Page 137 of Mob Princess

“Let’s take one more walk through.”

There’s a bay window on the second floor in the master bedroom, and she mentioned how she’s always wanted a window seat. She walks over to it but looks back at me.

“Sean?”

“Hmmm.”

“What’s this?”

“Open it and see.”

She picks up a gift box with a lid that lifts while still connected to the base. There’s a small white envelope that she opens without peeking beneath the tissue paper it sat on.

I hated the sun was out that day. It felt wrong. I haven’t had a day without sunshine since I met you. Nothing has felt righter.

She looks up at me now that I’m standing beside her. She pushes aside the tissue paper, and her eyes widen at the smaller box nestled within. I wait for her to lift it out, but her gaze locks with mine. Her lips pull in for a flash as I bend one knee. Then she’s beaming as I take her left hand.

“Lina, I love you. Every day, I’m grateful for those early texts. I’m grateful you agreed to lunch. I’m grateful for the peace you bring my life and the happiness I never expected to feel. Will you marry me?”

“Oui, Daddy.”

Every once in a while, she’ll slip into French. We don’t notice since I’m fluent and switch easily. She pulls out the smaller box but hands it to me. I flip it open, and she grabs my shoulder with her right hand as her left trembles. I slide the ring on and stand. She launches herself into my arms. It’s another first kiss. Our first one as an engaged couple, a couple about to own their forever home, a couple who are soulmates.

“How’d you get this here?”

“I put it down as you were looking at the closet.”

“You left it here?”

“I knew we’d be back.”

“You knew this was the one I’d like the most.”

“Just like you knew this is the one I’d like the most.”

“And if I hadn’t?”

“Danny was ready to run in and get it.”

My third cousin, like six times removed or something like that, is her bodyguard today and was in the front passenger seat.

“Shall we buy a house, cailín?”

“We’re buying our home, nounours.”

Epilogue

Lina

I had video calls with my mom while I briefly lived in Boston and then once I stayed in NYC. Sean met her that way, and he met her in person when he had to make a trip to Montreal to meet with Granddad two weeks before he proposed. It was right after he told me Justin could never interfere again.

That meeting had nothing to do with us, so I couldn’t go. My mom joined them for dinner one night, but besides that, it was all business. I don’t know the details, and I didn’t bother to ask. But Sean was happy when he got home, and it wasn’t because business went well. He’d hit it off with my mom, and my grandfather saw him as more than a business associate. I know because Mom and Granddad video called me while Sean was on the flight back.

But today’s the first time we’re all going to be in the same place together. Mom and Granddad just landed at the private airfield in Jersey. Sean and I are here to meet them. I watch them descend the steps to the tarmac, then I’m hugging them before I know it. Breda’s hugs have always been nearly as good as my mom’s, but there’s just something about hugs from the person you said your first word to. Mine was Maman.

“Elise, Jean-Peter, it’s good to see you.” Sean gives my mom kisses on each cheek and shakes my grandfather’s hand.

It’s a quiet but cheerful car ride to our new house. We finished moving in two days ago. We’re chatting as we enter the house through the garage.

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