Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“Go ahead. What’s on your mind?”
I find it hard to believe he doesn’t at least have a clue, but then he might want to let me dangle a little rather than make this easy on me. It’s sort of a father’s prerogative, I guess. “I’m just going to say it flat-out. I want to ask Scarlet to marry me. But first, I wanted to get your blessing.”
I’m only trying to do the right thing. I mean, I would’ve asked her to marry me anyway. That’s always been in my heart. It just so happened a bunch of other shit got in the way.
Now, with the baby, it seems more important than ever to make us a real, solid family. I want to do right by her. I want to be able to protect her and the baby. And I want to say all of that, I do, but something about Xander’s penetrative stare makes it hard to put the feelings into words. I can’t help thinking it would all sound hopelessly pathetic if I tried to explain what I’m thinking. Xander is not the guy who talks about feelings – neither am I, for that matter.
Besides, why would I bother struggling to find the words when I’m sure he’ll cut me off and throw me out of his house for good? It has to be what’s on his mind as he sits there staring at me from the other side of the enormous desk between us. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t blink. What did I expect? For him to welcome me into the family with open arms?
His eyes close. He takes a deep breath. I’m about to get my ass handed to me. Good thing Scarlet is worth it.
The man keeps me waiting for much too long before. Finally, a slow smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. “It’s about time.”
I can’t believe my ears any more than I believe what my eyes are telling me. He actually looks happy. “Seriously? You mean that?”
“It’s a shame you got things a little backwards, is all.” When I give him a confused look, he explains, “You’re supposed to get married before you knock my daughter up, Ren. But I suppose I can forgive you.”
“I can’t wait to bring the baby out here.” Scarlet’s arm is wrapped around mine, her head leaning against my shoulder while we walk through the garden. The aroma of new spring flowers perfumes the breeze. In a few months, the air will be thick with bees and butterflies and so much color will spread across the grounds. I like the idea of bringing the baby out here, too.
The sun is warm on my neck and shoulders, and there’s a sweet breeze stirring Scarlet’s hair and the long, flowing dress she wears. It’s the kind of perfect day that gives a person hope. It’s always so much easier to have hope on a day like this. “How are you feeling?” I ask her.
“Same as I was the last time you asked me that question.” There’s a lot of love in her voice. She looks up at me, grinning. “I feel great. I really do. I didn’t think I could ever be this happy.”
Still, her footsteps after a while, I know why. There’s a lot I don’t remember, a lot of bits and pieces banging around inside my skull. But I remember taking her from this place. Out here in the garden, where we wrestled in the mud while the rain beat down on us and thunder and lightning cracked through the air. On a day like this, it’s hard to believe that night ever took place.
“What is that over there?” I slow my pace, gravel crunching under my shoes, while I point toward a hedge of roses whose buds are just beginning to develop.
“What’s what?” Scarlet releases my arm and takes a few steps toward the hedge.
“There’s something there. Is it paper?”
“I think it is.” She snatches the folded paper out of the crisscrossing stems, unfolding it slowly. I have to take a second to admire how beautiful she is right now. With the sun shining on her hair, painting her skin golden. She is truly an angel placed on earth just for me.
“I stole you from this place once,” she murmurs, reading the message printed on the paper. “But you stole my heart long before that.”
By the time she turns, eyes wide and full of questions, I’m on one knee. It makes her fall back a step with a hand against her chest, and a disbelieving laugh bursts out of her before she asks, “What is this? Is this real?”
“It’s real.” Just as real as the box in my back pocket, which I now pull out. Mom practically insisted on giving me a ring that’s been in the family for years, and I open the box to present it to Scarlet. My angel. “You’re all I’ll ever want. Your happiness, your safety, that’s what my life is all about now. Please, tell me you’ll let me spend the rest of my life devoted to nothing more than you and our family. I can’t promise I’m always going to make it easy for you, but I will always love you with everything in me. Do you think you could take a chance and become my wife?”