Chapter 23
LINDSEY
Since the second Eli said he was going to get to stay here with Miller and me forever, Miller has been off. He’s been quiet as his family all celebrated today’s outcome, and now he’s nowhere to be found.
I look for him in his office and his bedroom downstairs. I am about to head upstairs when I see him sitting on the steps of the back porch.
His head is down, and I’m wondering what he’s thinking right now. I draw my shoulders back. I have everything to lose right now, and I can't keep quiet.
I open the door, but he doesn’t even turn to see who it is.
I sit down next to him. “You think we should have that talk now?”
He tenses. “Okay.”
I open my mouth but then close it, not sure where to start.
He reaches for my hand and threads our fingers together. I point at our hands. “You always do that. Anytime I’m around, you are reaching for my hand.”
He tightens his hold. “Would you rather I didn’t?”
I shake my head. “No, I mean, I like it… when you hold my hand.”
He turns his body so he’s facing me. “I don’t want to let go.”
I suck in a breath and let it out slowly. I have to do this. That’s the only way I’m going to know this is real.
I unclasp my hand from his and play with the engagement ring on my finger. Slowly, I pull it off, open Miller’s hand, and put it in it. “Here’s your ring.”
His face is void of all emotion. He looks at the ring and then back at me. “I heard you in there. I heard you say you were ready to get back to your life.”
I jerk back and shake my head. “I meant to my job. That people would actually hire me now since the Davenports are in jail. I meant that I wouldn’t have to constantly be worrying that someone is going to take Eli or try to kill me. That’s what I meant.”
He’s searching my face, looking for answers.
I hold my hands together in my lap to stop from reaching for him. “I came to you for help. I needed you, and I wouldn’t be here, celebrating, if it wasn’t for you.”
“But…” he starts.
“There’s no buts. I owe you for everything.”
He spits out the words. “You don’t owe me anything.”
Fuck, this is so hard. “I’m giving you the ring because you gave it to me to help me keep Eli. One day”—I suck in a breath—“I’m hoping you give it to me for another reason.”
“What?” he asks.
Please don’t let me fuck this up. “Miller, we did this all backwards. We didn’t even get a second date before my nephew and I were dropped into your lap. For weeks now, we’ve been messing up your schedule, your life and—”
He reaches for me. “You didn’t mess up anything.”
I put a hand to his chest. He has to hear me out. “Listen to me, Miller.”
He nods. “I’m listening.”
“Remember when I told you about seeing that picture of you with that other woman?”
He grumbles. “I swear that is the biggest regret of my life. If I could redo that night, I would.”
I curl my hand into his chest. “I’m not throwing that in your face, I just mean, it hurt. And I knew that if I got involved with you that you could really hurt me… you could break my heart.”
He opens his mouth, but I stop him. “Well, now that I got to know you and I’ve seen how you are with me, with Eli, with your family—heck, even the way you are with Mike and people you just met.” I look at him wide-eyed. “I fell in love with you, Miller.”
He blows out a breath. “You love me?”
“Yes. I love you so much, but I need you to give this some time. Eli and I will give you some space and then you can decide what you want.”
He pulls me into his lap. “No, you won’t.”
I turn and look at him. “No, I won’t what?”
He holds me to him, and his touch is reverent.
“You won’t be leaving me or giving me space.
I know exactly what I want.” He leans back and looks into my eyes.
“I love you, Lindsey. And if I haven’t shown you that, then I’ve messed up.
I’ve tried not to add any pressure to you or ask you for things that you weren’t ready to give, but I love you.
I want you to be my wife. I want us to have more kids. ”
“More kids?” I interrupt.
He nods. “Yes, we need to give Eli a little brother or a sister. I’m here for the long haul.”
“Miller. This is not something you decide on a Monday night. You have to be sure. This isn’t just a decision that—”
He sets me gently on the stairs, then drops to one knee in front of me.
“Lindsey Casey,” he says, his voice steady but full of emotion, “will you marry me? Let me love you, take care of you, and stand beside you through everything? I want a life with you… with you and Eli. I want to be the one who makes you happy, who keeps you safe.”
His eyes lock on mine.
“Say yes,” he whispers. “Because I don’t want to imagine a life without you in it. I love you, honey. Be mine… forever.”
When I don’t answer him, he never sways. “If you need more time, I’ll give it to you, but I’m not letting you go, Linds. You’re mine, and you have been since I first laid eyes on you at that photo shoot.”
“Yes,” I whisper. I pull him to me and throw my arms around his neck. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He puts the ring back on my finger and then looks over my shoulder. “She said yes!” he yells.
And then all of sudden the back doors open and Miller’s entire family comes out, cheering. Eli is the first to get to us, and Miller picks him up. “What do you say, Eli? You okay with me marrying your aunt?”
He scrunches his nose up. “Does that mean we get to stay here and live with you?”
I nod my head. “That’s exactly what that means.”
“Yes!” he says and pumps his hand in the air.
Soon, I’m pulled from Miller, and his entire family takes turns hugging me and Eli, officially welcoming us to the family.
Somewhere between the laughter, the hugs, and Eli’s excitement, it hits me…
We didn’t just find safety here.
We found a family.