“You can tell me anything.”
“I can’t stay here.”
“Why the hell not?” he gripped her shoulders.
“It’s not safe. There are things you don’t know —” she started.
“Baby, do you really think a 62-year-old with a failing liver can get through me to get to you?”
Harper took a step back. “How did you ... I don’t understand.”
“Clive Perry will never be a threat to you again.” Luke gently brushed her hair back from her face. “He’s never getting near you. We made sure of it.”
“We?”
“Melissa says to call her tomorrow.”
“Oh crap. Are you kidding me? You met Melissa?”
“Oh yeah. She wasn’t impressed with the ‘asshole’ who dumped her friend at first, but we’re good now. He’s never getting out, baby. And if you’re okay with it, tomorrow we’ll file a PFA with Ty so he can’t send you any more letters. We can do it after we pick out a Christmas tree.”
“How —”
“I’ll tell you later, okay?” He hugged her closer and buried his face in her hair. “I meant it when I said I wouldn’t leave you again. Aldo and I officially retired.”
“Oh my God, I don’t think I can physically handle any more surprises.”
“Let’s go inside.”
“Why? Is there a marching band and the Publisher’s Clearing House guy in there?”
“God I missed your smart mouth.” He laid his lips on hers. “Let’s go in. You’ll freeze to death if I start taking your clothes off out here.”
Luke kept a tight hold on her hand until they crossed the threshold. He closed the door behind them and pulled her in to his arms. “This is where you belong.”
He kissed her on the top of the head and slowly turned her around.
She spotted the framed pictures on the wall next to the door.
One was Karen, laughing in the sunshine. The other, Harper and her parents.
“You framed them.” Her breath caught in her throat. The picture that had followed her from place to place carefully tucked in an envelope was framed and hanging on a wall.
“You’re home, Harper.”
“Luke.” Tears clouded her vision and she turned back to him.
But he wasn’t standing behind her anymore.
He was down on one knee.
“Harper Wilde, I don’t want to spend another day of my life without you. I want to wake up with you wrapped around me every morning. I want you pushing me to do things I’m scared to do. I want to grow our family. I want to spend the rest of my life protecting you from yourself and thanking my lucky stars that you drove east instead of west. Be my wife. Grow old with me.”
He opened the velvet box to reveal a stunning ring. “It’s an eternity band because that’s how long I want to spend with you. And you have to say yes because I bought it in town and everyone knows by now.”
The tears flowed freely down her cheeks. For the second time that night, she could only nod her answer.
“I really need you to say it, Harper,” he teased.
