That made everyone laugh.
“It really means a lot that you guys are happy about this,” he said. “I think that I was more nervous to talk to you than to her. What do you think, Morgan?”
Morgan realized that she had taken a step back from the group. “Oh – I don’t know. I’m just…I’m not part of the family.”
Tiffany outstretched a hand. “Of course you are. Mom would never dream of leaving you out. And neither would we.”
Morgan felt something catch in her throat. She cleared her throat and accepted her hand. “Thanks Tiffany. I know it’s kind of weird, and –”
“It’s not weird,” Jade said. “You’re part of the family now. Forever. And ever, until you die.”
“Whether you like it or not,” Connor added.
Morgan beamed. “I’d like that very much.”
“Good,” Tiffany said with a smile. “You’re in. So where do you want us Chief?”
“Or should we start calling you…Dad?” asked Connor.
Everyone groaned and Tiffany poked him in the shoulder. “Can you stop joking around for like fifteen minutes?”
Smiling broadly, Connor nodded.
“Alright,” Chief said, directing them to stand against the wall. “I’m going to lead her through this back door, and the lights will be off, except the candles.”
They all got into place, and Morgan realized that there were flowers all around the caterer’s kitchen. It was Chief’s doing – he certainly had a touch.
“Oh man – I almost forgot. Morgan – I have some news. I got a video from that night your mom was hit.”
“What? Are you serious?”
He nodded. “We don’t know much. But we have a video of the car, I just got it yesterday.”
“That’s amazing!”
“Yeah. It was at the right time, it seems. But there’s something strange.”
“What?”
“A woman was driving the car.”
“Who was she?”
“We don’t know who it was yet. We’re working on it. Sorry to drop this on you – I just didn’t want to forget in the excitement.”
Morgan nodded, her head spinning. “Okay.”
“Go get Mom before she decides to whip up a last minute cake or something,” Jade urged.
Chief nodded before disappearing out the back door. They stood there, lit only by candlelight, giggling and trying to keep quiet.
A few minutes later, they could hear Margie approaching.
“We don’t need the kitchen today because the caterers are only doing hors d’oeuvres and they’re going to bring them in so –”
“Surprise!” Connor shouted when she walked in the room.
Margie jumped back a bit. “Kids! What are you doing in here?”
They said nothing. Jade pointed for her to turn around.
Puzzled, Margie slowly spun around and saw Chief Hank down on one knee. She gasped.
“Margie Clifton, I’ve brought you here today not to scare the crap out of you, but to ask you a question.”
“No!”
“No?” he said.
“I mean – no, I mean, I can’t –”
“Let the man talk, Mom,” Tiffany said, laughing. Morgan started laughing too, and soon no one could resist.
Chief Hank stood up, hands on his hips. “Pull it together people, I’m trying to propose to this wonderful woman here.”
“I didn’t mean no!” Margie said.
“Oh good, I thought that was kind of a fast answer.” He got back down on one knee and they tried to suppress their giggles. “Margie Clifton, you are an amazing woman and the sunshine of my life. Please ignore these hecklers when deciding…will you marry me?”
“Yes!” she squealed, jumping up and down. “What I meant to say was yes, you lovely man!”
He got up and hugged her. Morgan, Jade and Tiffany all cheered “Yay!” and put their candles down so that they could clap.
Margie turned to hug them all. “Did you all know about this?!”
“Nah, we just found out like ten minutes ago,” Connor said.
“But we’re all happy for you,” added Tiffany, shooting Connor a stern look.
She squeezed them tightly before letting go. “This is too much! I can’t run a party now!”
“Yeah,” Jade said. “We have to keep our wits about us so Morgan doesn’t get on the microphone again.”
Morgan groaned. “You guys weren’t supposed to know what I was planning this time.”
Margie darted from the front door of the kitchen, to the back door, and then back to the front door. “I’m not sure what to do next! I think I’m in shock! Hank! I can’t believe you!”
“The ring is really pretty, Mom,” commented Jade.
Margie looked down at her hand. “Oh my goodness, it is! I didn’t even really see it! Hank!”
He shrugged. “What can I say, I had some help.”
“From who?”
Tiffany slowly raised a hand. “Guilty.”
“Tiffany!” Margie exclaimed. “And you didn’t tell me he was going to propose?”
“I didn’t want to ruin the surprise!”
“Well that’s it,” Margie said, pulling herself up to sit on the counter. “I’m done for the night. You guys are too much. All of you!”
“Hey,” Morgan said with a smile. “How about when I graduate I come back and help you plan this big wedding.”
“A wedding!” Margie said, fanning herself. “For an old woman like me! That is just –”
“Oh come on Mom, you have to do something. You have this great barn after all,” said Jade.
Margie’s cheeks were flushed red; she was clearly stunned, but couldn’t stop smiling. “We can figure that out later.”
“It’ll be just like old times,” said Morgan. “You and me driving U-hauls, but minus the impending doom.”
Jade laughed. “That sounds pretty good.”
“It does,” Margie said, dabbing the corners of her eyes with a tissue. “It really does. I love you all so much. I honestly don’t know what to do with myself.”
Chief offered a hand to help her down from the counter. “Well how about, my beautiful bride, we take it one day at a time, and go and enjoy this lovely party you’ve set up?”
Margie accepted his hand and hopped down. “That’s a wonderful idea.”
Morgan waited for everyone else to leave the kitchen, and paused for a moment. She was happy for Margie and Hank. She felt warm all over, being welcomed into the family for a moment like that.
Even better, there was news in her mom’s case. She’d be back to San Juan soon and there would be no shortage of excitement.
A glimmer of hope swelled in her heart. Morgan shut off the kitchen lights and jumped into a brief jog to catch up to her half-siblings.
Also by Amelia…
The Billionaire Date Series:
Nurse’s Date with a Billionaire
Doctor’s Date with a Billionaire
Veterinarian’s Date with a Billionaire
Now available as a box set
Author’s Note
Thanks for reading! I’d love to know what you thought, and reader reviews are one of the most influential factors in whether someone will give a book a chance. So, if you’ve enjoyed this book, would you please consider reviewing it?
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About the Author
Amelia Addler writes always clean, always swoon-worthy romance stories and believes that everyone deserves their own happily ever after.
Her soulmate is a man who once spent five weeks driving her to work at 4AM after her car broke down (and he didn’t complain, not even once). She is lucky enough to be married to that man and they live in Pittsburgh with their little yellow mutt. Visit her website a
t AmeliaAddler.com or drop her an email at [email protected].
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