He ignores me, sliding the necklace out from the box and fastening the clasp around my neck. The diamond pendant nestles against my chest.
I test its weight within my fingertips. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiles wryly. “Violet said to tell you that I picked it out, but she paid for it.”
I snort. “She cracks me up.”
“Yeah. She does that.” His smile fades.
“What’s wrong?”
His chest rises with a deep inhale, as if preparing himself. “We need to have a serious talk about Violet.” In his blue eyes, a flurry of unreadable emotions swirl.
Tension cords through my body as I prepare myself. “I’m listening.” But will I want to hear what he has to say?
“What she’s been through the last few years, watching as Audrey slowly died, and then getting shuffled to Howard and Gayle … They are good people, don’t get me wrong, but they’re struggling. Have you seen all the pill bottles in their kitchen?”
“I noticed.” I didn’t think Henry did, though. “Violet’s doing all the laundry and grocery shopping. She’s had to help Gayle out of bed to use the bathroom because Howard’s a deep sleeper and Gayle struggles to get up on her own.”
“And Howard just had a stroke. Even if he makes a full recovery, the doctor said it’s going to take months of physiotherapy. Back and forth every day. Gayle doesn’t drive anymore.”
“So we can help with that, right? Hire a driver for them?”
“Yes, we can.” His jaw tenses. “But I think Gayle and Howard should move into a home where they can get the help they need, just like they’d planned.”
“Okay.” I nod slowly, trying to read where Henry’s thoughts are going. “And what about Violet?”
He swallows. “You’re twenty-two years old and you have been incredible through all this, but you didn’t sign up for a sixteen-year-old stepdaughter when I asked you to marry me.”
“No, I signed up for anything that comes our way.”
“And what if that means Violet moving in here? Us, responsible for her—”
“Oh my God, shut up, Henry.” I punctuate that with a hard kiss and then, maybe it’s my exhaustion, but I start to laugh, and it’s a delirious sound. “Of course, Violet can live with us. Of course, I’m okay with that. I love her. Truly. And I love you. In fact, I don’t think I’ve loved you more than I do at this very moment.” I shake my head at him. “Did you think I might have an issue with this?” How long as he been searching for a way to bring up the topic?
“I didn’t want to make decisions for us without asking you.” He smiles. “Isn’t that what you’re always scolding me about?”
“And I appreciate that.” I lean in, kissing his jawline. “But you need to ask Violet if this is what she wants.” My guess is she does.
His chest heaves with a deep inhale. “After we talk with Gayle and Howard. They might not be okay with this plan.”
I think back to the conversation with Gayle. “I bet they’ll be okay with it. More than okay with it.” I stroke his cheek with my palm. “And you should look at having yourself named as her legal guardian. You don’t have to announce who you really are.” It’s best that he doesn’t.
The urge to erase all distance between us is overwhelming. I climb onto his lap, straddling his thighs. “I guess our days of doing whatever we want, wherever we want are coming to an end?”
His chest lifts with a deep, shaky inhale. “Is this really happening?”
“Yes. And it makes you happy.”
He bites his bottom lip. “It does.”
“It makes me happy, too.” I pause. “But we’ll give her the farthest bedroom from ours.”
He winces as if still pained by the trauma of Aspen. “Definitely.” Warm hands smooth over my backside as Henry pulls me closer to him until I can feel his hard length between my thighs. He captures my lips with his and our tongues brush against each other in a slow dance.
“Better take advantage of our freedom while we still can,” I whisper, pulling away to remove my sweater and shuck my bra. The cool diamond pendant settles against my bare skin.
Henry’s tired eyes flare with desire as he reaches up to fill his hands with my breasts. “How did I get so lucky?” Leaning forward, he closes his mouth over one of my pebbled nipples.