Levi jerked his head away. “Aw, Paradise, I don’t want it brushed. I’m hungry.”
“We’ll do family pictures and then get our food out.” When Drew set Isaac’s feet on the ground, she took care of his windblown hair as well, but he held his tongue with his face set in determination.
When she looked up, the family had stepped away and left her alone in front of the lighthouse as Blake approached. His blue eyes held tenderness, and a slight smile of trepidation lifted his lips. Her gaze fell to his hands. “You didn’t get the camera?”
“I passed it off to get a picture with you.”
It was exactly what she wanted, but some other statement seemed to be hovering in the air, as if everyone was holding their breath to hear it. She spotted Savannah, then saw Hez with the camera to his face snapping photos. She couldn’t look away fromBlake, and he dropped to his knees when he reached her and pulled out a black velvet box. She forgot to breathe as the love in his eyes swallowed her whole.
“Blake?” she whispered past the boulder in her throat.
He opened the lid of the velvet box to reveal the most beautiful emerald ring she’d ever seen. “Paradise, I’ve loved you for most of my life. Even when we were apart, the memory of you held me in its grip and I never got over longing for you. Your love is as necessary to me as oxygen. Being with you has made me better, strong and whole.”
His other hand gestured toward where the rest of the family stood. “You’ve had a huge effect, not just on me, but on my family as well.Ourfamily. Will you be my wife? Will you be a sister to Isaac and Levi and a daughter to my mother? Will you take us all as one?”
Her vision blurred, and she blinked quickly so she didn’t lose sight of his eyes so filled with adoration and strength. These past months had been the happiest of her life. “I’m only whole when I’m with you,” she whispered. “How could I say anything but yes?”
He took her left hand and slipped the ring on. It was a perfect fit. His grip stayed firm on her hand, and he rose to take her in his arms. She nestled against his chest, safe in his arms. His firm lips came down on hers, and she lost herself in the passion of his kiss.
In that moment she knew she was where she was supposed to be, as if God had ordained it just this way.
Chapter 22
The aroma of seafood battled with the sweet scent of Brady’s famous key lime pie. Blake headed for two seats together at the back table with Paradise. They were the last ones to enter the restaurant because he’d had to pause and kiss her in private. Euphoria surrounded him like a bubble, and he was almost afraid it might pop. He had to keep assuring himself it wasn’t a dream. She’d really said yes.
They reached the table, and he grabbed Hez’s shoulders and squeezed. “I hope you got some great pictures. And at least you weren’t accused of being a gunman like I was at your engagement.”
Hez turned in his seat and grinned. “Paradise never so much as glanced away from your face.” He took Paradise’s hand and stared at her ring. “That’s some rock he got you.” He winked at Blake. “You did good, man.”
“I tried.” They passed Savannah and Simon to sit on the other end across from his mom and the boys. Isaac and Levi had mobbed Paradise the minute Mom let them go. They were still smiling, and his mother’s eyes were misty.
Mom reached across Drew and squeezed Paradise’s hand once she was settled beside her brother. “I hope you didn’t mind we butted in.”
“It made for the most perfect proposal ever,” Paradise said. “I’m so happy I can hardly think.” She stared down at the ring. “I love emeralds.”
“Tell her the story, Mom,” Blake prompted.
“The stone was in a necklace Blake’s father gave me before he left on his final tour. I hadn’t worn it because I wanted him to see it on me for the first time. He never came back, and it sat in the safe all these years. When Blake mentioned wanting to get you a ring, I showed it to him, and he said you loved emeralds. Since you’re such an integral part of our family already, it felt right that you should have it.”
Blake traced the outline of the stone with one finger. “When I took it to the jeweler for him to design something, he said it was from Zambia. We don’t know much about its history.”
Paradise stared at her ring. “It’s beautiful. I love it so much. I’ll always treasure its history, Jenna. I’m honored to be part of its importance.” She fingered her locket. “Family heirlooms are precious, and I’m going to treasure both the ring and the locket for the rest of my life.”
“When’s the wedding?” Drew asked. “I can get behind having Blake for a brother. My family is expanding by the second.”
Paradise’s gaze swung to Blake, and he took her hand. “The sooner the better as far as I’m concerned. Though we have to find a house and work out all kinds of details.”
His mom cleared her throat. “About that. There’s that one little point of land near the road that will likely never be utilized as part of the park. You kids are welcome to build on it if you like. Or not—it’s up to you.”
Paradise gasped, and her amber eyes shone. She reached over and squeezed his mother’s hand. “I’d love to be close to you and the boys, but building will take some time.” She glanced at Blake with a questioning expression. “We could live at my place until it’s done.”
At least she wasn’t putting off the wedding until they had a house. He’d like to carry her across the threshold of a house that was uniquely theirs together, but he could already picture a home on that picturesque acre along the lane back to the park. “We’ll go take a look at it tomorrow and see where we might put a house. You could pick out the style of home you want, babe. As long as I have you, I don’t care.”
She squeezed his fingers. “You might regret giving me full control.”
“Never.”
The server took their drink orders, then Paradise’s attention swung back to her brother. “How do you feel about everything today, Drew, or have you not had a chance to process all of it?”
