Page 81 of His Puppet

She considers it for a minute then puts her hand on mine. I move my hand off her shoulder, and we lace our fingers together. “Yes. I meant everything I said.”

“Good,” I say, relieved. “Because I want that too. Iloveyou, Emily. So does my family.”

Her eyes light up like she’s surprised to hear that.

I cup her chin and shake my head. “I can’t believe you didn’t already know that.”

She blinks back tears and smiles. “It’s just … hard to wrap my mind around. I thought everything was in my head.”

“It’s not.” I sigh and caress her cheek. “I’m sorry I didn’t make how I felt about you clearer.”

She closes her eyes and leans into my hand. Her palms press against my chest as she shifts closer to me. “I love you so much.”

My lips lift, and my lungs get heavy. The box in my pocket feels like a ten-pound weight. “I love you so much too.”

She opens her eyes and smiles. “So I’m guessing the talk with Lorenzo went well today?”

I nod. “Very.”

“And I’m going to get to stay at the farm?”

My smile widens. “For the rest of your life.”

Her eyes sparkle, but her smile wanes. She crinkles her eyebrows like she’s confused. “Thatgood of a talk, huh?” A small laugh slips past her lips. “What did you say to him?”

I pull my hand away from Emily’s face to touch my pocket. Her eyes dip with my hand.

“I said that you wanted to keep working, and that it was important to me to give you what you want, hence the job he sent you on today. Pretty sure that was a punishment for not telling him I had you working in the barn.” I chuckle and wrap one hand around her waist and bring her close. “I told him I loved you and that you weren’t going anywhere. And to prove it,” I pull the ring box from my pocket and hold it up. “I showed him this.”

Emily’s eyes pop, and she stares at me, stunned when I take a step back and fall to one knee. I open the box and hold the sapphire ring up for her to see.

“It was my grandmother’s,” I say, my voice a little shaky. “If you don’t like it, we’ll get you something more your taste.”

She blinks several times and opens her mouth. “It’s.” She gives her head a shake. “It’s beautiful.”

Thank God.

“Emily Wilson,” I say, taking her hand. “You are the most impressive person I’ve ever met, and the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I have a respect for you that’s unmatchable, and nothing would make me happier than to have you at my side as my partner. The only thing is,” I smirk, “I hate your last name. Will you let me make you Mrs. Emily Bianchi?”

She doesn’t immediately answer, and it sends my mind spinning until I’m nauseous. She takes the box from my hand and gingerly pulls the ring out, studying it like she’s searching for the answer somewhere in the metal. When she slips it onto her finger, my breath hitches.

“It’s a perfect fit,” she whispers, finally looking at me and smiling.

I smile back, but I’m certain my nervousness shows.

She closes the box, the ring still on her finger, and holds it out for me. I take it, my hand shaking for the first time since I can remember.

“On one condition,” she says, her face getting serious.

Anything.

“What would that be?”

Her lips tug at the corners of her mouth. “You make Franco walk me down the aisle. I want a traditional wedding, and I’m short on father figures.”

I chuckle, beads of sweat forming on my forehead. “Is that it?”

“That’s it.”

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