Page 86 of Lipstick Kiss

“Freya,” her dad’s voice boomed out.

“Honestly, Dad, I am not pregnant.”

“Okay, honey, but I know how to use a calendar,” he replied. “You got engaged before permission was granted. We don’t want everything else backwards.”

There was a smattering of giggles at Freya’s dad’s comment.

Freya snapped out of her shock and stepped towards Luke. “You got me a top-row ring?”

“Yeah, you still like it?”

“I love it, I do.”

“Well then, stop worrying about the cost and admire the beauty. I know I am,” Luke said.

That got a sigh from the mothers and grumbles from the men.

“It’s insured like the other one was. So please don’t worry about the value.”

“Okay,” she said. “I love you, Luke Turner.”

“I love you too, Peaches. Now, let’s have some food before I keel over from the stress of asking for your hand in marriage.”

Everyone got busy with their tasks as they had done on so many Sundays before and were soon seated around the table.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Luke

Luke had fallen onto his back on the outdoor sofa and taken Freya down with him when they returned from Sunday lunch. They hadn’t reached inside before they collapsed from carb overload. Luke had moved Freya, so her back was to the back sofa cushions tucked into his side. He’d hauled her leg up by hooking his fingers behind her knee to drape it over his thighs. Lastly, he positioned her palm over his heart and put his hand on top.

“Comfy?” Freya asked sleepily as she burrowed in further.

He fiddled with her engagement ring before he answered. “Yeah, this is perfect for an afternoon snooze.”

“Do you think the others are doing the same?”

“More than likely.”

“But obviously not Archer and Erica if we’re lounging on their sofa.”

“This is mine. Archer got fed up humping the stuff Ialways took from their place. Each cottage has the same furniture but in a different colour. I stripped the house and took it all to the storage rooms at Edward Hall. Looks like Archer decided I liked Turner furniture after all my bitching about wanting none of it in my home.”

“It’s very comfy. I approve,” Freya said.

She rested her cheek on his shoulder, and Luke turned his head to kiss her forehead. He never wanted to move.

Luke knew he couldn’t fix his relationship with his aunt. They were too far apart in morals for that. She’d done too much damage to him for that connection to be repairable. His brothers and sister had grouped together to give him a job that made him happy. And now Freya had his ring on her finger. It was enough.

Finally, he had enough in his life to make him happy.

“When are you moving in?” he whispered into her hair, holding her tight.

“After the wedding?” she muttered.

He didn’t take the bait because he could feel her cheek bunch up and knew she was smiling.

Freya was silent for a few moments, so he pitched his idea.

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