Page 110 of Forbidden Grumpy Boss

Silas stops a few feet away, kneeling before me, his eyes never leaving mine. I can’t look away, and I can’t quite breathe either. The whole world narrows down to just him, kneeling before me, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I love you, Leah. And I’m here with your father’s blessing.”

My head’s spinning, my heart somersaults as I process the words. My father’s blessing? Silas came here, staged this entire grand gesture, and somehow, he got my father on board?

“W-what is going on?” I manage to choke out, feeling like my legs might give way beneath me.

Silas just nods, his gaze steady and unwavering. “I know I messed up, Leah. I know I made you feel like I didn’t care, but I do. More than anything. You’re the one I want, the one I need.” He glances down at the box in his hand, then back up at me, his eyes glistening. “And I want to spend the rest of my life making up for every stupid mistake I ever made.”

Penny, standing beside me, is practically vibrating with excitement, her face beaming with pride. “He’s got your dad’s blessing, Leah. It’s real.”

I look from her to Silas, my heart pounding. “That’s why you were trying to get me out of the house.” I shake my head, unableto believe this. I turn back to Silas. “You . . . you really mean this?”

“More than anything.” His voice is barely above a whisper, his hand trembling slightly as he opens the box to reveal a ring—a different ring—that sparkles in the soft glow of the set lights.

“Oh my God.”

The crew is silent, all eyes on us, and I can feel the weight of the moment pressing down on me, the sheer intensity of his love, regret, and hope. And suddenly, all the hurt, the anger, the confusion—it fades, leaving only this overwhelming sense of relief, of love, of finally coming home.

“Leah,” Silas says softly, holding the ring up to me. “I know we were engaged before. But you and I know that was more business than emotion.”

He’s looking at me like I’m the only person in the world, like he’s willing to wait forever for my answer if he has to.

“Leah, will you marry me?”

Chapter thirty-eight

Silas

As I’m down onone knee, my heart pounding so loud I swear the crew can hear it, I’m struck by how crazy this is.

Here I am, a guy who’s spent years avoiding anything that even hints at forever, on my knees, proposing to the woman who flipped my life upside down in the best way. Leah’s face is a picture—shock, disbelief, and, just for a second, something else that gives me hope she might actually say yes.

Please say yes.

She hasn’t spoken yet, though, and I can see her trying to process everything. It hits me how much I want this—her, us, a real future together.

And she looks good.

Her hair seems thicker and shinier under the stage lights; her skin has this radiance, and all I want is to reach out, wrap my arms around her, and breathe her in. But right now, I’m still on my knees, still waiting for her answer. And it feels like the entire world is holding its breath with me.

Leah sputters, “Silas, I—” She looks stunned like she’s barely holding herself together. “There’s something you don’t know—”

I cut her off, my heart already too full, bursting with things I need her to hear. “You’re pregnant.”

“You—"

“I already know, Leah,” I say softly, trying to steady my voice, “and it’s the best news I’ve ever gotten.” Her hands fly to her mouth, eyes wide, her shock slowly melting into something softer, something that almost looks like relief.

I reach for her hand, the one that’s trembling, and hold up the ring I picked out just for her. “Marry me, Leah. I want forever with you, and this isn’t just for the baby. I want to be here every single day, no matter what.” I pause, glancing at the crowd around us, but I keep my gaze steady on her. “Harvey won’t stand in our way anymore,” I tell her, squeezing her hand. “All I want is for you to be happy. And if you agree to this, I promise to try my hardest to make you happy for as long as I breathe.”

That’s when Caleb steps forward, a little white rose in his hand. I notice his dropped shoulder and darting eyes. Poor kid’s nervouswith the crowd staring at him, and I see Leah’s eyes start to glisten with tears as he holds it out to her.

She collects the rose. “Oh, Caleb.”

Caleb fetches a note from his pocket, and Leah chuckles. “You wrote me a letter.”

“I promise he wrote it himself,” I add.

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