Page 175 of Love Unspoken

We lay on our sides so we could look at each other. We started the night this way, and then when we were ready to sleep, she'd cuddle into me with her head on my shoulder. During the night, she'd power sleep, hogging the comforter and all but kicking me out of bed.

"We can go to your mom's for Thanksgiving if you⁠—"

"You're the fucking sweetest woman in the world for even suggesting that, but fuck no." I was a lucky son of a bitch. Even after how my mother, Shelby, Kath, and even Flynn had treated her, she was ready to spend the holidays with them if that was what I wanted.

"Rena doesn't mind being alone during the holidays?"

I chuckled. "She's not alone. She has friends visiting her in Hawaii. And I was thinking maybe you and I, and your dad, could go there for Christmas."

"Really? He'd love that."

"He's not pissed with me anymore?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Maybe a little, but once he sees us and sees how much we love each other, it's going to be fine. I've been giving him some of the details of what's been going on."

"Amara, are you still planning on leaving Charleston?" I was hoping not, but she hadn't explicitly said anything.

She smiled at me. "What do you think?"

"I'm scared to assume."

She nodded somberly. "I'm staying. I talked to the Chancellor, and we're going to pretend I never resigned. Dad wasn't thrilled about that but understood."

I traced her face and felt like the universe had given me everything I could ever want.

"Amara, marry me."

She gasped and sat up. "What?"

I joined her and took her hands in mine. "I don't have a ring, but I'll get one, I promise."

"What? I don't care about a ring," she snapped.

"I know, but it's tradition." A deep sense of rightness washed over me at the thought of asking her to be my wife.

"So, my Tesoro, will you marry me?"

She looked at me in confusion, and I felt the first sliver of panic slide through me.

She smiled wide. "Yes, Lucas, I will marry you."

I sighed in relief and leaned my forehead against hers. "For a minute there…."

"I love you. I want to be with you."

I hugged her and thanked the Gods for giving me this brilliant, loving, beautiful woman who made my life worth living.

TWENTY-NINE

AMARA

I felt like I was in a dream.

I was engaged to Lucas Covington, and we were going to get married. I couldn't believe this had happened. I just…couldn't wrap my head around it.

I called Basil, who was in town for Thanksgiving and told him. Gemma was with him, so she screeched in delight.

"Would you mind if we joined you for Thanksgiving?" Basil asked.