He kisses me softly, his lips lingering over mine.
“I bought this farm for you.”
“What?” My eyes widen as I look around. “You did?”
He drops to his knee and pulls out a ring box and flips it open. “Hayden Whitmore, you have taught me how to love somebody with all of my heart. I thought to be happy that I needed to be a diamond, but you showed me that it’s okay to be coal, and you loved me just as I was. You didn’t need me to be anything else. I was enough. I need to grow old with you, to love and protect you for all of my life. Will you marry me?”
My heart swells. Is this happening?
“I’ll commute to work in London, and I know it’s not your family farm, but—”
“Yes.” I cut him off as I sink to my knees on the floor beside him. “Yes. Yes, yes.” I laugh. “I’ll marry you.” I kiss him. Our kiss is tender and intimate, our lips lingering over each other’s.
Perfect.
He slides the diamond ring onto my finger. It’s a solitaire diamond set in gold.
Traditional and perfect.
“But you don’t want to live on a farm,” I whisper.
“I can’t live without you. Bumfuck, Nowhere, is our compromise.”
I giggle as we kiss. “We are not calling our farm Bumfuck, Nowhere, Christopher.”
“Why not?” He kisses me again. “Hopefully there’s going to be a lot of bumfucking going on here.”
I burst out laughing. “You idiot.”
Christopher’s lips drop to my neck, and he walks me backward toward the couch. “We have approximately eight minutes before they get back.”
I giggle and then look around. “Where has Elliot taken Eddie, anyway?” I ask.
“For a walk, just in case you said no.”
I giggle. As if that would ever happen. I hug him tight as he bites my neck. “I love you so much.”
A crash bang sounds on the porch, and Elliot and Eddie come flying through the front door. They slam it shut behind them. They look like they just saw a ghost and are panting and gasping for air.
“What’s wrong?”
They glance at each other. “Nothing.”
“Why did you run in the door like that?” Christopher frowns.
Elliot straightens his shoulders. “No reason. Just wanted to . . . join in the festivities.”
“I said ten minutes.” Christopher widens his eyes.
“I gave you fifteen.” Elliot widens his eyes back.
“That was like two,” Christopher gasps.
“Anyway, how did it go?” Elliot looks between us.
I hold out my hand with a goofy grin.
“Hayden and I are getting married,” Christopher announces proudly.
Eddie’s eyes widen, and Elliot laughs out loud. “Thank god for that!” He rushes me and pulls me into a hug. “Congratulations.” He shakes Christopher’s hand. “You old dog, you.”
“Old dog?” Christopher mouths. “Really?”
Elliot shrugs. “Sounded good in my head, anyway. Congratulations. I’m going to leave your little family alone to let you get settled in.”
Your little family.
“Thank you.” I smile, grateful for him coming to watch Eddie.