Page 161 of The Widower
“Run? What do you mean, run?”
“That’s the man who took over my dad’s body! We have to go now!”
“I’m scared!” Hanna squeaked, hiding behind me.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ll protect you. It’s just your dad pretending to chase us—he’s gonna tickle us until we cry.”
“Is that really you, Daddy?”
“I don’t know any Daddy!” a deep voice boomed, and of course I recognized Colin instantly.
The things this man comes up with…
“I’m gonna tickle you so much you’ll be begging me to stop!” he roared, laughing as Joshua grabbed our hands and practically dragged us out of the room.
Long story short: the two kids were screaming and pulling me along, laughing hysterically, without even seeing him without the mask.
I decided to join in on the fun, and we spent several minutes running through the mansion while Colin pretended to almost catch us.
I’d never felt anything like it. The truth was, Hanna had never experienced this kind of playful affection from any man before—she’d been too little when her father still lived with us. And now, with Colin in her life—and Joshua too—I finally knew what it felt like to belong to a family.
“Stop! Stop!” Hanna laughed so hard she could barely breathe.
Whenever Colin realized it was too much, he’d let her go and move on to Joshua. Then it was my turn—and of course, he knew exactly how much I hated being tickled.
We laughed until our stomachs hurt, and afterward, Colin finally pulled off the mask, pretending not to remember a thing—that something had “taken over” him. His little performance, just like Joshua had warned me.
“Just wait, Colin Adams—you’re gonna pay for that!”
COLIN ADAMS
“…Your little game left me with bruises. Your tickles are torture. But with the kids, you’re all gentle and sweet. Now I wanna see if you’ll keep that up every day, because those two absolutely loved running all over the house. As for me, I’m too old for that kind of workout,” Isabelle rambled on, but I didn’t answer—just laughed, staring up at the ceiling.
We were lying in bed, but my mind was somewhere else. I wasn’t even really listening. Then, out of nowhere, it hit me—one of those lightning-bolt thoughts that come when you’re not thinking about anything at all. An idea that would change my life forever.
“Life changes so much, doesn’t it?” she said, kissing my cheek and brushing her fingers gently over my face. “I always thought it would take a long time for us to…”
“We’re getting married. I need to marry you. I’m not waiting.”
I jumped out of bed and locked eyes with her.
She looked completely stunned as I stepped closer and cupped her face.
“What does that even mean, Colin? Don’t joke about something like this.”
“I’ve never been more certain of anything than I am about you and Hanna being the loves of my life.” I took her hands in mine, holding them tight. “I don’t want to wait anymore, Isabelle.I’m done putting off the inevitable. I want you and Hanna with me—forever. It’s simple. I just need one word from you. Just one.”
“I… I don’t even know what to say.We haven’t even been dating a year. This is all so… sudden.”
“Just say the word. If I didn’t know you felt the same, I wouldn’t be asking.I love you. I owe you my life.”
“Don’t say that!”
“I will. You lifted me up when everyone else thought I was beyond saving. Even I believed that—and I don’t blame them. I’m a complicated man, stubborn, short-tempered… but I want the best for you. For us. Marry me, and I’ll prove to you every single day…”—I leaned in, my voice low and sure—“…that this will be the best choice you’ve ever made. I’ll love you more and more, every day. That’s a promise.”
Isabelle’s eyes filled with tears as she threw her arms around me.
“I love you too,” she whispered, voice trembling.“And… I want to be part of this family.I’ll marry you, Colin Adams.”
