“I don’t want you to ever feel like our marriage was one of convenience,” I continue. “That there was any other motivation for me other than the fact I’m hopelessly in love with you. It wasn’t alcohol, it wasn’t for Milton and this property, and it wasn’t about fulfilling yourViva Las Vegasbucket list. I married you because I love you. And I want tostaymarried to you. But ultimately, it’s up to you. This is your future too. I want it to be your choice.”
I reach for the table and lift the Ring Pop.
She lets out a startled laugh, tears tumbling down her rosy cheeks. “This is the part where you’re supposed to kneel,” she says.
I drop to one knee.
She squeals and starts to dance from one foot to the other in excitement.
“Grace, will you forever be my Valentine?” I ask, voice breaking. “Will you stay married to me for the rest of my life?” I give her my best puppy dog eyes. “Please?”
Her tears spill. “Yes!” she shouts. “Yes. Yes!”
I slide the Ring Pop onto her finger, and she laughs through her tears, pulling me up and crashing into my arms. I lift her off the ground, spinning her once before kissing her deep and breathless. I’m so incredibly grateful she feels the same way. That this wasn’t simply an impulsive weekend. That staying married means as much to her as it does to me.
We break apart both laughing and crying and a little unsteady on our feet.
“I can’t believe I married the perfect woman in Las Vegas and then proposed with candy,” I admit. “But I wanted you to be able to pick out the perfect ring. So I hope this will do until then.”
“It’s perfect,” she reassures, peppering my face with kisses. “You’re perfect.”
Later,after getting reacquainted, the candles have all gone out, and the sugar high has been burned off. Grace is curled beside me on the couch, legs tucked under mine, absently tracing my forearm. “Can I tell you something?” she murmurs.
“Anything.”
“I was scared,” she admits. “Not of you. Of how easy this feels. Once we landed, I kept waiting for the other shoe to fall. I didn’t want to let myself believe this was real, only to have the rug pulled out from under me.”
I wrap an arm around her and pull her into me.
“I’ve never had easy,” she admits. “But I don’t want the fairy tale, Ben. I want the real thing. Good times and bad.”
“Same.” I turn toward her, brushing my thumb across her cheek. “And I can’t wait to see how our real life unfolds, Mrs. Banks.”
29
GRACE
Benand I walk hand in hand down the sidewalk, sunlight catching in his hair, our fingers laced like they’ve always belonged there. We’ve decided to make a genuine go of this. Not a Vegas fantasy.
A life.
But first… I have to tell my mom. My mother, who only has one child. Who didn’t get to be at her daughter’s wedding. Who deserved to be. Yet I cheated her out of the experience.
My stomach lurches as we step inside her small living room, and not because it’s the first time Ben is witnessing the true Elvis hysteria that is my family home, but because I’m so ashamed of disappointing her.
She looks up from her chair, and her face brightens as she sees me. “Graceland.” And then she sees him. “Oh my goodness,” she says softly. “Who is this handsome man?”
He steps forward, instantly polite and gentle. “Hello, Ms. Montgomery. It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Ben. Grace has told me so much about you.”
She reaches out for his hand like she’s known him forever. And just like that, I have no doubt my mother is as in love with him as I am.
“Mom. I met Ben a few months ago. He helped me with my truck when it broke down and we developed a friendship. Then, we…”How do I even explain this?I mean, I still can’t believe the direction my life has turned.
She blinks up at me expectantly.
“We’ve only been together for a short while, but we knew right away it was the real thing. So when we both happened to be in Las Vegas on business, one thing led to another…” Taking Ben’s hand in mine, I extend them to her so she can see our wedding bands.
She lets out a little gasp, her expression not giving anything away. “Sit, sit, you two. I want to hear everything. Don’t leave one thing out.”
