repeated as I interrupted the kiss.
Helena nodded.
“Oh, my love...”
“Are you happy?” She still looked tense.
“Of course, I'm happy.” I took her face in my hands and kissed her again. “Very, very happy!”
Her smile widened as I knelt at her feet and kissed her belly.
“That's nice...” He stroked my hair while I laid my head on his stomach.
That was a beautiful sign that we were going to be a family.
“Now it's my turn.” I finally took the ring out of my pocket.
“What are you doing?”
“Which is what I intended to do when Diana interrupted us.” I opened the velvet box and let her see the ring. “Helena, will you marry me?”
“Are you serious?”
“Of course!”
She trembled a little and opened her mouth several times but didn't make a sound. This made my heart squeeze. I didn't expect her to refuse, but anything could happen.
“I think the twins will be a bit disappointed if they know you said no.”
“That's a fine argument, counselor.” He laughed, seeming to shake off the tension. “But I never thought of refusing.” He held out his hand to me so that I could put the ring on.
I kissed his phalanges and then stood up to pull his face back towards me.
“Next time, I'll consider the hotel room,” I said as I turned away from her after remembering that the restaurant staff were watching us.
“Diana wouldn't have gotten in.”
“That's not what I'm thinking about.”
“Hey!” she pushed on my chest, and I pulled her in for another kiss.
Some choices changed our lives and giving me the chance to love that woman had been one of the best of mine.