Page 70 of The Right Woman

I take the ring and wander to the front of the shop, where Adon stands across from the cash register, a bouquet of red roses in his hand. A creeping grin tugs at the corners of his lips when he spots me.

“Adon, did you do this?” I ask breathlessly.

In response, he drops to a knee. Customers loitering about watch with little smiles and gasps as I round the counter, holding out the jewelry, in utter shock.

“My beautiful rosy girl, you have brought color into my black-and-white life. Sweetened every bland moment with your spices. And heated the cold parts of my heart with your warmth. My children adore you. And I love you. Please, become part of our lives forever and marry me.”

Tears have seeped out onto my cheeks, and I swallow before giving my squeaky reply. “Yes! Absolutely!”

His fingers attempt to take the ring from me, but I’ve already jumped into his lap and wrapped my body around him until he’s sitting on the pink tile floor. He laughs the same as I do and grabs my face with both hands, then kisses me in a way that leaves me dizzy.

My regulars drinking coffee and eating their pastries clap and yell their congratulations as I hurriedly give the diamond to Adon, then hold up my hand with a flourish.

“Put it on me! I want to be your wife now!”

After two years of hesitation and working through more things with a new therapist, I’m not only ready, but I’meagerto become Mrs. Adon Griffin. He’s the hero I needed by my side to overcome my past. Someone who accepts me for exactly who I am. He knows I’m still hesitant to have kids, but he’s more than willing to give me the space and time I want before making a final decision about that.

“How did you get the ring into the scone?” I ask as we stand and straighten up.

Adon’s dark brown eyes meet Shirley’s. “I had help.”

“And now you’ve got help the rest of the day, Miss Thing. Take off and spend it with your old man,” she says.

“Did you hear that,old man?” I ask him, and he takes my hand, taps a kiss to the back of it, and smiles.

“Yes, little girl. Let’s go before your lip gets you in even more trouble.”

As his hand presses against my lower back, leading us out the front door, I smirk.

“What if Iwantto get in trouble?”

Adon slips his hand into mine as we walk down the busy sidewalk. He doesn’t answer for a minute, but when I look up at his beaming face, he tightens his lips, then says, “Then daddy will have to punish you.”

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