Page 182 of Holiday Hire

She pins her eyebrows together with fear on her face. She utters, "What are you doing?"

"Just stand up. Please?" I beg.

She cautiously takes my hand and rises.

My stomach flips, and I announce, "There's something I need to tell you, and I should have told you this a while ago. And I definitely should have told you this the other day."

Confusion replaces the fear as she glances at my family and then back at me.

I put my hand on her cheek. "I love you. My family loves you. The boys love you. But most of all,Ilove you. And I'm not good with words. Everybody knows that." I pull the box out of my pocket and flip the lid off. I get down on my knee.

She puts her hand over her mouth, gaping at me.

I keep my hand in hers. "Pheebs, the moment you walked in here, my life got better. All of our lives got better. And I know I screwed up last week. Trust me, I know. But I love you, and you're more than any woman I could have imagined."

A tear slips down her cheek and her lips tremble.

I continue, "I want you to forgive me and be my wife. Please, forgive me. Will you marry me?"

She stares at me, shaking, glancing between the ring and me.

"If you don't like the ring, I can get a different one," I blurt out.

"No! I love the ring," she replies.

My chest tightens. "Then, will you marry me?"

"Yes, I'll marry you," she says, and more tears slide down her cheek.

My family erupts in cheers.

I get off my knee and pull her into my arms, kissing her until Wilder shouts, "Dad, gross. Come on."

I retreat.

She beams at me, laughing.

The rest of the night is spent partying with my family and my soon-to-be wife staring at me with love and happiness in her eyes. And everything I've ever wanted is finally in front of me.

30

Phoebe

Christmas Eve

Alexander sneaks up behind me, sliding his arm around my waist. He murmurs in my ear, "What are you doing?"

I turn my head and look up, smiling, feeling so much joy and happiness. I'm still unable to believe he asked me to marry him. I answer, "I have to get changed."

"Phoebe, I have a serious question to ask you."

"Why does that make me nervous?"

He grins. "Why are your clothes still in this room?"

I glance at the closet, then back at him, "I don't know. Are they not supposed to be?"

He shakes his head. "No, they're supposed to be in my room. Don't worry, I've made plenty of room in my closet."

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