I shake my head. “You’re my dream, Ladd. Not the CIA. You were my dream all those years ago, but I didn’t realize it. I was young and stupid and had no understanding of how life works. I screwed up, and I’m not about to let that happen again. The CIA is nothing but a job. It plays no part in the things I truly need in my life.”
“But they’ve offered you the director position,” he points out. “That’s a huge move and big money.”
I shrug. “I heard Jameson is a pretty great place to work.”
“You’re considering that?” he asks, and for someone trained to be secretive, his expression tells me he’s hopeful that Pittsburgh is my main consideration. It all revolves around Ethan.
“I want my dream to come true, and I think Pittsburgh is the place,” I concede vaguely.
“What will it take to make it come true?” he asks, hands slipping to my waist, and then he pulls me into him. His face is filled with love and tenderness as he peers down at me.
“A house with a white-picket fence, a dog because I am not allergic to them,” I say. He grins, clearly liking the direction of my thoughts. “Maybe a brother or sister for Ethan?”
Ladd’s smile slides, but not in a way that says he’s dismayed by that proclamation. He stares at me so intently, I feel like I might implode under the weight of it.
“Are you serious?” he asks in such a low voice, I barely hear him. But I can tell by his demeanor, the answer to his question will mean everything.
“I’m very serious. That is… if you think Ethan would be okay with it.”
Ladd chuckles. “Nothing would please Ethan more. In fact, he’s the one who pushed me to come out here and get this resolved so I’d stop pining.”
“Smart kid,” I murmur, knowing I’m going to adore him as much as I do his father.
I expect Ladd to hug me or at least lean in for a delicious kiss. Instead, he releases me suddenly and steps back a few feet to the porch’s edge. His eyes are wide, disbelieving. “You really want to have a child with me?”
“Maybe two,” I reply candidly.
There’s a very long moment where he studies me, and then it seems a wave of comprehension slams into him. He turns away, lifts his fists in the air in an exclamation of victory, and shouts out to the entire neighborhood, “She wants to have my baby!”
“Oh Jesus,” I mutter in horror as Mr. Sneed across the street watering his flowers looks over at us. He waves politely, and I wave back as I grab Ladd by the waistband of his jeans and tug him backward. “Get your ass inside and stop making a spectacle of yourself.”
He whirls on me, drops to one knee, and I stagger at the implication. His hand snatches mine. Bringing my fingers to his mouth, he kisses my knuckles. His eyes glitter with happiness. “I don’t have a ring. This is me being spontaneous, but I’ll get you one as soon as you say yes. Will you marry me, Greer?”
“This should feel like déjà vu,” I whisper, my emotions overwhelming me. I give a tiny shake of my head. “But it’s not. This is totally different. We’re different.”
“Is that a yes?” he prods.
I nod my head effusively. “I’m so ready. Yes!”
Then he’s standing, and I’m in his arms, and he’s swinging me around in a circle as his face presses into my neck.
“I love you so much,” I say. “I’m never going to let you down again.”
“Stop,” he exclaims, lifting his head and glaring at me. “No recriminations. Not against yourself, not against me. Our past is the past. We start new from right now, okay?”
I needed to hear that. I didn’t realize how much until tears spring to my eyes and I can do nothing but nod my agreement.
“I love you, Greer.” Ladd’s tone is solemn as he wipes the tears from my face, and it makes me listen intently. “Our time is now. Let’s not waste one single second.”
Letting out a shaky breath, I whisper, “Okay.”
“Okay?” he asks, to make sure.
“Okay,” I say, this time confidently.
“Good,” he says, bending down to grab my purse. “Then let’s go find a ring.”
“Then lunch,” I suggest, because I’m hungry. “We can plan the wedding.”
“Sounds like the best second first date ever,” he says with a grin, and I couldn’t agree more.