“I can’t give you the answer you want right now.”

At Knight’s shocked look, I grab Hazel’s monitor and bolt outside.

Fully expecting him to come after me, I quicken my steps to the shoreline. It’s hard to hear anything over the crashing waves this time of year. Besides, I doubt he’ll propose to me again, out in the open. Our lie would be exposed, then.

But he doesn’t come after me.

My heart cracks even more, which is stupid considering I need time to think away from him.

I hold the baby monitor to my ear, listening for any hint that might tell me what Knight’s doing. Is he leaving? Packing? Calling up that Marisa chick so they can have a family reunion?

I blow out a breath.

My imagination is in overdrive and my emotions... my emotions are fractured, a lot like my heart.

“The water is not fine, so do not jump in,” Quinn says from behind me.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, not in the mood for small talk.

She comes to stand beside me, shoving her hand into the pockets of the maxi dress she’s wearing. “In the neighborhood.”

“Hazel’s sleeping—it’s nap time.”

“I know. Knight threatened decapitation if I woke her up.” The wind blows her hair around. “It wasn’t very twinly of him to let you come out here by yourself, so I decided to stop you from going swimming.”

Sometimes... I think Quinn doesn’t even believe the crap that comes out of her mouth. “Hazel was super cranky today. I think she’s trying to cut her first tooth.” I don’t want Quinn to get caught up in the middle of our fight. “I can text you when she wakes up?”

“Knight asked me to talk some sense into you,” she says, and I sneak a peek at her.

“Why would you need to do that?”

“Because he asked you to marry him, and apparently, you said maybe later?” She brushes her hair out of her face so casually, as if informing me she knows my secret isn’t the second scariest thing in my life right now.

“I said I couldn’t give him the answer he wanted to hear.”

“Good for you.”

“Really?”

She nods. “Yeah, I mean, Knight’s not a great catch at all. He’s too into saving people for a living. I mean, who needs guys like that? And Hazel doesn’t need her dad. That’s crazy talk.”

My heart skitters out of control. “I didn’t ask him to save me.”

“Yet he did it anyway.” Quinn gazes up at the sky and then back at me, her silver eyes, so like her twin’s, sad. “I’m not going to try to convince you to say yes to him. But I do want you to consider a few things before you give him the answer you can live with.”

“And those would be?”

“One, he carries a lot of guilt—like all the time—for not being able to stop our father from killing himself. When Laird disappeared, that was another strike against his soul... Knight can’t stop himself from helping people. It’s like breathing, and I thought that you got that about him, maybe even loved him for it. Understood his need to right all the wrongs he can because that’s what drives him.”

“I didn’t know about your dad.”

She shrugs. “It was a long time ago.”

“Laird’s disappearance wasn’t.”

“No, it wasn’t. To be honest, we all know he’s dead. All of us except Ophelia.”

A lump forms in my throat, huge and overwhelming. “I can’t fault her for that. I would, too, if something happened to Knight. I would... I wouldn’t think the worse until I could touch and see... proof.”

“Same here. Anyway, back to my brother. I have never seen him like this. Never. And he sure as hell has never lied to me about a woman before. Not to protect her. Not to get us to like her... He’s never had a reason to protect someone so much. But you... for whatever reason—you made a liar out of my brother.”

“I didn’t mean for things to go this far. I had to protect Hazel. My parents wanted to take her from me.”

“Does Knight know?”

“No. I was too ashamed to tell him.” I wipe my eyes, anger and helplessness converging to make me cry. “It’s fine now. They kicked me out. Told me that we were never welcome back.”

“Knight wouldn’t have let them take her away from y’all.”

Not even Knight has that kind of power, but I don’t bother telling her that. “I know. He would have fought for her. Protected us.”

“Exactly.”

“What’s the other reason I should give him the answer I can live with?”

Quinn smile trembles on her lips. “Because he’s leaving tomorrow, and I would hate for something to happen in order for you to realize that the two of you deserve each other.”

My hand goes to my throat. “He’s leaving tomorrow? B—but he said that he had two more days.”

“One of those days is for military stuff. You can’t be there for that.”

I take off running to the house, tripping over a sand bank and pushing myself up again. When I get to the back porch, I’m covered in sand and sweating, but that’s not going to stop me from telling Knight what I can live with.

“I can’t live without you,” I shout, yanking open the door.

“Shh,” he says as he gently bounces Hazel in his arms. “She just woke up, but I don’t think she got her nap out.”

“Okay.” I rip my shirt off. “Give her to me. I’ll nurse her back to sleep and then we’ll talk.”

“No.”

“But I’m covered in sand.”

He lifts his gaze to mine. “I can’t wait that long, sweetness.”

Because you’re leaving tomorrow. My heart turns in my chest. “Yes, I’ll marry you. Right now. Tonight.”

Love and relief flash in those silver depths. “I’m going to make you so damn happy, Campbell. You won’t regret saying yes to me.”

“I know.”

“Why are we whispering,” Quinn says, and I start to laugh.

“Hazel woke up.”

“Did you say yes?”

I nod. “Mind watching Hazel for us so we can elope?”

“I’m actually busy. What about tomorrow?”

My eyes almost bug out of my head. “We can’t wait until tomorrow. Tell her, Knight.”

He moves closer to me. “We can wait until tomorrow.”

“But you have military stuff to do.”

He smirks a little. “Quinn lied.”

I swing my gaze back to her.

She grins guiltily.  “What can I say? I’m a sucker for true love winning.”

“I can’t believe... Fine, we can wait until tomorrow.” I scoop up my shirt from the floor. “I need a shower.”

“Make it quick,” Knight says, stopping me from leaving the room. “We’re going today, and we’re taking our daughter with us.”

“So romantic.” Quinn sighs. “Too bad I can’t tell anyone.”

“We owe you,” I say, keeping my eyes fixed on the man I love. “You can go now.”

“I’m going. I’m going.” She squeezes her bother’s arm and blows Hazel a kiss as she leaves.

“I love you, Campbell.” Holding Hazel to his chest, Knight bends down and presses a sweet kiss to my lips. One that’s full of promises I know he will keep.

“And I love you.”