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“Come on, Henry. You can tell me. Whatever it is, I’m sure we’ve worked through harder.”
His jaw tightened. She could see the warring thoughts battling it out in his head. Whatever it was, it must have been important.
Slowly, Athena put her mug to the side. “What is it?” she said with more seriousness. “Is something wrong with the ranch? Is Beast—”
“I want to marry you,” Henry blurted, turning his dark brown eyes toward her. “I’m terrified because I don’t want you to… leave.” His whisper couldn’t have been more disheartening if he’d yelled it in anger. She’d done that to him. She’d made him believe that running would be a possibility.
Since she’d been back, she hadn’t done anything that would make him assume she wanted to leave, but she couldn’t deny how hard it must have been to tell her right now what he was worried about. His parents had left. She’d left. Those he cared about didn’t stick around.
Athena’s breath caught in her throat. No words would ever be enough to heal that scar completely. All she would be able to do was spend each day proving to him that she was here to stay. She placed a hand on his forearm. “I’m not going anywhere—not without you.”
He gave her a smile, but the happiness only masked his fears. “I know. And I trust you, I really do.” Henry stood up and shoved his hand into his pocket, while she watched on. When he withdrew his fist, he opened his fingers to reveal a simple rose gold band. There were no stones on it—not that she wanted any. Her life had always been simple, and that was how she wanted it to remain.
She gasped, staring at the ring that so perfectly embodied her personality. It was so unassuming and yet just as beautiful as a traditional wedding ring. Her eyes flicked up to meet Henry’s as he slowly lowered himself to her level.
“I meant what I said. I want to marry you.”
“You don’t have to marry me to make sure I stay—” It was the first thought that escaped her lips, and she immediately regretted the words. She was supposed to tell him yes. But before she could finish her thought, he stopped her.
“I don’t want to marry you because I think it will make you stay. Marriage is a piece of paper. The ring is just a way for everyone else to see that we’re promised to each other. I want to marry you because I want to call you mine. I want to be yours. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together, making a promise to be true to one another before God and everybody. You’re all the family I could ever want.”
A happy tear slipped from her cheek. “That sounds too good to be true.”
He chuckled, pulling her left hand from her lap and poising the ring so it would easily slip onto her finger. “I started believing in the impossible the night we met.”
Athena laughed. “Now you’re just being ridiculous.”
“Will you stop changing the subject? You can’t leave me hanging like that.” His expression sobered. “I meant everything I said, and there’s a lot I chose not to say—mostly so I didn’t embarrass myself.”
She shook her head with another laugh as she framed his face in both of her hands. “I love you, Henry Keagan. And I always will. I thought you’d never ask.”
A brief look of surprise flickered over his face. “You wanted me to ask?”
“Of course I did. You were the first family I claimed as my own.”
He pulled her left hand from his cheek, kissed her palm, then bestowed the ring on her. “You never cease to amaze me,” Henry murmured as he met her gaze again. “And I hope that never ends.”
His kiss was deeper, more exquisite than she’d experienced. Within it was a promise that no matter what happened to them, they’d overcome it together. She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him as she gave him her whole heart. The kiss could have gone on for a millennium and she wouldn’t have noticed the time passing. Unfortunately, the sound of someone clearing their throat cut their kiss short.
Athena laughed as she pulled away from Henry and stared at her sister, who had her hands on her hips and was giving them that look. “Am I interrupting something?”
Henry exchanged a look with Athena, then pulled her left hand out to show it off.
Rachel gasped and rushed toward them. “It’s about time.” She released a sound that was more of a squeal than anything else. “And I get to be here when it happens!”
“You’ll have to renew your lease.”
Rachel grinned. “Or maybe find something more permanent.”
Henry looked between them. “Does that mean what I think it means?”
Athena looked toward her sister.
Rachel shrugged. “I thought I might look into getting a place and staying permanently in Copper Creek.”
This time, Athena squealed. “That’s amazing!” Athena gave Rachel a big hug before returning to Henry’s side.
“That’s terrific news!” Henry said.
