It takes twenty minutes and promises they’ll meet for coffee tomorrow for the three of them to finally allow themselves to be ushered to the front door. When Tink turns around, she’s got a soft smile on her face. “I have friends.”
“Yes, you do. Very scary friends.”
We head up to my suite, and once the doctor has checked me out and declared I have a concussion and need to take it easy for a while, we shower and clean up. The whole time, she doesn’t say a word. I can’t tell if she’s still marveling over the fact she has friends, which seems to be a sort of revelation, or if the events of the last few hours are finally sinking in. Maybe a combination of both. Either way, I don’t press her. She deserves that much and more.
Tink shuts off the water and turns to me. “I want a fall wedding.”
I blink. “This concussion is worse than I thought, because I could swear that you just said you want a fall wedding.”
“That’s because I did.” She hands me a towel and wraps a second one around herself. “We’re married in every way that matters, but I want a real wedding. One where we invite your family and our friends. I want to design my own dress. I want the whole ridiculous spectacle of it.” She crosses to me and cups my face in her hands. “I want the world to know that I choose you and that this is real.”
I’m still having a hard time catching up. She wants to stay married to me. She really does want the future we painted together this morning. Still, I promised I’d be honest and so I have to tell her the truth of my plans. “I was going to offer you a divorce in the morning. You were going to be free.”
Tink’s smile is sweet and the tiniest bit salty. “I think that’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever said to me.” She stops short and frowns. Tink drops her hands. “Unless you really want a divorce, in which case ignore everything I just said.”
Oh no. Fuck that. If she’s choosing me, there’s no way in hell I’m letting her get away. I grab her hand and sink unsteadily to my knee. “Tink Petrov, would you do me the honor of marrying me? Again.” I clear my throat. “You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever known, and I love the shit out of you. Marry me, and we’ll spend the rest of our lives bickering and fucking and raising a family of little hellions while we run this territory the way it should be run.”
The shadows flee her expression, and she beams down at me. “Yes, Jameson Hook, I very much would like to do all of that with you and more.” She tugs me to my feet. “I love you. I want to live not-happily-ever-after with you. Yes, of course I’ll marry you. Again.”