“You backpacked in Europe?”
“I sure did. What, I don’t seem like the type?” I smile at her and take in as deep a breath as I can get with my chest aching as much as it does.
Sophia puts a hand on my shoulder. “Is it your heart?”
“Just my chest. They cracked it open. It’s bound to hurt for a while.”
“You should take your meds.”
“After, when we’re at the hotel,” I promise, and take Rosa’s hand. “Time to get you a swimsuit, princess.”
“One that’s a dress!” she demands and I smile, leading her over to the little girl’s clothes when we arrive at the boutique.
She picks out a handful of swimsuits and Sophia grabs her a few outfits, too.
“You go and pick out your stuff,” I urge her. “I’ve got Rosa.”
“Don’t pick her up,” she warns. “You did enough tugging on her back at the airfield.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I say, saluting her, and she laughs, shaking her head as she walks over to the women’s section.
Three thousand dollars later, I’ve got Rosa all set up with clothes and toys.
She’s carrying around a decidedly creepy clown doll and Sophia looks down at it, horrified.
“Where did you get Annabelle here?”
“Her name’s not Annabelle. It’s Silly Sally.”
“Silly Sally? Because she’s a clown.”
“No, Mama,” Rosa says, her little voice exasperated. “Because she’ssilly.”
“Oh, well, of course,” I say, unable to keep the grin off my face.
We make our way back to the hotel and despite the searing pain in my chest, I’m grinning when Sophia helps me into bed.
“You need to take your meds and rest.”
“Whatever you say, pixie,” I muse, looking up at her with a bright smile.
“That’s all it took for you to do what I say? Running away with you?”
“That’s exactly it,” I tell her, and I kiss her soundly. I managed to swing by a jewelry store when we were at the strip, and I reach into my sweats pocket and pull out a ring box. “I’d get down on one knee but…I think you’d yell at me.”
“Luca, you can’t be serious!” She claps her hand over her mouth after squealing when I open the ring box.
The ring is four carats. I still don’t think it’s big enough.
I slide it on her finger. “I would ask you to marry me, but I have to tell you that you don’t really have a choice. I always get what I want.”
“And you want me?” she asks, smiling.
“I want you and Rosa. Forever.”
“Then you’ll have us,” she answers, finally giving me my “yes” and I smile against her lips when she kisses me.
I never knew having a family would feel this good.
