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When he opened the box, I was faced with the most gorgeous ring I'd ever seen. It was a princess cut style emerald, surrounded by smaller diamonds. He’d remembered when I’d told him my favorite stone was an emerald. Swoon-worthy much?
"I wanted this to be a bit more private and romantic, but what the hell. I love the shit out of you, sweets. Seeing your bravery today, sealed the damn deal for me. You're the most beautiful, loving, and courageous woman I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. I know we haven't been an item for too long, but when you know, you know. Will you be my partner for the rest of our lives, and do me the honor of marrying me?"
Holy shit! Dana was up on her feet, jumping up and down and screaming at the top of her lungs. This would be completely embarrassing for us all if I said no. Good thing I had no intentions of denying this beautiful man. He was right. We hadn’t been together long, but I felt the same way he did. I deserved my happily ever after, dammit, and I was going to take it.
"Yes! A trillion times, yes! I will marry the shit of you, Spencer. You've made me feel loved and protected, even when I hardly knew you. I'd be a fool to let you slip away. Nothing would make me happier than to be your wife and spend the rest of my life with you. I love you so much."
I felt like today was one of those full circle moments. Out with the old and traumatic, and in with the new and loved. Could life get any better than that? I didn’t think so.
DANA
My heart couldn’t take all of this emotion today!
I knew Spencer was up to something, but I didn’t see that coming. Not now. But I was so fucking happy for them both. It took a minute for Cindy to stop crying. I needed to get her to the doctor. Which meant the emergency room. We couldn’t have her getting some kind of cooties off that knife blade. There was no telling where Stefan got it from. Where he’d been storing it. Yuck.
“I’m so happy for you both, I am. Truly. Spencer if you fuck up at any time, I will not only sic Brenna on you, I will hunt you down myself and cut your dick off with my nail clippers. You hear me. One nip at a time.”
He looked startled and put Cindy between us.
“You, I love you, girl, and to prove it, I am taking you to the emergency room. If you argue,” I pointed at her when she went to say something, “I will spike your coffee with Ex-Lax for the next two years.”
“Whoa, Jesus. Stop. That is just mean. I’ll go. I won’t argue with you.”
Either she had actually given in or the pain I could see in her eyes was winning.
Spencer and I hooked our arms in hers and walked up the parking lot where his car waited. The ride to the hospital was quiet. I sat in the backseat giving Brenna and Mara an update. I'd received twelve texts and a voicemail from them in the last hour.
Sitting in the waiting room was nerve-wracking. I hated hospitals. They smelled. Okay, it was more than that. They wigged me out. I sent a text to Spencer and Cindy as I got up and walked outside, so they would know where to find me. I moved to a bench and plopped down in the sun. I could see clouds in the sky but prayed they stayed away for a while.
I was so lost in my own head, I didn’t notice someone sitting beside me until a throat cleared. I jerked seeing an older gentleman sitting on the other end of the bench. Charles Stroud, Nich’s uncle, took his hat off and gave me the once-over.”
“Afternoon, Dana.”
“Good afternoon.” I smiled weakly.
“You okay?”
“No, I wasn’t there… Cindy...”
“Nich called me, told me you were here. He’s stuck at the office for a bit longer.”
“You didn’t have to come down here.”
“Stop that. I was in town anyhow. Plus, you’re family, girl.”
Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I tried to wipe them away. “She’s going to be okay.” Was I trying to convince him or myself?
“Hey, listen, Nich told me what happened. You stayed when you thought something was going to happen.”
“She got hurt because we left her.”
“No. She got hurt because that bastard meant to hurt her. If none of you were there… That doesn’t matter. You stopped it before it became something serious. You need to calm yourself before you get sick. Deep breaths.”
I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, letting it back out slowly. I was grateful he was here. He shifted closer, his arm going around my shoulders. Leaning into him, I closed my eyes. “Thank you.”
“None of that, now. I’ll wait with you until they’re out. Then I am taking you home. Nich will meet you there. He’s called Lacey to come in this afternoon.”
I smiled. I was a lucky girl to have a caring man in my life. Closing my eyes, I fought back more tears. Cindy now had that with Spencer. He may be a doofus sometimes, but he loved her. You could see it in the way he watched her when she wasn’t looking. The way he always walked closest to traffic, held her hand any chance he got.
