Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“If that’s the holdup, I can move out.”
Sam squawked like I’d poked him with one of the veggie skewers. “Absolutely not.”
“Temporarily.” I tried to soothe him, but he dodged my efforts to put a hand on his arm.
“Worth could stay with us,” Monroe offered, ever the peacemaker.
“No.” Sam’s voice was firm, but the disappointment there was clear. “There will be other placements in the future.” His tone was hollow like he’d told himself that over and over on the way here. “Apparently, if we were engaged or married, or something, the background check on you and our situation would be viewed more positively. But we’re not…”
“Yet.” Holden cackled, only to be shushed by all the others.
Except me.
That yet was the most brilliant thing I’d heard all day. I’d just come from therapy, where we’d discussed new goals for myself and the importance of having things to look forward to. There was no bigger or more important goal for me than a future with Sam.
“That’s an easy fix.” I turned toward Sam. He’d fixed so much for me over the past few weeks, given me a home, a job, even clothes from his closet. He’d filled cracks in my soul that had been there for years and years, and he’d helped me find the tools to continue the repair work on my own. He’d been my cheering squad and my rock, and there was nothing I wouldn’t offer him. Especially this.
“Oh?” Sam’s skeptical tone gave me pause. I needed to do this right, or he’d balk and not see how serious I was.
I scooted my chair back, dropping to one knee, not caring about the sticky tile floor or the nearby tables of onlookers as dozens of heads swiveled in our direction.
“Samuel Bookman, I love you with my whole heart.” I gazed up at his stunned face, willing him to see how much I meant every word. “Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
Sam gulped hard, eyes darting all around, but he didn’t utter a single syllable as a reply.
“Please?”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Sam
Please. Worth had said please. And still, I couldn’t make my mouth form the word yes. Heck, I couldn’t seem to wrap my mind around what was happening. I didn’t doubt Worth wanted a future with me, but I also didn’t know what to make of this reactionary proposal. Certainly, I was disappointed over the social worker’s reluctance to proceed with the placement if I were cohabitating with Worth, but the last thing I wanted to do was pressure the guy I loved.
“You want to marry me simply to increase my chances of getting this foster placement?” I kept my voice low, but that didn’t stop all the patrons around us from craning their necks, trying to listen in.
“Our chances,” Worth corrected me, and a shiver raced up my spine. “I want to raise a family with you. Sure, it was your dream first, but it’s mine now too. It’s ours.”
“It is,” I whispered softly. And I believed him. We’d been tentatively talking more about the future, about the summer program for tweens and teens Worth was dreaming up, and about the day when our house would be full. But all along, I’d assumed he was indulging me. This moment was the first time I realized Worth didn’t simply want to make me happy, but he wanted to co-parent with me. He wanted this family too. “I want a family with you, but we don’t have to rush—”
“Maybe I want to rush.” Worth took my hand, squeezing it tightly. “And I want to marry you because I love you. Because you rescued me, but you also enabled me to save myself. Because I truly intend to spend the rest of my life telling you how lucky I am to have you after decades of feeling born under a dark star. What if this placement is one we’re meant to have? Why not take the leap now?”
“You miss a hundred percent of the shots you don’t take. Someone said that,” Holden interrupted, only to get elbowed by Cal.
“Not helping.”
“He’s right though.” Worth gave a nervous laugh. “You promised to dream big with me. Well, this is my dream. I want to be married, partners for life. I want to be yours forever because I can’t imagine belonging to anyone else. I want to fill the house with kids who need us, and I don’t want to wait. Life is unpredictable, and there are no guarantees. Other than that, I’m going to keep loving you. And I’m going to marry you. The only real question is when.”
I blinked. Worth was magnetic on a mission, eyes shining, voice steady and certain, chiseled jaw determined. No way could I walk away from that. I might enjoy being the bossy one, but Worth sure of himself made me tremble for all the right reasons.