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“There’s more.” He waited for his family and Eliza to take their places at the bottom of the steps.
Shelby glanced over at them. “Everyone is here.” She gave him a curious look and tilted her head. “What’s going on?” She looked nervous, and that’s the last thing he wanted, though his stomach was tied in knots.
“I love you.”
She squeezed his hand. “I love you, too.”
“You—” He looked at Eliza, then back at Shelby.“You and Eliza are the most important people in my life. You saved me in so many ways, but especially when I came home from rehab and discovered that not only were you waiting for me with an open heart, but you’d given me this place to make a home. But it’s only home because this is whereyouare. With me. By my side, always on my side.”
“Of course I am,” she assured him. “I love you.”
“I know. And it’s been the greatest gift in my life aside from the one you gave me two years ago.” He glanced at Eliza again, then dropped to one knee in front of Shelby.
She gasped and put her fingertips to her lips, and her eyes turned misty. “Chase.”
“I thought there was nothing left in my battered heart or worth living for when you sat next to me in that bar. You showed me a glimpse of the happy life we could have together if I fought for it.”
She dropped her hand from her mouth and held his in both of hers. “And you have. You’re better now.”
“Because of the amazing love I have for you. I want us to make a life together. I want us to be a family forever. You and me and Eliza and whoever comes along next.” She smiled and blushed. He glanced at his family watching them. “You may not have any family left, but if you say yes, you’ll have mine, though I’m not sure that won’t make you run for the hills.”
“Hey,” his family all said in unison.
Shelby giggled, and it lightened his heart and made the next part so easy.
“Even with them as part of the bargain, will you be my wife?” He held up the ring he’d bought her the sameday he bought her the diamond earrings for her birthday that she wore every day now. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes!” Eliza shouted.
They all laughed, but he didn’t take his eyes off Shelby, who stared down at him, a single happy tear trailing down her cheek to the bright smile on her lips. “What she said. Yes!”
Chase forgot all about the ring, stood, and pulled Shelby in for a searing kiss as he held her close.
His family and Eliza clapped for them.
He finally remembered he needed to put the ring on her finger, but first he touched his forehead to hers and looked into her eyes. “You’re going to be my wife.” Just saying it made him so damn happy.
“You’ll be my husband.”
“Best thing to ever happen to me.” He stepped back, took her hand, and slid the ring on her finger. “Do you like it?”
She gasped when she saw the three-stone ring, the center round stone larger than the trillion-cut ones on the side. “Chase, it’s beautiful.”
He brushed his thumb over the diamonds. “We’re starting with the three of us.”
“Congratulations,” his dad called out. “I hope you’ll be really happy together.”
Chase looked down at everyone. “Thank you for being here.”
“Welcome to the family,” Hunt said to Shelby, then poked Eliza in the belly, making her giggle.
Max bounced Eliza on his hip. “It’s you and me tonight, little one. Ready to go?”
Eliza beamed Max a smile. “Yes!”
Chase turned to Shelby. “Max is taking Eliza for the night. You and me, we’re celebrating.”
She gave him a sexy look. “Oh yeah? What did you have in mind?”
He had planned a very special dinner—for much later—and pulled her toward the front door and their bedroom. “You and me and forever.”
