Page 95 of Mayflower

Before I say anything else, he sweeps me into his arms, squeezing me so tightly that it’s hard to breathe. I laugh into his wet hair, then close my eyes, taking a moment to feel this, him. After what happened six months ago, I never stop appreciating these little moments of his affection.

He sets me down gently and strokes my hair, his eyes shiny with love.

“Mayflower.” He smiles and buries his face in my hair. “I love you,” he whispers and doesn’t pull away.

I know Raven so well. I know he is vulnerable right now. He needs a minute. So we silently stand in the middle of the room, hugging and smiling in happiness.

And then he starts shifting down my body until he is down on his knees. He takes my hands in his. His steely-blue eyes are sparkly and magnificently beautiful when they lock with mine.

“I know it might be too much at once,” he says and swallows hard. “I didn’t plan it, but… Will you marry me?”

I laugh loudly, though my eyes well up with tears. That’s Raven. He is always too much, too intense, making me too emotional.

“Yes.” I nod, and now I’m crying. It must be hormones. Because in less than several seconds, the tears suddenly spring from my eyes.

“Hey-hey-hey, Mayflower,” Rave whispers as he gets back to his feet and cups my face. “No tears, beautiful girl.”

“I’m… Just happy. Also…” I chuckle through a sob. “I’m just… just impossibly freaking happy.”

His hands drop from my face abruptly. He turns and runs out of the room, making me wonder if he really-really needs a moment.

But he returns in seconds, a small jewelry box in his hand.

“Here.” He hands it to me and awkwardly ruffles his wet hair with one hand, the other on his waist. He looks nervous, his smile so shy it’s freaking cute. “I thought I would wait for a perfect moment. But then… Well, you are perfect.”

He chuckles nervously. Mathew Levi is nervous! Ha!

I open the box and take a deep breath. The pink gold ring is crowned with a pretty mayflower made out of gold-rimmed mother-of-pearl petals with a yellow diamond in the center.

“It’s beautiful,” I say as Raven takes it out and puts it on my ring finger, then brings my fingers to his mouth and kisses them.

“I love you,” I say, unable to stop the tears.

He laughs. I laugh. He lifts me in his arms, and I sniffle, unable to control my tears. “Jesus, baby, I am a mess.”

He puts me back down and studies my face as I try to wipe away the embarrassing waterfall of tears.

“What?” I ask.

“The little guy… I was thinking…”

I know what he’s going to say. I was thinking about it, too, but I want him to say it first.

“I will talk to Archer and Ya-Ya. She’s in charge of the town’s records. Let’s adopt him legally?”

I nod repeatedly and can’t help my grin as tears start sprinting from my eyes.

“Oh. My. God!” I exclaim, wiping them away and laughing as Rave grins and kisses my forehead.

“He’ll be our oldest.”

“Yeah.” I smile. “Sonny Levi.” I want Rave to be proud to hear his last name attached to the little guy who stole our hearts.

“Sonny Levi, yes,” he repeats.

“Ra-ave!” the loud voice comes from the pool. “Ra-ave! Come! On!”

In seconds, Sonny darts into the living, then notices my tears and halts to a stop.

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