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"I can't think. I have almost-died-brain fog." But he was smiling. "I don't want to be without you. I'll be the husband you deserve. The dad Annie deserves. I can be that guy. Just want to make sure you know that."
She laughed. "I do know that."
"Even though I'm weird. I'll still be weird."
"I'll still be weird, too. And so will Annie. That's why we fit."
"Yeah." He smiled again, and opened his eyes. "Fuck it. Will you marry me, Phoebe? It's not romantic, but it's all I got right now. And I want to adopt Annie. Obviously. But had to say it."
She burst into joyful laughter. "Everyone will say we're crazy to get engaged when we just met."
"No one in my family will say that. When you've been through hell your whole life, you know when you find your peace. Doesn't take a genius."
She laughed. "This is true."
Jacob squeezed her hand. "Sweetheart, I just asked you to marry me, and you're talking about my family. You going to answer me? Because I think I've got about two more minutes until I'm asleep again."
Joy leapt through her. "Yes, you weirdo, I'll marry you."
"Yay." He pursed his lips. "Kiss me, gorgeous."
She leaned in and kissed him, laughing when he snaked his hand around the back of her head and upped the ante. "You're not almost unconscious."
"I am, but kissing you will wake up a man." He dropped his hand. "Don't tell Annie. I want to be there when you tell her she's got a new dad."
Phoebe suddenly started to cry. A new dad. Jacob said it like it was no big deal, but it was everything. "You won't even remember this the next time you wake up."
He smiled as he settled back into the pillow, holding her hand tightly. "Oh, don't you worry, sweetheart. I'll remember. I promise."
And she believed him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Phoebe leaned back on the couch, her feet propped up on the front porch railing as Annie snuggled between her and Jacob. He was reading to her, and Annie was tucked up against both of them. Cupcake was on her left side, his head resting on her thigh.
To her left, Freedom and Rosa were grazing, out in the afternoon sunshine, enjoying the fresh air. The animals were close to each other, continuously touching noses and nickering to each other. Just like she and Annie had found Jacob, Freedom and Rosa had found each other. Jacob had taken down the wall between their stalls, and the two had become inseparable. Jacob had even had to slow down his rides on Freedom so Rosa could keep up, galloping freely beside Freedom, even though no one was holding her on a lead.
Freedom and Rosa both had their sparkle back, and Phoebe knew that she, Annie, and Jacob had found theirs as well. The shadows were gone, and it was amazing.
Phoebe smiled when Annie giggled at Jacob's silly voices as he read, then she looked down at her beautiful engagement ring. Jacob and Annie had picked it out together. Three diamonds together, to symbolize the three of them as one family. It was perfect, beautiful, and quite frankly, enormous.
It was worthy of the fiancée of a billionaire, and although she didn't need it and had never dreamed of a ring like that, she absolutely loved it.
For the first time in many, many years, she felt safe. Truly safe. In her heart, as well as physically. Annie was safe, and she was becoming more confident every day. Jacob really understood how to help her, and Phoebe had learned so much from him about what Annie needed. Jacob was recovering well from being shot, they were all free to move forward and find their way.
As Jacob read, Phoebe saw a car heading toward them, winding through the driveway.
Jacob had turned off his security system during the day, so there was no alert. She watched without fear as a big black pickup truck drove toward them. "Brody's here," she said.
Jacob looked up. "Yep."
"Uncle Brody!" Annie leapt up, but Jacob caught her around the waist.
"Wait until the truck stops, princess," he said, as Annie giggled and shrieked in protest.
Brody's truck pulled up, and he got out. "Afternoon, all."
His wife, Tatum, got out of the front seat. She was six months pregnant with a round belly, but she hadn't slowed down at all. Phoebe adored Tatum, after getting over being star struck when she realized that Tatum was the very famous music star Tatum Crosby.
