His warm smile softened his demeanor, and his delicious Irish accent had the same effect on her as it always did. “Caro, love… You haven’t missed any of the good stuff. That boy is going to love you so damned much.” He put his arms around her and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry I was a hard-ass about keeping you from him, but I knew you’d never forgive yourself if you passed along a germ that did him harm.”

“It wasn’t enough that I shredded myself in the thorn bush. Then I had to get the flu on top of it.”

“It was very unfair indeed.”

She looked up at him. “Are you done working?”

“Yes, thank God. I’m exhausted, overheated and starving.”

“Let’s go to the Beachcomber for dinner and then straight home to bed.” While she was no longer contagious, her energy level still wasn’t what it could’ve been. “We’ve got an early morning tomorrow.”

“Sounds like heaven to me, love.” He kept his arm around her as they strolled up the hill toward the iconic white hotel that anchored downtown Gansett. “While we’re on the mainland, how about we do a little shopping?”

“For what?”

He brought her ring finger to his lips. “Something sparkly for this lovely finger.”

“I don’t need that, Seamus.”

“What if I do?”

“There’re so many better things you could spend your money on.”

“Name one.”

“Surely there’s something you want that you don’t have.”

His arm tightened around her as his lips slid over her hair. “Now that you’ve agreed to marry me, there’s not one damned thing I want that I don’t have, and you’re getting a ring. That’s all there is to it.”

Carolina had learned over the last year to choose her battles wisely with him. She suspected this was one she couldn’t win. “If you say so, dear.”

His bark of laughter over her unusually easy capitulation had other people on the street looking at them, probably wondering what a hot young guy like him was doing with an old fool like her. Let them wonder, she thought as she slid her hand into the back pocket of his khaki uniform shorts. Every sexy, bossy, overbearing inch of him was all hers.

***

A slamming door and a loud voice woke Alex from a sound sleep. He rubbed his face as Paul came in from work, talking on the phone. Alex checked his watch, which indicated that two hours had passed. He was up and heading for the hallway to check on his mother before he was even completely awake.

Thankfully, she was resting comfortably in her bed and hadn’t escaped while he was dead to the world. He went back to the kitchen, where Paul had cracked open a beer and was leaning against the counter with his cell phone wedged between his ear and shoulder.