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Marv returned the embrace. He had a similar build to her father and Marv’s hold was just tight enough to make her feel cherished.
“Thank you,” he murmured into her hair.
She breathed through the emotions clamoring in her chest. She was so focused on Vinny that she hadn’t been able to deal with the loss of her father and now … Memories of him bombarded her. She closed her eyes as a tear trickled down her cheek. She was just coming to terms with Vinny’s death. She thought she’d have time to deal with losing the second most important man in her life, but life was ten steps ahead, and she was playing catch-up. As a widower herself, she didn’t want her mother to be alone. Her mother was blessed to have found someone else who made her happy.
Marv eased his grip, and she gave him a mock scowl as she brushed away her tear. She put her hands on her hips.
“Aren’t you going to ask me for my mother’s hand?”
Marv grinned broadly and got down on one knee in the middle of the restaurant. He took her hand and stared solemnly up at her.
“Carmen Marie Pyre, will you do me the honor of allowing your mother to be my wife?”
She heard her mother choke back a sob. Carmen looked down at Marv, a man willing to lay it all on the line, and smiled through the tears.
“Yes.”
Marv kissed her hand and both cheeks before he moved to her mother and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. There was a smattering of clapping from the other patrons in the restaurant who were obviously thoroughly confused. Carmen sat because her legs were shaking. When she tracked her mom down for a ride, this was the last thing she expected.
Her mother sat beside her and gripped her hand beneath the table. They were both trembling.
Carmen took a deep breath. “So … tell me about yourself, Marv.”
* * *
“Are you okay?” Mom asked.
“Yeah.”
“Are you really?”
“Yes.” She moved to get out of the car as she pulled up to the casino, but Mom latched onto her arm.
“Carmen Marie.”
She was worried. It was written all over her face.
“Mom, I’m fine,” she said.
“You aren’t fine. You haven’t been fine for years.”
The past two hours had been an emotional roller coaster of learning about her future stepfather and his family. Marv’s oldest son lived in Japan with his wife who was expecting. They would have the wedding a few months after the baby was born since the wife was too far along to fly right now. Not only had her mother been dating Marv, but she’d also been living with him for two months. She was shell-shocked but doing her best to keep an open mind. Marv was obviously head over heels for her mother. That was all that mattered, right?
She kissed her mother on the cheek. “I love you, and I’m happy for you.”
“I don’t have to live with him. I can move back into the house.”
“Why would you do that if you’re happy where you are? You moved in with him because you wanted to spend more time with him, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then just stay with him and be happy.”
“I want you to be happy too.”
“I’ll get there.”
“Your dad would be proud of you.”
