To my surprise, he tilted my head up and planted a big kiss right on my lips. He didn’t try to enter my mouth, and though I was dying to kiss him more, I did have to think of where we were. My daughter and our mothers were right there too.
I pulled away and smiled. He smiled back.
“Well, if we both love each other, then when are you moving in?” Logan said.
I opened my mouth to tell him why that was a bad idea and then realized that was silly. It was a bit late to complain about Logan asking for the very things I’d been wondering about myself. Of course, certain proprieties needed to be observed.
“Why not?” I said.
Our mothers fell deathly silent. I could feel their stares.
Logan’s eyebrows went up. “If I knew it was going to be that easy, then I would have asked a long time ago.”
“Not going to be quite that easy.”
He grinned. “Oh? What did you have in mind?”
I lifted my hand. “I’m not interested in games. I’m interested in commitment. I’ll move in once I have a ring on my finger.”
I heard a gasp, not from one of the mothers, but from a nearby table. Now our entire section of the restaurant had fallen silent. Out of the corner of my eye, I could tell everyone was watching us, waiting to see how this all unfolded.
Logan jumped up and grabbed my hand. He offered a big smile to our mothers.
“Can you two keep an eye on Juniper?” he asked.
They both nodded in unison.
“Wait,” I said. I liked playing the little game with Logan, but now I didn’t know what was going on. “Why would we need them to keep an eye on Juniper?”
“Because we’re going ring shopping.”
Everyone else in the restaurant cheered. Our moms both clapped. Juniper bounced up and down. I don’t even know if she understood why everyone was so excited.
I fished my keys out of my purse and handed them to my mother. “Assuming Amelia has no problem riding in my car.”
“Just go and get your ring, future daughter-in-law.”
I laughed, and Logan led me by the hand out of the restaurant, everyone still cheering.
I’d found my man, my prince, my beloved. A man who wasn’t only good for me but also for my daughter.
I’d never felt so blessed in my life.
Epilogue
Six months later
LOGAN
Even though I was a billionaire and Emily was from old money, we elected for a simple ceremony in my backyard. We kept the guest list small and intimate. The overall set-up was modest, nice flowers, a harpist, that sort of thing. No champagne fountains or special performances by top stars.
I was surprised. Emily was the one who wanted to keep it small and simple. I’d planned to spend whatever she asked.
She’d told me she’d already had one elaborate wedding. The important thing was the man, she said, not the pomp and circumstance.
That was fine by me. I just wanted to make an honest woman of her.
The whole afternoon was nice enough, and the weather cooperated, being slightly warmer than normal for early October in the mid-seventies and offering no rain. I wasn’t sure if Emily would accept an autumn wedding, but again, she surprised me with her flexibility.