Molly giggles in his arms as Sinclair reaches for my hand and takes it, studying the engagement ring.
“Don’t blame Molly,” she says. “Like I don’t know you well enough, Sull. I knew you were up to something days ago. And you were all uptight about anyone touching your luggage on the flight over. And I can see why!” She squeals with delight. “You did well. It’s gorgeous. I approve.”
She meets my eyes and the pure, unbridled joy in them that she has for us threatens to set off my tears again.
“You know I helped Halliday plan this wedding. I still have loads of ideas. Just in case you were bored one day and?—”
“Let my fiancéebreathe, huh, Sis?”
I giggle at the face Sinclair pulls in response, but then beam at her as Sullivan’s words sink in.
Fiancée.
Oh my God, this is real.
“I should call my dad, he?—”
“He’s due to land in a few hours.”
“What?” I stare at Sullivan.
“I asked for his permission the day after I saw you back in the city. He’s the only one who was supposed to know about any of this,” Sullivan says.
Sinclair rolls her eyes, waving a hand in the air. “Yeah, whatever. I’ve known since those cat cookies that this day would come. I’m going to have a sister-in-law!”
Her excitement is infectious, and she pulls me into a hug and squeezes. Denver’s shaking hands with Sullivan, congratulating him. And Sinclair’s two dogs have calmed down and are sitting side by side at Denver’s feet.
“They’re so cute,” I exclaim, spotting the small bowtie on the larger one, and white ribbon around the smaller one’s neck.
“Don’t let looks deceive you. They’re high maintenance,” Denver says. But the fondness in his eyes tells me he’d protect Sinclair’s two dogs with his giant body as savagely as he would her.
“High maintenance must be your weakness,” Sullivan quips, his eyes darting to Sinclair, who scoffs in mock outrage.
I soak it all in. I’ve never seen Sullivan joke with his family before. He’s like a new man, growing happier by the day.
As hard as it was being apart, I can see now. We needed it.Heneeded it. He finally looks like a man who’s healing.
His eyes soften as he catches me studying him, and he walks over and pulls me to my feet, wrapping me in his arms.
Sinclair rushes from the room and I widen my eyes atSullivan as she yells so loud I swear they can probably hear her out at sea.
“Everyone, get down here! Sullivan has news!”
He chuckles, his chest rumbling against mine as he embraces me.
It’s not long before the kitchen is full. His father and Halliday, Mal and Trudy, and Killian and Jenson from their security team, are all looking at us.
It’s his father who speaks first.
“Molly? What’s going on?” he asks gently, like he doesn’t already know. I can see in his sparkling blue eyes that are so like Sullivan’s that he knows exactly why Sinclair gathered us all down here.
He’s standing beside Halliday, one arm wrapped around her, stroking the underside of her baby bump protectively.
She smiles at me, glowing like a woman who just married the love of her life, and I smile back, beaming, like a woman who just agreed to marry hers.
“Daddy and Tate get married,” Molly says seriously.
Sterling nods. “Ah. In that case, congratulations, Son. Tate.”
