“I thought you had forgotten where I lived,” Jonathan laughs, smiling at Clarise as he refills his glass of wine.

“C’mon, you know I’ve been busy. Those assholes in Puerto Rico are driving me crazy,” Clarise replies, taking the glass to her lips and sipping from it.

“Those guys still?” Clarise’s mom asks, cocking one eyebrow. “You spoke about them last month.”

“Yeah, the guys at the port are making some kind of strike, so our ships aren't docking. Which has been a hassle, but I’m working on a way around it,” she tells them both. “Well, me and Connor,” she adds, reaching for me under the table and placing her hand on top of mine.

We’re having dinner at the Donovan estate, which has pretty much become a monthly tradition. One month after Clarise became interim CEO, we decided to move out and look for something that we could call our own. We settled on a high-rise condo in the city, just a block away from the Donovan Tower; Clarise wanted to be as close as possible to work, and she didn’t get us an apartment in the tower itself because it doesn’t have any residential units. Thank God, or else we’d spend every waking hour of the day working.

I might be a workaholic of sorts, but Clarise beats me at that. She’s happy, though, and that’s what really matters to me. It’s as if she were born to command a multi-billion dollar company; even during my years at the Order, I never came across someone as gifted as she is.

Some people say that talent doesn’t exist, that it’s all a matter of hard work. Well, Clarise is a little bit of both; tons of hard work and a natural knack for winning. Yeah, I know how to chose women, don’t I? What? Yeah, I’m bragging a little bit, but I have every right to do so. After all, she’s the most beautiful woman in the world … and she’s mine.

“Seems like my girl is kicking ass and taking names,” Jonathan says, smiling wistfully as he looks toward Clarise. If that isn’t pride in his eyes, I don’t know what is.

“No doubt about it,” I agree, squeezing Clarise’s hand in mine. “She’s going to take this family to greater heights.”

“Of course,” Jonathan and Carolyn say in one voice, and then they look at each other and burst out laughing. Since this house escaped Earl’s influence things have taken a turn for the better. Seriously, I never thought that Clarise’s parents loved each other so much until Earl went away. Since then, their love seems to have blossomed.

Which kinda made me start thinking about Clarise and I. And that’s why I’m having this dinner. Yeah, it was my idea to have dinner at the Donovan estate today.

“I’d like to say something,” I start, going up to my feet as I hold a glass of wine. Clarise and her parents look toward me, slightly surprised, but they wait for me to continue. “I’ve never really thanked you for making me feel so at home. But I want to say it now; ever since my first day here, you’ve been like a family to me.”

“C’mon, Connor. These things don’t need to be said,” he smiles, but I can tell that he’s happy with my words.

“They do need to be said. Most of what we feel ends up being unsaid, and I don’t want to lead my life like that. Clarise taught me that we have to be true to ourselves, and follow our heart wherever it takes us.”

Looking around the table, I allow them a second for my words to sink in and only then do I continue.

“I thought that my purpose in life was to help save souls… But, in the end, Clarise was the one who saved my soul,” I look at her, smiling, and place one hand inside my pocket, grabbing the small velvety box I’ve kept there all dinner. “She’s my partner when it comes to work, but I want more than that… I want her to be my partner in life. Until death do us part.”

She looks up at me, her eyes glistening as they widen with anticipation, and then I simply push my chair back and go down on one knee. “Clarise, will you marry me?” I ask her, and tears start streaming down her face, ruining her makeup. She doesn’t seem to care, though; she just jumps from her chair and into my arms, embracing me so tightly that I can barely breath.  

“Of course I will! Of course! Yes!” she cries out, still not letting go of me. When she finally does it, she crushes her mouth against mine and only pulls back to look into my eyes, the biggest smile I’ve ever seen dancing on her lips.

“I love you, Clarise. And I always will,” I whisper, going up to my feet and pulling her after me.

“Take care of my girl, Connor,” her father tells me, and I can tell he’s feeling emotion as well; his usually hard eyes seem suspiciously clear, and I’d bet he’s trying to hold back the tears. Yeah, men can cry as well.

“I will…” I tell him, and then he and Carolyn stand up.

“This calls for a toast,” he says out loud, and a servant appears out of nowhere carrying a bottle of expensive champagne. “Go fetch some more glasses,” Jonathan tells the waiter with the bottle, and the man just looks at him slightly confused for a second. “We’re all drinking. Night off for all of you!” he cries out, grinning like a schoolboy on his first day of vacation. Right now, he seems to have shed twenty years from his age.

“Connor, Clarise…” he then says as the servants gather around the table, at least a dozen of them. They’re all holding glasses of champagne, and they seem pretty excited about the whole affair. “There’s not much to be said… But I’ll drink to a happy life!”

“TO A HAPPY LIFE!” everyone repeats, our voices rising up in a chorus.

“And, of course, I’ll want grandchildren down the way,” Jonathan doesn’t resist adding. “As many as you can.”