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Then an odd sound captured his attention. Mano reluctantly pulled away from Paige, turning his ear toward what sounded like...applause. “What is that?” he asked.
Paige giggled softly in his arms. “Those are my patients and the rest of the nursing staff,” she said. “Apparently, your dashing proposal has drawn a crowd of them from their rooms.”
Mano laughed. He hadn’t expected that. “Well, then let’s put this ring on your finger and make it official.”
He held out the ring and slid it up Paige’s finger until it nestled tightly. This was met with another round of cheers and an enthusiastic bark from Hoku.
He hugged her t
ight against him. “So, can we get out of here?” he asked. He didn’t want to wait any longer than he had to to bed his new fiancée.
“I have two hours left on my shift.”
Mano frowned. It was just like his Paige to be so responsible. She’d probably insist on giving two weeks’ notice, as well. Any fantasies about sweeping her into his arms and flying her on a private jet back to Hawaii within the hour were likely just that.
“Did you really just say that?” a woman asked.
Paige shifted in his arms. “Brandy, I can’t just walk out and leave you guys.”
The woman snorted. “You’re too nice a person, Paige. If a hunk proposed to me and wanted to kidnap me and take me to Hawaii, I wouldn’t even say goodbye. I’ll explain to the supervisor what happened, although she’ll hardly believe me. Now go on, get out of here.”
Brandy was joined by the shouts of what sounded like a dozen soldiers surrounding them and encouraging Paige to run off with him. Mano was glad to have backup on this.
“Come on, Paige,” he said. “What do you say we play hooky today? You work too much and you need to get out more.”
“My own words coming back to haunt me,” Paige said.
“You and I are going to play hooky together for the next fifty years. We’re going to teach our daughter to paddleboard and deep-sea fish. We’re going to—”
“Wait,” Paige interrupted. “What makes you think this is a girl?”
“I had a dream about her the night you left, like my grandparents did about me.”
“And what did you see?”
“I saw you running down the beach chasing after a little girl with long brown hair. She was tan from the sun and leaping through the waves like she was born to be there.”
“So we’re having a girl?”
“Yes, ’Eleu. It means energetic and agile.”
Paige giggled, the melodic laughter reminding him of the first day they met. The day that changed his life forever. “It sounds like I’m going to have my hands full.”
Mano smiled and gave her a kiss. “I can’t wait.”
* * * * *
