Then she said the words he had longed to hear for months and months.
“I love you too, Christian. Of course I forgive you. If you forgive me too.”
Tears threatened to run down her cheeks again as Christian crossed the distance between them and took her into his arms once more. He inhaled her scent deeply and held her tight. He kissed her neck and ran his hand through her hair. God he had missed this! He felt like someone who had been away from a beloved home and was now back.
He realized that his own cheeks were wet with tears.
“I love you so much,” Christian said, his voice muffled by her hair.
Then he pulled himself away and dropped to his knees.
“I know you deserve flowers and champagne and the biggest diamond ring since the Hope diamond, and I promise I will do all of that. I promise, and I swear it. But, I can’t wait. I have to know the answer. Raina McMillan, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
Raina laughed and cried and then she cupped his cheeks with her hands. “Yes, Christian, I’ll marry you.”
She went on her knees as well and their lips met once more. She felt so soft and so sweet and he never wanted the kiss to end.
And … it didn’t …
It was another hour before Raina and Christian were able to right themselves enough to invite the children back into the apartment. But once they did, they could not keep the news to themselves.
“Guys, I have something very, very, very important to ask all of you.” Christian addressed each of the children in turn with the utmost seriousness.
Chantal returned his serious expression. “What is it?”
“I would like to ask your permission for your Aunt Raina to marry me.” He watched them closely, trying to gauge their reaction. “What do you say? Would that be okay? Could I be your uncle for real?”
Before he even had the chance to get the words out completely, he had been tackled in a massive group hug as the children ran to him, shouting their approval.
Raina laughed. “I take it they think it’s okay.”
“Is it true, Aunty?” Crystal cried out.
Raina nodded, her face creased into a smile that warmed Christian’s heart.
“Will you move in here with us Uncle Chris?” Jeremiah said.
Christian looked at Raina, unsure what to say. She merely smiled back at him.
“We haven’t worked out all the details.” Her voice was thick with emotion and Christian could see her trying not to tear up once more. “But whatever we decide, we’ll do it together. As a family.”
Christian held out his hand to her and she took it gratefully. He nodded in agreement. “As a family.”
In that moment their eyes met over the heads of the children, and Christian counted himself as the richest man on earth. And it wasn’t because of his bank balance.
20
“The manager of the Del Mar called, I told him you’d call him back,” her assistant said, ending his list of messages.
Kelly nodded. “Thanks, Gregory, I appreciate it.”
He left, shutting the door behind him. Kelly sat back in her chair which dwarfed her frame and grinned. Sometimes she had to pinch herself to believe that it was all happening to her. She was now the Regional Director of the South East division and she had her own assistant. Two assistants in fact.
It was amazing how things had worked out.
The best part was that Roger was finally behind bars where he belonged.
Kelly hoped that Pervy Rog would rot in there. She felt no sympathy for him, not after what he had put Raina and herself through. Her grin faded at the memory of testifying against Roger in court. It had been brutal, describing his actions and what he had done to her. His lawyers had tried to discredit her, but they had failed. Her videotaped evidence had come in quite handy.