Page 159 of Seduction Under the Southern Stars

“So this is it?” he murmurs. “Well, well, after all this time.”

I don’t reply, because my gaze is fixed on Linc. He looks at me, and his lips curve up just a fraction. He’s buzzing again, eyes sparkling, energy radiating from him like the sun.

“So you didn’t murder each other, then,” Joel says, his assumptions clearly going down the same route as mine.

“Nope,” Linc says. I watch him walk around the table to my father. Dad turns the ring over and reads the inscription. Turns it back and rubs the stone on his shirt to remove a smudge. Investigates it one last time. Then hands it to Linc.

Linc takes it, and the two of them exchange a smile. Then Linc walks around the table.

He stands in front of me, still looking at the ring.

“Holy shit,” Joel says, and scrapes his chair back as he gets to his feet.

Fraser, who’s leaning against the kitchen counter, pushes off and straightens.

I frown at them both, then glance up at Linc. He finally looks at me. His eyes hold hope, affection, and a little touch of anxiety.

Then, to my shock, he lowers down onto one knee. One of the labs—Pinky or Perky Nana—sits next to him and puts his head on Linc’s knee.

Mum gasps. I stare at him.

“Lora,” he says, offering me the ring, “I know nowadays it’s the done thing to organize big, dramatic proposals in Paris or something. But we don’t have much time, and I thought you might prefer it to be here, with your family present.”

My eyes widen. “That’s why you asked Joel and Fraser to come?”

“Yeah.”

I glance at them, and they both nod their confirmation.

“I’ve loved you for a long time,” Linc continues. “And even though we’ve been apart, that love never went away. Now we’re together, I’ve realized I don’t want to ever let you go again. So, I’m here to ask you, would you do me the honor of marrying me and making me the happiest man in the world?”

I glance around. Mum’s crying. Dad looks emotional. Joel’s grinning. And Fraser’s smiling.

I look back at Linc. His green eyes are very light, the color of the summer leaves in the forest. He went for a walk to ask Dad’s permission to marry me. And whatever he said must have been very convincing, because Dad obviously said yes.

Emotion crashes over me, and I press my fingers to my lips as tears spring into my eyes and I nod and say, “Yes, yes, yes!”

“Oh thank God,” he says, and laughs as he gets to his feet, pulls me to mine, and wraps his arms around me.

Everyone cheers, and then they all come up to give us both hugs and congratulate us.

“I can’t believe it,” Mum says, wiping her eyes. “Linc, that was so romantic. And to do it with the Bell Ring…”

“I didn’t have the opportunity to buy one,” he apologizes to me, “so this one is kind of standing in. I know you want to put it on display, and anyway, I thought you’d like to choose your own ring. We’ll go shopping in Wellington tomorrow, if you like.”

“Okay,” I whisper, wiping away the tears beneath my eyes. “That’ll be nice.” I look at my father. “And you’re all right with this, Dad?”

“I’m more than all right.” He gives me a big hug. “I’m so sorry,” he murmurs privately in my ear as the others chat about the ring. “For everything.”

“It’s okay. I know you only ever wanted the best for me.”

I look to the side, and watch Linc shaking hands with Joel, then Fraser.

“Thanks for coming,” Linc says. “And for all your support last night.”

“They didn’t yell at you?” I ask.

“Nah. As soon as I said I wanted to marry you, they both caved.”

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