“Isn’t it?”
“Nor is it enough to sustain a marriage. Come on. You’re smarter than this.”
Abby’s heart thumped. A week ago, if they’d had this conversation, she might have been swayed, but now, their marriage was something she knew would happen. It had weaved its way into her soul, and she was glad. It was the right thing to do.
“I’m not changing my mind, but I know you’re just trying to do what’s best for me. And I love you for that. Come and meet him on Saturday. I think you’ll feel better then.”
“How did it go?”
Abby couldn’t relax. She was jittery as anything, but not because of the conversation with her mother. No, it was all to do with Gray, and how much she’d missed him. How much she’d been thinking about him through the day. How much she wanted him. And how hard she was fighting those instincts, because it was all too complicated and messy.
“She’s going to take some getting used to the idea,” Abby admitted.
“That well, huh?”
“Actually, she was pretty good about it. She’s reserving judgement at least.”
“Well, my mother can’t wait to meet you.” He winced apologetically. “She’s flying in next week some time.”
“Woah.”
“Which got me thinking,” Gray said quietly, scanning her face.
“Yeah?”
“Mmm.” It was a throaty growl that shouldn’t have been so erotic but that somehow had the ability to curl her toes. “Let’s get married next weekend.”
Abby stared at him. “Isn’t that too soon?”
He lifted he shoulders. “Actually, it’s about two years too late, if you ask me.”
She sipped her wine and moved to stand beside him at the balcony, balancing her elbows on the railing and staring out at the city, waiting for her heart to relax into its usual rhythm.
“So?”
She turned to face him and this time, it was to discover Gray kneeling in front of her, a black velvet box in his hands.
As she stared at him, he opened it to reveal the kind of ring Abby had only ever seen either in magazines or on some of the most well-heeled guests at the events she’d worked. The diamond in the center was at least the size of her thumb, and it was surrounded by small golden stones – she guessed yellow diamonds. It looked like a flower. The band was white gold or platinum, and glistened as he lifted it from the velvet box.
“I know this isn’t the proposal you’d hoped for, and I know I’m not the man you would have chosen to marry. In fact, I’m pretty sure you still kind of hate me. But I want this marriage to work, Abby, and I promise you now, with all that I am, that I will always treat you in a way our daughter can be proud of. I will make you smile, every day. I will respect you, and I will care for you.” Her hand was shaking as he slid the ring onto her finger. “And I can honestly say, there’s nothing I want more than to make you my wife, and Charlotte officially my daughter.”
This wasallfor Charlotte. She bit her teeth into her lip to negate any temptation to read more into this proposal. Because it was only as he said, ‘I know I’m not the man you would have chosen to marry’that Abby started to suspect, in the very depth of her heart, that he was wrong.
“I can seewhere you get your beauty from,” Gray said, when Winona excused herself to use the restroom.
Abby lifted a brow. “Are you saying my mom’s hot?”
He laughed, that husky laugh of his, that sent a thousand live wires dancing through her body.
“She’s very attractive, yes.”
“Ew, Gray.”
“Objectively speaking.” Quite surprisingly, and adorably, color darkened his cheeks.
“Grayson Fortescue, you’reblushing!”
He pulled a face and surprised her by putting a hand on her thigh beneath the table. “Careful, or I will find a way to make you blush – and more – in the middle of this very busy little diner.”