揑 came so close to losing you. I抳e never been so scared of anything. Eliza棓
揥ait,?she cuts in. Panic washes over her face. 揌e抯 not getting out of jail, is he??
I hate that she抯 still terrified. The color drains from her face. It抯 the same look I see some nights when she抯 tossing and turning next to me.
I always kiss her awake, pulling her away from those nightmares, back into my arms.
揘ever!?I whisper, squeezing her hand. 揟hat shithead went down for life. I made sure of it. I hired the whole A-list of lawyers for you, for Destiny, and for Aster. He抣l rot when he抯 got assault stacked on manslaughter, plus armed robbery of a minor. I didn抰 mean to scare you when棓
揙h, man.?Her hand flutters to her chest. 揙h, thank God, Cole. I was afraid that抯 why you brought it up, even if it抯 kinda unlikely…？
揇idn抰 mean to scare you. I only mentioned it to say if I ever lost you, I抎 lose my mind. I won抰， Eliza. You are mine, tonight and forever.?
She smiles so wide I break into a grin.
揑 am. Want to stop for a minute? I brought something new for you to try.?
I gaze out at the ocean. We抮e not quite to the turtle beach yet. I turn around to look up the big hill behind us, but I can抰 see Destiny.
揕et抯 go a little farther first. It抯 such a nice evening,?I say.
As if on cue, the island wind blows on us.
揝ure. Where do you want to stop??
揕et抯 find Destiny抯 turtles.?
揧ou抮e spoiling her. Surely, she doesn抰 own the sea turtles??
I smile. 揟ry telling her that. They抮e always the first and last thing she wants to see when we get here.?We keep walking through paradise before I slow down and ask, 揈liza, have you been happy with everything??
揧ou mean with us??She pauses and looks at me.
揥ith us, with living with me. You抳e basically turned into a co-parent the past few months. I didn抰 know if it would be too much.?
揘o way! Having you and Destiny around rocks. Co-parenting is only an issue if it is for you or her.?She beams like the sun. 揝ometimes, I think ending up in that fish chest was the best thing that ever happened to me.?
揧ou can抰 be serious??My mouth drops.
揑t got me you, didn抰 it??
Damn her logic.
揑 was already yours. I never would抳e let you walk out of my life,?I growl, taking her hand and kissing it, grateful it抯 long healed.
揗aybe I just wanted you to chase me.?
I stare down at her. 揑 chased you across the whole damn Puget Sound, all right.?
揑 know.?She throws her arms around me, breathing me in.
The bag over her shoulder slides down to her wrist. She pulls a thermos out, screws the top off, and pours black liquid into it.
揟ry this,?she urges.
Her concoctions are always delicious, so I take a big swig梐nd instantly regret it.
Miraculously, I force myself to swallow.
I抦 not sure if I抦 fake grinning or grimacing, but it抯 so sour I can barely close my mouth. 揢h, what is that??
At least someone抯 having fun.
Eliza laughs so hard she almost falls over.
揧ou look like you sucked a lemon,?she sputters, wiping at her eyes. 揑t抯 fine. That抯 supposed to be guava and Hawaiian blueberry. Looks like the fruity flavors were a little loud.?
Big-ass understatement.
I swipe my tongue around, trying to erase the taste. 揟hey can抰 all be hits. I think that抯 what I love the most about you棓
She抯 still laughing, wiping her eyes. 揥hat? That I can make you gag with sour coffee??
揧ou don抰 quit. You抮e a honey badger after all, and you抮e so fucking mine. I can抰 imagine life without you in it.?
For a second, I glance up the big hill at a flash of movement. It抯 Destiny, watching and waving to me.
It抯 now or never.
I fall to one knee, taking the small, precious object from my pocket.
揈liza Angelo, I抳e never loved anyone the way I love you. I can抰 live without you, and now I need to know this is for life. Preferably without any big flowery speeches because with you, I抦 always impatient. Will you marry me??I slide the ring on her finger before she can answer, staring up at the woman I desperately want to make my wife.
For a few brutal seconds, she抯 a pillar.
Frozen. Staring. Breathless.
Then she throws herself into my arms, screaming, my ears ringing as her voice softens to a high-pitched 揧es, yes, holy crap yes!?
I stand there, smiling like a madman as I wrap my arms around her, crushing my mouth on hers.
We spend the next few minutes tangled and devouring each other.
揙kay!?Destiny yells, clapping her hands as she closes in. 揟hat抯 enough old people kissing. You抮e going to gross out my followers.?
I glance over. She holds up the phone and taps the screen.