I swallow. “This tastes just like one of Mom’s cheeseburgers,” I whisper.
Rhys grins, a hand over his chest with relief. “I’m glad.” He puts the hand on my shoulder. “Look…when I was out of town two weeks ago…I went to New Hampshire to see your aunt. I wanted to ask if she knew your mother’s recipe and the secret ingredient. I should’ve told you—I heard from Angelo you were unhappy about it—but I just…didn’t want to get your hopes up in case it didn’t work out.”
“NewHampshire? I had no idea.” He never, ever takes time off unless he absolutely has to—because the market’s closed and nobody else is working. I can’t believe he took a week out of his jam-packed schedule to visit my aunt. And how did he manage to convince her to help him? Nothing moves her. She barely shed a tear at Mom’s funeral.
My vision blurs.
“Hey.” Rhys swipes a thumb over my cheek.
I sniffle…then realize I’m crying.
“That bad?” he teases a little.
“No!” I laugh through the tears. “It’s amazing! Nobody ever loved me like you do.”
He takes my plate and puts it aside. He holds both my hands, then peers at me with a helpless smile. “This isn’t how I planned it, but…it feels like the right time.”
I cry harder.
Still holding my hands, he drops to one knee. “Max Norman, will you marry me—do me the honor of becoming my wife? You’ve become the anchor in my heart, the light that guides me. You’ve given me the precious gift of your trust. You make me want to strive to be the best I can be, to be worthy of you. I want to be your family, your shield. I want to love you and protect you as long as I live.”
These tears will never stop. I wrap my arms around him. “Yes! A billion times yes!”
The brothers clap and cheer. With a brilliant smile, he slides a ring on my finger. The huge princess-cut diamond sparkles—a good omen for our future.
Rhys starts to lower his head to kiss me.
“What’s the secret ingredient?” Silas calls out, as though he can’t wait anymore.
“Fish sauce!” Rhys says, then crushes his mouth over mine.
Chapter Fifty-One
–Unknown: I heard you’re getting married.
–Me: Who is this?
–Unknown: Your father.
–Me: You must be mistaken. I don’t have a father.
–Unknown: You’ll need someone to walk you down the aisle.
–Me: Nah. Never needed you all this time, and I’m not going to need you now. I can walk myself.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Rhys
Max and I decide to hold a small ceremony in the garden. She says it’s the perfect place for our wedding—lots of flowers in full bloom and hummingbirds zipping around. I fly Bea out to attend. She shows up in a flowing blue dress that flatters her and spends time with Max, sharing stories from Anna’s childhood. Their wistful smiles say they miss her very much. Bea promises to return when the baby’s born to help. “Anna had the best baby food recipes, too, so I’ll bring them,” she says.
Max’s eyes sparkle with delight. “I’dlovethat. Thank you.”
Roarke comes toward me as I adjust the cuff links on my wedding tux. “Nervous?”
“No. Excited.” I place a hand over my racing heart. I can’t believe that in less than five minutes, I’ll be holding Max’s hand and exchanging vows.
“The white tux looks surprisingly good on you,” Liam says.
