Chapter Nineteen
Two Months Later
Megan was slightly late to meet Bridget on her dinner break. She held Cole’s hand tightly as they walked into Land’s End Café. The place was bustling, all the tables occupied. Voices, laughter, and clicking dishes filled the room with the sounds of her friend’s success as a restaurant owner.
“There you are!” Bridget rushed toward her, holding out her arms for Cole. “Hey, buddy, I have a surprise for you.” She swung the boy up into her arms and kissed his cheek.
Megan laughed. “Hello to you too,” she said, hugging Bridget around Cole. “And you spoil him.”
Bridget grinned. “When I have a kid, you’re welcome to spoil her too. But this surprise is for you and Cole both. You’ll like it.”
Megan narrowed her eyes. “What are you up to?”
“Come on and you can find out. I’ve reserved us a table on the patio. Cole can watch the boats on the cove.” She threaded through the tables toward the patio.
Megan was well used to the force known as Bridget and was just glad she’d brought a sweatshirt for Cole. Walking along, she remembered the gossip she’d wanted to share. “So guess who I saw today?”
Opening the doors to the patio, Bridget arched an eyebrow. “Who?”
“Kevin Majors came in. He has a puppy. Told me to stay hi to…” Megan trailed off as she walked out onto the wooden deck. It was always gorgeous out here, situated just feet from the cove. But the patio only had one group of people.
She knew them all.
They were gathered around a huge table, headed up by Adam.
Hot joy filled her at the sight of him. He rose, wearing slacks and a dark shirt. He walked toward her.
“I’m back, sweetheart.”
His scent swamped her senses, and the sight of him towering over her blocked out everything else. “I thought you weren’t coming until—”Her words were lost in his kiss. When he finally broke away, he said, “I’ve missed you.”
“It’s only been four days.” She was confused. He’d been splitting his time between Los Angeles and Raven’s Cove.
Adam turned to Cole in Bridget’s arms. “Hey, C-Man.”
“Daddy!” Cole lunged toward him.
Adam swept their son into a bear hug, making Cole squeal with laughter. Then Adam put him in a booster seat next to Megan’s mother. Next to her mom was Hayden. Bridget sat down next to Jillian from work and her husband. Not only that, there were Hunter, Griff, and Logan. A woman was there, and Megan zeroed in on her, trying to place her.
Then recognition hit.
“Sienna?” Megan said. She’d seen her on Skype many times, but never in person.
“Hi, Megan.”
Adam came over and took her hand. “Sit here.”
“What’s going on?” It wasn’t her birthday, or Cole’s, or Adam’s. She sank into her chair next to their son.
Adam picked up a bottle of wine and filled her glass. “We’re celebrating. I’ve signed a lease on an office building. We’re moving Once A Marine here this week.”
Warmth filled her. They had been spending time together, building their relationship, but it was always rushed, always compressed. Adam drove back and forth trying to run his business. And Megan had been working hard rebuilding her practice. “That’s wonderful!”
Still standing, he said, “But that’s not what we’re celebrating.”
“No?” Her mouth dried. Then a thought occurred to her. “Wait, is this about Mom’s election?” She glanced at her mom in pride. “Are we celebrating Mayor Catherine Sullivan?” They’d already had a party, but some achievements deserve more than one party.
“Megan.”
She turned back to him, and saw his brown eyes with those golden lights swimming with seriousness.
“I wasn’t there for you when you needed me. You had our son alone, and you did an amazing job.”
Her heart began to pound in her chest. Her thoughts scattered as she was drawn into the moment. Into Adam.
He took her hands in his. “I’ve invited your family and friends, my friends, and our son here, because I want them all to hear this. I love you, Megan Young. I’m proud to love you and want everyone to know it.”
“Oh, Adam…” Words and emotions tangled in her throat.
He squeezed her hands, his gaze locked on hers. “You reached past my barriers, past the wall of silence I lived in, and helped me break free. Now,” he paused, swallowing. “I can talk about Brady. I can remember him, and I can feel him without being drowned in guilt. Your love gave me the strength to heal. That is something I never want to lose.”
Taking one hand from hers, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. Opening it, he cradled it in one hand. It took her a second to pull her gaze from his face to look at his hand. When she saw the ring nestled in there, she gasped.
Bending on one knee, he smiled at her. “Megan, will you marry me and become my wife?”
She forgot the ring, forgot that everyone was there, and threw herself into his arms. She vaguely heard the ring box snap shut. But all she felt was amazingly sweet and agonizingly sharp love for him.
His arms folded around her. She buried her face in his neck, feeling the warmth of Adam surrounding her. She knew this man, knew that in all the years since Brady’s accidental death, his emotions had been locked up inside of him. But for her, for her and Cole, he’d released them. And now he was proposing to her in front of the people she loved.
“If you don’t answer me, no one will believe you’ll take me as your husband.”
The entire table laughed.
Adam opened the box, took out the silver ring with the diamond setting, and lifted her left hand. “Will you marry me, Meg?”
“Yes,” she whispered, her throat filling with tears.
Adam slid the ring on her finger, making them a family.
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