I slept like a baby. Even though Eleanor’s words last night had hurt me, Simon’s had healed me. The way he stood up for us in front of them really made me realize that nothing and no one could ever break us apart. As hard as it was, I was just going to have to accept things with his parents as they were.
I knew that he had stayed up really late with them because I’d heard him come into the bedroom in the middle of the night. Although they weren’t crazy about me, it really did make me happy to know that he was getting to spend time with them.
The sun was now shining through our bedroom window. Simon stirred when he heard me get up. He placed his hand on my nightgown, pulling me back into bed with his firm grip.
Resisting, I said, “I need to make breakfast for them.”
“You’ll do no such thing. You worked hard enough cooking that supper last night. We’ll take them out somewhere.”
“They need coffee.”
“They don’t drink coffee. They drink tea. And I set everything out for them last night.” He patted the bed next to him. “Lie with me for a bit.”
I lay back down and faced him.
Simon placed a piece of my hair behind my ear. “I screwed up when I blurted out my plans to propose. I’d been waiting for the perfect night so that I could orchestrate everything just right, but perfection doesn’t always lie in the obvious. Last night, the respect you showed my parents in the face of disrespect made me love you even more. I honestly didn’t think that was possible. They see it now. And honestly, for me, there is no more perfect time to ask you to be my wife than this moment.”
Simon reached into the nightstand, taking out a small, black box. Rather than get down on one knee, he wrapped his legs around mine and hovered over me on the bed. “Bridget, I know we’ve done things a little arse backwards. We lived together before we became lovers. I knocked you up out of wedlock. But I wouldn’t change a thing. The order may not have been perfect, but you, our son, our babies…are perfect—everything I never knew I wanted.”
He opened the box, displaying a ring that had one large, center diamond, surrounded by four small ones.
“This ring represents us. You’re the big beautiful stone in the middle. The two stones on the left represent Brendan and me. The two on the right are our unborn babies. Will you do me the great honor of being my wife?”
“Yes!” I jumped up to wrap my arms around his neck. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Your parents are gonna shit over this.”
“No, they’re not. They know.”
“They do?”
“I told them before bed that I planned to ask you this morning. I made a promise to our son last night, that when his grandmother dropped him off today, that there would be a ring on his mother’s finger. You didn’t know it, but our trip to Newport today was meant to be a family celebration of our engagement.”
“We’re still doing that trip even with your parents here?”
“They’re invited to come along. If they don’t want to, that’s their problem.”
When we emerged from our engagement bliss, Eleanor and Theo were sitting in the kitchen, sipping their tea. Simon had his arms wrapped around me.
“Good morning,” I said.
“Good morning, Bridget.” His father smiled.
My head was pounding, and I couldn’t even have coffee because I’d decided to eliminate caffeine.
His mother stood. “Can we have a moment?”
“Sure,” I said.
“Dad, let’s take a walk,” Simon said, before disappearing out the front door with his father.
Eleanor and I were officially alone. I really hoped that she wasn’t going to say anything mean to me, because I was in no mood, especially without coffee.
“I need to apologize for my behavior last night. After you went to bed, my son spent the entire evening recounting his experience here. It’s evident that he loves you unconditionally and that I was out of place in thinking that I could sway him in some way. But I assure you I no longer wish to do that.”
“I understand why you felt the way you did. I can’t say I would be any different if it were my son wanting to move to England with someone who had baggage. Until you really know the person or understand the situation, you take it at face value. We all want what’s best for our children.”
“Well, I can see now that what’s best for my son is what makes him happy. And that is you. Thank you for welcoming us into your home.”
She smiled, and it actually seemed genuine.
I lifted my hand, displaying the ring. “Did you see?”
“He showed us last night. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“You know, Simon doesn’t know this, but I had trouble conceiving him. It’s why he’s an only child.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“So, I know how hard that is.”
“Well, I’m hoping that these little guys or girls turn out to be just like your son.”
She bent her head back in almost evil laughter. “He was a holy terror. If they’re anything like little Simon, good luck to you, dear.”