by Emma Tharp
As time has gone on, I’ve noticed Carsen checking out other women’s engagement rings, and her peers are starting to get married. We’ve gone to two weddings so far this summer. She never asks me about it, but I know she’d love to be married to me and it isn’t fair that she suffer because I’ve been burned. That’s why I’m shaking like a leaf as I pull the box out of my pocket.
Pulling out my chair, I drop down to one knee next to Carsen. She just put a bite of her tart in her mouth and when she notices me, her jaw falls open and she brings her napkin up to her to cover her mouth as she finishes chewing.
“Carsen, I’ve known since the day I met you that you’d change my life. And you have done just that. You’re my best friend. You’ve stood by me through one of the hardest things I’ve had to go through. And not only me, you’ve been everything to Maeve: a caretaker, a fashion consultant, a nurse, a chef, a tutor, and most of all, you’ve been the best mom she could ever want.” There are tears falling down her cheeks now and an adoring smile on her face. “You are the love of my life, so today in the presence of my family, I’d like to ask you if you’d marry me.” I open the box and show her the sparkling two-carat round solitaire I bought for her.
“Patrick, it’s gorgeous. But you said you didn’t want to get married again.” Her hands come to my chest. I’m sure she can feel how fast my heart is pumping.
“I changed my mind. What do you say? You want to do this?”
“But I’m going to start my job at the school in the fall; you think we’re going to have time to plan a wedding?” Her eyebrows are raised and you can actually see her wheels turning.
“Why don’t you guys get married here? At the little church we go to,” my mom suggests. She and Dad have a condo here and spend several months out of the year in Ireland.
Carsen looks from my mother to me, as if for approval. “Could we do that? Would it be too soon?”
“I’d do it now if you said you wanted to.” I know she wants this, but she’s starting to make me nervous.
“Then yes.” She slides the ring onto her finger and springs out of her seat and into my arms, nearly knocking me over. She’s openly crying now.
Maeve comes over to us and grabs Carsen’s shoulder. “Momma, are you okay? Why are you crying?”
“Come here, baby,” Carsen says, pulling Maeve into us so we’re a three person hug. “I’m doing great. Daddy and I are going to get married here in Ireland.”
“That sounds fun. Do I get to buy a new dress?” Maeve asks and everyone laughs. My little girl is a true fashionista and always loves a chance to dress up.
“Of course,” I tell her. Pulling her up onto my lap, we sit back down on my chair. “Any dress you want.”
Carsen takes her seat next to us all the while staring at the ring. “I can’t believe it, Patrick. It’s so beautiful.” She leans in close to my ear and whispers, “I’ll show you just how much I like it later.” And she licks my neck in the way she always does to get me going.
I give her an incredulous smirk. If I didn’t have my daughter on my lap, I’m sure it’d have a different effect, but for now I can only imagine what Carsen will do to me later in the privacy of our room.
“No, not tonight,” Amelia says, jabbing her elbow into Jackson’s ribs. I only hear her because she’s sitting next to me.
“Why not? We said we’d tell everyone tonight,” Jackson tells Amelia. He thinks he’s whispering, but he’s doing a terrible job.
“Shhh. We shouldn’t ruin their moment,” Amelia says.
Turning in their direction because I simply can’t ignore them any longer, I say, “What’s up, guys? Everything okay?”
They look back and forth at each other and then to me. Everyone else seems to be caught up in their own conversations.
Leaning in closer to me, Jax says in a semi-hushed tone, “Amelia is pregnant. We were going to tell everyone tonight, but now that you proposed, Amelia thinks we should wait. She says we shouldn’t steal your thunder.” He reaches out to touch Amelia’s flat stomach, a proud smile on his face.
This is wonderful news. Years ago when the two of them just started dating, Amelia got pregnant with an IUD and ended up miscarrying. It was awful for them. After that, they decided to wait to try again and even after they got married, Jax told me that they thought they’d wait a few years to try. Looks like it happened for them. “No, you guys should tell everyone right now. It’d be a night full of things to celebrate.”
“Really, Patrick? You wouldn’t mind?” Amelia’s pale green eyes scan my face as if she’s trying to evaluate if I’m serious.
“Listen, guys, I couldn’t be happier for you. Do it.”
Jackson clears his throat and says, “Everyone, all the McLoughlins in the room, Amelia and I have news.”
It gets quiet and all eyes are on Jax and Amelia.
“Do you want to tell them or should I?” Jackson asks Amelia, smiling like a kid on Christmas morning.
“I will,” Amelia says. “We’re happy to add to the excitement tonight and let you all know that I am ten weeks pregnant.”
My mother gets up and comes to stand between my brother and Amelia. She kisses them both on the cheeks. “Congratulations. I can’t wait to meet my next grandchild.”
“Wonderful news. Cheers to the newly engaged couple and to the next McLoughlin baby.” My father raises his wine and we all join our glasses together in celebration.
Bending toward my future wife, I clink my glass with hers and kiss her lips. Our future is bright and I couldn’t be more content. I get to spend the rest of my life with Carsen; she’s my friend, my family, my everything.
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgements
Writing this series was a ton of fun for me, albeit a bit stressful. I committed to more projects than I’m used to and at times over the last few months, I was feeling the pressure. That’s why I’d like to thank my amazing husband, Sam, for being understanding and picking up the slack when it was needed. I’m telling you, folks, I hit the lottery when I married him.
Thank you to my fans! I appreciate you all so much! You picked up my books and gave them a chance. I’m humbled by your reviews, messages, and emails. Hugs to you all.
And now, to my inner circle. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for encouraging me and helping me move forward. My editor, Theresa Schultz, you are fast, funny, and fantastic. By the end of this series, I think you knew my characters better than I did! Big thanks go out to my proofreader, Julie Deaton at Deaton Author Services. I cringe to think how this book would look without your eagle eyes going through it. My mentor, Nicole, thank you for being patient with me and giving of all of your knowledge without blinking an eye. Massive shout out to my critique partners. Lisa and Amabel, I love you guys. How would I do this without you? To all my Love Kissed friends, you guys have helped me in one way or another whether you know it or not. Our group supports each other; I’m thankful to be a part of it. Thank you to all the book bloggers that help get the word out or post reviews for me. You guys work tirelessly for authors and I know you don’t get thanked enough. Mad love to all of you!
To my family and friends, what can I say? You are the BEST!
About the Author
Emma Tharp is the author of The Bluff Harbor Series, Keeping It Casual, Drawn to Dark, and the McLoughlin Brother Series. She was raised in upstate New York. Being an only child, she spent a great deal of time alone, dreaming up characters who would keep her company on long family road trips. Putting her writing on the back burner, she went to college and became a chiropractor. After spending twelve years healing patients, Emma decided—with the help of her amazingly supportive husband—to use the creative side of her brain and let her characters come to the page.
If she’s not writing, Emma can be found at the gym, one of her kids sporting events, Starbucks, or a live music event.
A perfect day for Emma would be spent at her lake house with her husband, two ginger-haired
children, and Vizsla, reading a book and drinking a large cup of coffee (or wine) with music playing in the background.
Contact Emma Tharp at:
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Also by Emma Tharp
What About Her (Book One of the Bluff Harbor Series)
What About Us (Book Two of the Bluff Harbor Series)
Keeping It Casual
Drawn to Dark
Moving On (McLoughlin Brothers Book One)
All In (McLoughlin Brothers Book Two)