“Yeah.” This was why they were so good together. She understood where he’d been and what he faced, his pain, and him. If he needed a boost—a sure sign that Ginny was the path he wanted to take—her comfort was it.
With a grin, he scooted his chair back and got down on one knee, taking her hand in his. She was calm, her hand smooth and graceful.
“Ginny.” He spoke her name, noting the reverence that he couldn’t hold back.
Chapter Fifteen
Ginny
Ginny was shocked at the stirring inside of her, at the feelings that arose from seeing Quinn on one knee. His thumb brushed her hand, and she shivered with anticipation. This was a profound moment in her life—the moment he professed his love and asked her to marry him.
“Ginny, we’ve been inseparable friends, and we’ve been separated by oceans only to find one another again. I don’t want to be apart from you. Will you marry me?” He opened the little black box to reveal her dream ring.
His words ran through her head, and she noted the lack of a profession on love. Even as her head was telling her tosay yes, say yes,her heart was screamingI need more. She told her heart to shush, swallowed back the desire to lean into him and see if the fire was still in their kiss, and said, “Yes.”
He laughed, swiping at his forehead. “You had me worried for a moment there.”
She giggled. “All part of the plan.”
Shaking his head, he removed the ring from the box and slid it onto her finger. It was stunning, gathering the starlight like her very own dream catcher. She leaned back, holding her hand out in front of her. Quinn hesitated before hopping back into his chair, a man relieved of a burden.
Was proposing to her such a chore? Her heart tugged as if barbed with a fishhook.
“Tell me about your travels.”
The chef appeared in his white coat and toque, depositing chocolate mousse cake in front of them with two long-handled spoons. He winked at Ginny, his eyes dropping meaningfully to her freshly adorned left hand. She blushed because of the lie. Inside, she hated that the engagement wasn’t what the chef had probably pictured.
When he backed away, she’d forgotten Quinn’s question. “I’m sorry, what did you ask?”
Quinn’s hand inched towards her and then stopped abruptly. He’d been about to hold her hand. She wanted the closeness more than anything and yet had no idea how to cross the bridge to get there. “I asked if you found what you were looking for.”
She tasted the mousse as she gathered her thoughts. “I think so. It was like you said in the library—holding babies, loving them, that’s when I felt like I was making a real difference.”
“What about the adoption coalition in Europe?” He tucked his chin. “I didn’t see pictures on your profile.”
She chuckled. “That was so personal. I just couldn’t throw it out there for the world. Here—” She retrieved her phone from her purse, which hung over the back of her chair. She talked as she brought up the images. “I worked on a team that overhauled the whole system. It took us two years, but the end result was a more child-centered approach to the adoption process.”
“You’re remarkable.”
She shook her head, his praise squeezing like an ill-made shoe. “I’m afraid you think much higher of me than I deserve.” She continued to talk, giving names to the faces and letting him in on the life she’d lived without him. As she did so, she felt her corporate shell sliding aside to allow her real self to shine through. Quinn did that for her; he reminded her of who she was meant to be—who God designed her to be and not the woman her father molded.
She’d have to pick the shell back up again before going to the office. But for now, it was nice to breathe, to be her, to settle into her skin again. If ever there was a reason to marry Quinn, the fact that he allowed her to be herself was it.
Chapter Sixteen
Ginny
It had been two weeks since Quinn’s proposal, and Ginny still wasn’t used to the giant ring on her finger. It wasn’t that she didn’t love the ring; it was that she felt clunky wearing it—as if she needed to grow into the role of a fiancée. She’d snagged it on her sweater, pulled a thread, and made a mess of things—all under the watchful eye of the head of public relations, Jim Dumont.
“You need to throw an engagement party,” he said as she snipped the yarn, tied it off, and put the scissors away in the correct section of her hyper-organized desk drawer.Ahh, order.
“No, thank you.” She and Quinn spent most evenings together. Sometimes they ordered takeout; sometimes they had his chef prepare a meal. They’d even spent the evening cooking with Ben, Avery, and the kids. Their quiet nights were exactly what she needed after a day of being the boss. She thrived under the pressure of making big decisions and spending millions of dollars. But there was something about coming home to Quinn that was so … fulfilling.
“It would humanize you.”
That got her attention. “Why, pray tell, do I need to be humanized?”What the heck?
“You’ve earned a reputation as a dragon.” Jim turned his tablet to the side and hooked his fingers over the edge.
