Page 113 of Hurts to Love You

With all the weddings lately, of course he’d thought about the future, but something stopped him from bringing up any discussion about formalizing their relationship with Eve. She was younger than him. What if she didn’t want to be tied down yet?

“Think about it. Talk to Eve. You have my blessing, not that you need it.” John’s gaze went to the door and he smiled. “Hello, Tani.”

Tani wheeled a tea cart into the room. She’d changed from her maid-of-honor dress into a plain button-down shirt and slacks. “Shall I come back later?” she asked politely.

“No, I was heading up.” Gabe squeezed John’s hands and stood. As he passed Tani, she stopped him with a hand on his arm, and held out a velvet box.

“Can you give this to Eve? It’s her mother’s. I haven’t had the chance today, and it might be better coming from you.”

He accepted the box, his mind still mostly on his conversation with John. “Sure.”

Tani patted his cheek. She wasn’t a demonstrative woman, but she did that now, occasionally touching him as if he were Jackson or Livvy. He had a mother, and it didn’t mean he loved Sonya any less, but it was kind of nice to have another maternal figure in his life.

He shut the door behind him, but not before he caught a glimpse of Tani settling into the arm chair next to John. An Oka and a Chandler, under that photo. They looked right together.

Happiness isn’t something you should take for granted.

He took the stairs two at a time, barely waiting for Eve to summon him in before entering her bedroom. She was sitting at her desk, tapping away at her computer. She worked a lot lately, which he didn’t mind. A fledgling business needed lots of energy, and he appreciated every second they did spend together.

She glanced up, revealing her straight white teeth. She smiled like that more now, but he loved her face whether she was grinning or not. He loved everything about her. She was perfect to him.

“There you are. I was wondering where you went.” She stood and closed her laptop. She was already dressed for bed in a silky nightgown, face washed, hair neatly braided. “I thought maybe you got caught up with Livvy and Jackson. You know, I met a guy at the reception tonight who remembered you from—”

He couldn’t focus on what she was saying as she moved to the bed and turned back the covers. He rubbed the velvet on the jewelry box he held.

“Anyway...” Eve turned to him and froze. Her eyes grew wide. “G-Gabe?”

Oh. Look at that. He was on his knees.

It felt right. He swallowed. Finding the right words now was both difficult and vital. “I know we haven’t really talked about the future. We don’t have to get married right away. We can move in together, not move in together, have a long engagement, whatever you’d like. Evangeline Lea Chandler, I love you, though, like I’ve never loved anyone else in the world. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

She gaped at him for so long he grew worried. “Eve, say something.”

She snapped out of whatever spell she was under, shaking her head. “This is the most romantic thing.” She came to him, her nightgown fluttering behind her. She dropped to her knees and grasped his face. “You’re asking me to marry you?”

“Yes.” He gestured at the floor they were both kneeling on. “Sorry. I thought that was clear.”

Her smile was wavery. “Gabriel Reginald Kane Hunter, I love you too. I’d like to be with you forever.”

His shoulders relaxed. He hadn’t really thought she would spurn him, but it was nice to have confirmation they were on the same page. He held out the jewelry box. “I’ll get you a proper ring later,” he said, hastily. “This is your mother’s. Tani asked me to give it to you.”

Eve brushed her tears away and snapped open the box. She looked down at it for a long moment and then started laughing. When she showed him the contents, he understood the reason for her amusement.

He grinned and picked up the gold bracelet, a matching pair to the one she already wore. The one “Anne” had left in his bed. “I didn’t plan this, but it seems appropriate.”

“Fate,” she agreed.

He placed it on her wrist, stroked her luminous skin, then dragged her close for a long kiss. His contentment overwhelmed him. With a whoop, he launched to his feet and picked her up, spinning her around as she laughed. “Thank you for sticking your neck out for me. I’m so glad you did,” he whispered in her ear.

Eve wrapped her arms tight around his neck. “Me too. You’re my home.”

Those simple words burrowed into his soul. He thought of his family, family by blood and by chance and by choice, which was growing every day. He tightened his arms around Eve, this woman he adored. He was home.

They were all home.