“And tell the Colton girl she’s a lucky woman,” Franklin said, calling after his son as Bowie left his office.
Bowie knew his father meant that sincerely.
“I will. But I’m the one who’s lucky, Dad,” he said by way of parting.
* * *
Bowie found Marlowe just where he’d left her, still at the hospital, sitting in the waiting room. He came up behind her and gave her a quick hug.
Surprised, Marlowe turned around to look at him. “You came back,” she said, smiling at him.
“I said I would.” Rafe made room for him and Bowie sat down next to her. “How’s your father doing?” he asked.
Marlowe smiled bravely. “The same, but at least he’s still breathing. Get your errand taken care of?” she asked, wanting to change the subject.
“Yes, I had to clear up something with my father,” he confessed.
He hadn’t mentioned that. “Your father?”
“Yes.” He grinned. “I wanted to tell him that he was going to be a grandfather. And that I wanted to marry you,” he added, his eyes now searching her face for a sign that he hadn’t frightened her off. “If you’ll have me.”
She looked at him, stunned and almost speechless. “Wait, back up,” she cried. “What?” She was certain she was hearing things.
“I said I want to marry you and be a father to our baby,” he repeated as if it was an everyday occurrence.
The words still weren’t sinking in for her. This was Bowie, the commitmentphobe. Was he actually saying what she thought she was hearing? It didn’t seem possible.
“Seriously? You want to settle down? You, Mr. I Want To Be Free, is talking about putting down roots?” she asked incredulously.
“Suddenly being free isn’t all that appealing anymore,” he told her. “So, what do you say?”
Did he think she needed help? Was that why he was saying this? “This is the twenty-first century. Women don’t need to get married to have a baby.”
“I know that,” he told her, “but I need to marry you.”
She looked at him suspiciously. “Why?”
He laughed and shook his head. Leave it to her to over-examine this. “Because I love you, Marlowe Colton, despite that sunny, easygoing personality of yours.”
She started to laugh then. “Good answer,” she said to him, beaming with approval.
“How about you?” he asked. “Do you love me?”
“I guess I could put up with you for a while.” And then she laughed again, throwing her arms around his neck. “Yes, I love you, you big idiot.”
He considered her response. “Not the most romantic answer,” he decided, “but I guess it’ll do.” She finally realized that Bowie was a man of his word—he wouldn’t leave, and they were going to be a family together.
“Well, it’ll have to,” she informed him just before she kissed him long and hard, with all the feeling she had been trying so hard to bury.
Bowie was not about to disagree.
Epilogue
Wrapping her fingers around Bowie’s hand, Marlowe crossed over to where her mother was sitting in the waiting area with Callum.
“Mother,” she spoke up, getting her mother’s attention, “I know this is a very difficult time for all of us right now, but I have an announcement to make.” Marlowe’s eyes swept over the members of her family. All of them were still determined to keep vigil over her father for as long as they were able—or until such time as Payne Colton regained his consciousness and recovered.
“Now, Marlowe?” her mother questioned. It was hard to tell what Genevieve was thinking as the woman looked at Bowie intently.