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As he looked away, I had no clue what he was thinking. When he locked eyes with mine, there were tears in his. “Then I’d have to say. Welcome to the family. But only if I can walk her down the aisle.”
“Well, you’ll need to ask your feisty sister, but I think she’ll approve. In fact, I think she wouldn’t want it any other way.”
It was the first time the man appeared truly happy in as long as I could remember. As he pulled me into a bearhug, I tried to find the lovely woman, catching her eyes a few seconds later.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have something I need to do.”
“I guess you do, buddy. Go for it.” He wiped his eyes and muttered under his breath.
It was also the first time I’d seen tears in his eyes.
I waited for a few minutes, allowing her to bask in well-deserved glory. Then I took her hand, pulling her into the shadows, intertwining our fingers.
“You are amazing, my sweet Danny boy.”
“Who are you calling a boy?”
Her lilting laughter filled my aching heart. “I am. Do you have something you need to say to me?”
“Actually, I do.” I placed the glass of champagne on one of the tables, taking a deep breath before pulling the box into my hand. Then I dropped onto one knee. “Madisen Elizabeth Alexander. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
By then a crowd had formed in a circle around us. If it hadn’t been for the light jazz music, you could have heard a pin drop.
She glanced at the ring then into my eyes. As a single tear slipped past her long eyelashes, I held my breath.
“Yes. Oh, God, yes.”
As the entire crowd cheered, I pulled her into my arms, noticing Max and Raleigh were beaming.
I’d told myself a long time ago that I didn’t deserve love or happiness. I’d wasted so many years feeling angry, allowing bitterness and hatred to replace everything else.
What a fool I’d been.
No more.
I loved her and would spend the rest of my life doing everything I could to make her happy.
If anyone dared try to interfere, they would face the man I was determined to lock away.
And there wouldn’t be a second of remorse.
She was mine.
Forever mine.
The End
