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I popped up out of my chair, excused myself as if I needed the restroom, and went inside Henry’s. Riley, one of our managers, was totaling receipts back in Seth’s office, but the dining area was otherwise deserted.
Like I’d done that night at the Fly, when I’d first kissed Ava, I went to the hallway outside of the ladies’ room and leaned against the wall to wait.
Ava
I finished in the restroom, put some lip gloss on, and ran a comb through my perpetually mussed hair.
Cash’s family was wonderful and warm and entertaining, and though I hadn’t known what to expect from our impromptu dinner, I’d loved it. But I couldn’t help thinking about being alone with him later. We couldn’t seem to get enough of each other, and I refused to apologize to myself or anyone else for that. But I would try to mind my manners and not make it obvious I was in need of some one-on-one attention from my sexy chef.
I walked out of the ladies’ room, and my attention was drawn to the hallway wall opposite the door. Cash stood there, watching me, with heat and love in his eyes. My heart started beating faster just at the sight of all that maleness focused on me. He took a light grasp of my wrist and gently tugged me closer, reminding me of that night at the Fly when he’d first kissed me. That night he’d had the slightest predatory gleam in his eyes. Tonight he was more intense but less intimidating.
“Hi, handsome,” I said, catching my balance with a hand on his chest. “What are you up to?”
“Can’t a guy miss his girl?”
I laughed, because that was cheesy even for him.
“Come here.” He laced our fingers together and lightly tugged me again, this time toward the emergency exit at the end of the hallway. He punched in a code on a keypad, then opened the door without the alarm going off.
“Where are we going?” I asked. This door opened on the side opposite the patio, away from everyone, facing the marina instead, which seemed to be deserted.
“Little walk. Beautiful night,” he said into my ear as we followed the walkway toward the water.
“What about your family?”
“I needed to get you alone for a bit. That okay?”
“Always.” We walked some more. “But…what about cake?”
He let out a low growl of a laugh. “You like cake better than me?”
“Never, but I was hoping I could have both tonight.”
He laughed again and put his arm around my waist, pulling me into his side. At the intersection with the sidewalk that ran parallel to the shore, he veered us right, toward the marina, instead of left toward the beer patio, and slowed our pace way down.
We were in the shadows between the lights that illuminated the Henry’s docks and the marina, with a half-moon glimmering down on us. The din of people on the beer patio reached us but barely. Cash stopped us next to one of the honeysuckle bushes along the walkway. The bush was still lush and full, but the blooms had been replaced by little round berries. He turned us to face the lake, his arm still around me. I wound mine around his middle too and sank into his side, breathing in his familiar scent.
“You like my family?” he asked out of nowhere. His voice was low but still broke into our silence.
“Of course. I’ve met them before. Lots of times.” I’d met most of them in the past and then spent more time with his brothers and Chloe and Everly lately, so his question confused me.
“Like, well enough to have them beyourfamily?” he asked, still gazing out over the water.
I stopped breathing for a second as I processed his question. “What are you saying?” I asked, afraid to jump to conclusions.
Cash was quiet for so long I was about to whack him in the gut with the back of my hand, then I heard him rustling around, fidgeting with his pocket. Then, before I could think another thought, he moved between me and the beautiful moonlit lake, faced me, took my hand, and lowered himself to one knee.
I inhaled sharply, my eyes wide, all my focus on his handsome, earnest face. “Cash?”
“You’re so pretty, Ava.”
A half-crazy giggle erupted from me. “What are you doing?”
Staring up into my eyes, he inhaled. Exhaled. His gaze dropped down to his hands, and mine followed in time to see him open a ring box, take out a ring, and hold it up between his thumb and forefinger. “Will you marry me?”
My gaze popped back to his eyes, and I saw his heart and his soul and his love there. I saw my future there.Ourfuture.
“Yes,” I said on a breathy exhale. “God yes, I’ll marry you!” I leaned down awkwardly to kiss him, and the next thing I knew, he was lifting from his knee, one arm banded around me tightly enough to lift me too.
