“The most important detail that I forgot to mention is that I love you, Hope. I love you and I love Ethan, and I want you both in my life to stay. When I said I wanted to take care of you, I meant it, but I also understand how important it is to you to be independent financially and professionally. And that’s why I think you should go forward with your plans to get a job on the mainland, but maybe a part-time job one or two days a week? We’ll rent an apartment over there for when you have to work, as long as you come home to Ethan and me when your shift ends. I want to make this our home—and you can do anything you want to the house to make it your own. I want to raise Ethan as if he were my own. I want to have more babies with you. I want everything with you, and I swear to you—on my life and the lives of everyone I love—I will never be untrue to you. Will you marry me, Hope?”

Tears were sliding down her cheeks, and for the life of him, he couldn’t tell if they were happy tears or sad tears.

“Hope?”

“You… You love me?”

He laughed softly. “Did you hear anything else I said after that?”

“I heard all of it.” She wiped away the tears that continued to come.

From his pocket, he produced the ring he’d carried around all day like a talisman, hoping it would bring him luck.

“That’s your mother’s,” she whispered.

“Alex gave it to me and told me to give it to you. He said our mom, the mom we knew and loved for so long, would want you to have it because she’d love you for me. She’d love us together.”

Hope covered her mouth and shook her head.

Did that mean she was saying no? He honestly didn’t know how he would cope if she turned him down. Gambling on the fact that he suspected she loved him as much as he loved her, he took hold of her left hand and slid the ring on her finger. “Well, look at that,” he said reverently. “It fits like it was meant for you. My father gave my mother this ring on their twentieth anniversary. She loved it almost as much as she loved him. I want what they had, Hope. I want what Alex has with Jenny. And I want it with you. So will you please marry me?”

“Yes,” she whispered, so softly that he thought for a second he was hearing things.

“You want to say that one more time so I can be sure I heard you right?”

“Yes, Paul,” she said, smiling as the tears continued to roll down her cheeks. “I’ll marry you.”