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She opened her eyes and their pale blue earnestness made his heart lurch. ‘I must have just...’
‘Have you been eating?’ She’d felt light in his arms, and now that she was lying on her back he could see the line of her hips through the thin fabric of her skirt.
‘I...’ Her face took on a look of grudging contrition. ‘I was putting the kitchen cabinets together last night and didn’t stop for supper. I haven’t got around to breakfast yet...’
‘And so you fainted.’ Jack decided not to touch on the immediate reason in case she did it again. He got to his feet. ‘Stay there.’
‘I’m okay. Really. Just a bit embarrassed.’
Not half as embarrassed as he was, for being such an idiot as to just drop a marriage proposal on her, right out of the blue. But now wasn’t the time to mention that, not until she’d had something to eat.
‘Stay there.’
‘But...’
‘No buts, Cass. If you move, I’ll... Just don’t move.’ He tried to put as much authority as he could into his words before he hurried downstairs to the kitchen.
* * *
Cass could hear the banging of cupboard doors downstairs. Jack had asked her to marry him?
Maybe she’d got it wrong. Maybe he’d done it on impulse and was regretting it now. Or maybe he’d meant it, and she’d had to go and spoil the moment by fainting. It was her own stupid fault, but the constant hunger for Jack seemed to have overwhelmed everything lately, even hunger for food.
He appeared in the doorway, a glass of milk in one hand and a plate with a couple of croissants in the other. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he waited for her to sit up before he put the plate on to her lap.
‘Feeling better?’
‘Yes, much. What were you going to say to me?’
‘Eat first.’
How was she going to eat with the words she thought Jack had said bursting in her head like fireworks? She picked up one of the croissants and put it down again.
‘I can’t.’
He narrowed his eyes. ‘Try. C’mon, Cass, I know you can do it.’
‘I can’t. Really. Jack...’ Please let this be what she thought it was. Please...
He flashed her a grin. ‘I’m glad you can’t wait. Don’t think I can either.’
‘Then get on with it! I’m feeling a little nervous.’
He chuckled. ‘Good. I’m feeling a bit nervous too.’ Jack picked her hand up from her lap, kissing her fingers, and she nodded him on.
‘Cass, you taught me how to believe. And I believe in you. There’s only one choice and I’ve made it. I love you and I want to be with you for the rest of my life. We’ll take everything else as it comes, face it together.’
It was everything she wanted to hear. There was only one more question and she had to ask it now, before happiness chipped away at her resolve. ‘Are you sure you could be happy? If I couldn’t give you children?’
‘Wrong question.’ He shook his head, smiling. ‘If we can’t have children toget
her, then I can still be very happy. This is how sure I am...’
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small box. When he opened it Cass clapped her hand to her mouth. The ring inside was beautiful, two diamonds twisted together in a gold setting.
‘You’re the only woman I’m ever going to want, Cass. You and Ellie are the only family I’m ever going to need. The only question is whether that’s enough for you.’
‘Me? Are you joking?’ He was offering her the whole world and he wanted to know if it was enough?
