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This time he did look at me and winked. “I have my own connections, Ms. O’Sullivan.”
Me brows lifted. “I guess so, Mr. Parker.”
The tour was entertaining, especially with Vi and Cord there. I wasn’t sure why Cord had such a hard time understanding everyone, but he had to have things repeated at least three times before Vi would tell him what was said. And I thought all this time it was just me he couldn’t understand.
“So where is this lunch?” I asked as we strolled through the gardens. Vi and me da were walking a good way ahead of us.
“We’re getting closer, I believe. I hear the waterfall.”
Smiling, I peeked up to Cord. “The Bog Garden?”
He winked and that was it, I had to know his secret.
“Tell me!” I said, tickling his side and causing him to jump away from me.
“Woman! Learn to be surprised, will you?”
“Cord, tell me. It kills me not knowing.”
With a chuckle, he replied, “I see that.”
I sighed. “Please? I’ll do whatever you want if you tell me.”
He stopped walking and faced me, making me breath hitch in me lungs. Lifting his hand, he brushed a piece of hair behind me ear.
He leaned down and bushed his lips over mine before he whispered, “Close your eyes, agra.”
Squeezing them shut, I felt his hands on me shoulders as he turned me around.
His hot breath caused me entire body to shake with a desire only he would ever bring out in me.
“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you, Maebh. I’m going to show you each and every day how much I love you. There has never been a single doubt in my mind that you and I don’t belong together.”
Even with me eyes closed, I felt tears slip free as I whispered his name.
“Cord.”
“Every morning when I see the pink sky spread across the Texas hill country, I’m going to thank God for you. Every night when I look up at the stars I’m going to thank God for giving us another day together, and I’ll pray for a million more.”
A sob slipped from me mouth as I covered it with me hand.
“Our life is only just beginning, my beautiful Irish cailin. Open your eyes, baby.”
When I did, I saw a beautiful blanket set up on the lawn in front of us. A basket was at one end and a champagne bucket sat to the right.
“Oh, Cord,” I whispered as he placed his hand on me lower back and guided us over to the blanket.
“Maebh?”
His voice made me turn. I gasped when I saw him down on one knee. He held open a blue jewelry box that contained the most beautiful diamond ring I’d ever seen.
“I’d travel to the ends of this Earth to make you happy and to see every single one of your dreams come true. Agra, will you…”
Cord’s eyes filled with tears as he looked up at me. When his voice cracked, I instantly dropped to me knees. Cupping his face with me hands, I stared into his blue eyes.
Me thumbs wiped his tears away as I let mine fall freely down me face.
“Marry me and become my wife. I can’t live without you, Maebh O’Sullivan. You mean the absolute world to me.”
With a shaking chin and a tear-soaked face, I replied, “I’ve always been yours, Cord. Nothing would make me happier than to be your wife.”
He pulled me to his body, our mouths crashing together in the most passionate kiss I’d ever experienced in me entire life. Me stomach did endless somersaults, and I’d never felt me heart so full.
I wanted him to lay me down on this blanket and make love to me, but I had a feeling me da and Vi were somewhere watching this all play out.
Cord drew back and leaned his forehead against mine.
“Can you feel that?” he softly asked as he placed me hand over his chest. “Can you feel my love for you?”
Another sob slipped from me mouth as I nodded, “Yes. I feel it.”
Taking the vintage-looking ring out of the box, Cord slipped it over me finger and then kissed the back of me hand softly.
The way it sparkled in the sun was breathtaking. The large oval diamond was surrounded by smaller, round, brilliant-cut diamonds with the platinum band covered in diamonds, as well. It was stunning.
“This ring belonged to my mother’s mom,” Cord said. “When she passed away, my mother wore it every day until one day I told her if I ever asked a woman to marry me, I wanted to do it with this ring.”
With a soft chuckle, he shook his head and kept talking. “She took it off right there and told me to keep it in a safe place until the time came to give it to the woman I loved. I honestly never thought I would use the ring and even asked Tripp if he wanted it. He declined because he had bought a ring for Harley years ago. I think he knew deep in his heart they would get the chance to marry someday. Anyway, my mother gave the ring to Aunt Vi to bring to Ireland and when she told me she had it, I knew this was the right time and the absolute perfect place to ask you to marry me.”
