“Boys, I have something to ask you. I’ve been your mom’s boyfriend for about a year now, and I really, really love spending time with her and with you two. I love taking care of her and kissing her and making her steaks outside on the grill. But I wanted to ask you both how you would feel about me asking your mom if I could marry her.”
Duke has been fake proposing to me for the last year. I knew he was doing it to warm me up to the idea, but now that I think it’s happening for real, I’m glad that the motion feels so familiar.
Tears prick the corners of my eyes as Dawson solemnly nods.
“I want you to be my dad, Cowboy.”
“Yeah, you should marry Mommy!” Dutton says.
I release a sob as they both run off to play, their four-year-old minds incapable of sitting still in the serious moment for much longer.
Duke turns to me, his eyes red and misty. He’s alreadydown on one knee after talking to the boys, but he takes my hands in his warm ones.
“Dallas, darlin’, I’ve been wanting to ask you this for a long time—for real this time. I’ve had the ring for longer than I’m willing to admit.”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the beautiful emerald-shaped diamond with a simple gold band. It glints in the sunlight.
“But I knew you needed time to adjust, so I hope it isn’t too soon for me to ask this.”
I suck in a sob. His eyes blaze with an intensity I’ve rarely seen in him.
“I love you more than life itself. I love the boys, too, and I want to help you raise them. You’re an outstanding mother. You’re smart and kind and beautiful and strong. And I want to spend forever proving that I’m worthy to be with you.
“For a long time, I didn’t think I would ever get married. I honestly didn’t think I’d live very long on this earth.
“Then I met you and the boys, and I found a reason worth living. You complete me, in every sense of the word. I can’t imagine life without you. Dallas Hayes, will you make me the happiest man alive and let me change your last name to Redford? Will you marry me?”
All the emotions of the day crash into me. The planning, the secrecy, the private chefs, the mixologist, and the way he asked the boys’ permission first.
I feel myself nodding, even as tears stream down my cheeks.
“Yes, yes, Duke. Of course, yes.”
He slips the ring over my left ring finger and presses a kiss to the top of my knuckles.
He stands up and pulls me in for a tight hug. I wrap my arms around him, thinking I may burst from pure happiness and delight.
“I thought you’d never ask me for real,” I whisper into his ear.
He chuckles. “You weren’t ready before. I was trying to be patient.”
I pull back, raising a brow. “Wanna bet?”
I turn around, pulling down the top of my skirt to show him the brand-new tattoo—his initials in red ink inside a red heart.
His eyes bug out of his head.
“Holy shit,” he whispers.
“Yeah, that happened today, mister.”
A splitting grin stretches across his handsome face. “You know that’s gonna look so fucking hot with me hitting it from behind, right?”
I throw my head back and laugh, shaking my head. “You’re an animal.”
“Fuck, I love you so much, Dallas Redford.”
“Shit.” I blink at him. That’s the first time I’ve heard that name.
