AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Honey’s thrilled to have her, too. We’d like you guys to come over for dinner on Friday night, if you’re available.”
“Sure.”
As Jeremiah talked about needing Adam’s help setting up a new sound system for their flat-screen television, an idea on how to ask Dani to marry him popped into his mind. “If I never told you before, thank you for being such a good friend to me.”
“You’ve been a good friend to me, too. I was worried about you for a while. I think you’ve found what you were looking for, though.”
“Right here in Wilde Creek.”
* * *
The following morning, Adam woke early and found Dani’s mom in the kitchen, adding chocolate chips to waffle batter. “Is she still asleep?”
“No, she’s in the shower. I wanted to ask you something.” Adam’s palms were sweaty, and his heart was pounding.
She put down the bag of chocolate chips and turned to face him. “Okay, I’m listening.”
“Dani means the world to me. I was floundering and she saved me. I’d like your permission to ask her to marry me.”
“Of course!” She hugged him and said, “I’m so happy for you two. Even though she never said as much to me, I know that Dani’s been wanting a home of her own for a long time. Being left alone like she was—that’s not something a person can just get over.”
“She’s lucky she found your sleuth.”
“I’m lucky to have found her. I never wanted to take another mate, and Row wanted a brother or sister to play with. When Dani came into Oakville, I knew that our family would be complete with her in it.”
“She’s my only family now.”
“I hope you’ll come to think of me as family, too.”
“I already do.”
She smiled brightly. “Now I have two sons and two daughters. I can’t wait to have some grandbabies.” She winked and turned back to the batter. Adam couldn’t wait to have children with Dani, either, but first he needed to ask her to marry him. He wanted them to belong to each other in every way possible. On the full moon, Acksel would join them in front of the pack, and she’d be accepted as his mate, but he also wanted that legal piece of paper that said she was his and he was hers.
Because that was the truth.
CHAPTEREIGHT
The following afternoon, Dani stood in the backyard and looked at the privacy fence. It was eight feet tall and made of reinforced metal which, from a distance, looked like real wood.
“What do you think?” Adam asked.
“It’s good.”
He joined her, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. “You don’t feel safer with it?”
She glanced at him and back at the fence. “You had a pretty view of the woods. It’s blocked now.”
“If you want to see the woods, you can go out on the front porch.”
“True.” She turned to him, leaning against his broad chest and sighing. “Thank you for messing up the view for me.”
He chuckled, the sound rumbling in his chest. “As your mate, I’m supposed to make sure that you’re safe at all times.”
“I feel very safe with you.”
“I’m glad, sweetheart.”
They stood embracing in the center of the backyard for several minutes. She’d never had a man care for her the way that Adam did. Yes, her brother loved her and wanted her safe, but Adam’s concern went beyond anything she’d ever experienced. He craved her happiness, as if he couldn’t even begin to think about himself until she was content. Just that morning, he’d cooked breakfast for them both and then, even though she’d told him not to bother, he’d started their laundry while she was taking a shower. And in addition to all those sweet gestures she could see and feel deep in her own heart how much he cared.
