Jack cupped her cheek, his heart filling with love. “How did you know that?”
“The same way you did.”
“Hey, I panicked a bit,” Jack supplied. “Brian wanted to lock me in the trunk for the drive to the store.”
“You didn’t fall apart, though,” Ivy argued. “I didn’t either. I knew you were coming. You were right. I felt your mind brush against mine when I was in the storage room. It bolstered me.”
“I don’t know what to make of it but … I kind of like it. “
“You do?”
“I didn’t know it was possible to be as close with another person as I feel to you,” Jack replied. “I like the way that makes me feel.”
“I like the way it makes me feel, too.”
“Good.” Jack took his right hand and collected Ivy’s left, rubbing his fingers over her knuckles before flipping over Ivy’s palm and dropping a piece of jewelry in it.
Ivy’s eyes widened when she caught sight of the sparkling ring. She swallowed hard as her heart rate increased, blood pounding past her ears, and stared at the white gold bohemian solitaire diamond. The setting was a little Art Deco, a bit odd and like nothing Ivy had ever seen before. She was rendered quite literally speechless.
“Aren’t you going to say something?” Jack asked.
Ivy opened her mouth but no sound would come out.
“Wow. You’re speechless.” Jack found her flummoxed response delightful. “I guess I should take advantage of that, huh?” He kept his hand under hers and let her stare at the ring as he searched for the right words. “I’m not very good with stuff like this – not that I’ve ever proposed or anything, of course – but I’ve never been a man of words.
“You, honey, are the exact opposite,” he continued. “You always have the right words. You always know how to make me feel better. Even when you fire me up and cause my temper to flash, I’m always happy to hear your voice.”
Jack cleared his throat to stave off a potential emotional breakdown. He had no idea he was close to crying until the first tears blurred his eyes.
“I didn’t realize I was going through the motions of a life better left forgotten,” Jack said. “I didn’t know I was missing something so deeply that my soul ached … until I met you. People say it all of the time and I thought it was one of those trite things they spouted off about until I felt it myself.
“You’re my everything, Ivy,” he continued. “You complete me. You make me happy. You make me whole. You’re … the other half of me.”
Ivy finally found her voice, but it was weak. “Jack … I … .”
“Shh.” Jack pressed his finger to her lips. “I’m not quite done yet. Once I am, you can talk to your heart’s content.”
Ivy mutely nodded.
“I love you. I would be really happy if you would be my wife. Before you answer, though, I need you to know what that entails.”
Ivy widened her eyes to comical proportions.
“I need you to live with me even when you’re angry, open yourself to me even when you’re sad, and love me no matter what,” Jack said. “That’s all I’m ever going to need from you. I’m willing to give you everything I have in return. Do you think you can do that?”
When Ivy didn’t immediately answer, Jack shifted his eyes to her. “Now would be a good time to remember you can talk.”
“Oh, well, I didn’t want to step on your toes.” Ivy’s eyes twinkled as she closed her hand around the ring, clutching it close to her heart. “I love you. I can’t wait to be your wife.”
Jack already knew the answer, but the simple declaration was enough to fill his heart with so much love he thought it might explode. “Good. Can I put that ring on your finger?”
Ivy handed the ring to him and then extended the fingers of her left hand, waiting until Jack slid the ring into place before succumbing to the tears.
“Oh, don’t cry, honey. This is a happy day.” Jack wrapped his arm around her. “Please don’t cry.”
“Sometimes crying is necessary,” Ivy argued. “Like now … when we have forever in front of us. You have to cry so you can clean out the gunk and open yourself up to new feelings.”
“Is that true?”
“No, I just made it up. It sounds good, though, doesn’t it?”
Jack snorted. “It does. Now … give me a kiss.”
Ivy rolled so she was on his lap, one thigh on either side of his hips as she straddled him. “I will. I want to say something to you first, though.”
“What’s that?”
“Merry Christmas.”
Jack grinned. “Merry Christmas. Now kiss me.”
“Just one more thing.” Ivy leaned close. “I knew you would give me my ring before New Year’s Eve.”
Jack chuckled. “You are nothing if not magic when it comes to seeing what’s going to happen.”
“Oh, yeah? What happens next?”
“Happily ever after … and my kiss.”
“Oh, I can’t wait to get started on both of those.” Ivy smacked her lips against Jack’s, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. “Do you want me to get my mistletoe headband?”
“Honey, we don’t need it. Trust me.”
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Acknowledgments
I’m a romantic at heart. A true romantic. I love the idea of a happy ending, so much so I have trouble writing a sad one. The world is sad enough. I like escaping in fiction. That’s just me. I like sarcasm and snark – but I’m not sure a sad ending is in me. If you’re looking for an edge like that, you’re probably looking in the wrong place. Just FYI.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
Books by Lily Harper Hart
Hardy Brothers Security
Deadly Intentions
Deadly Intuition
Deadly Illusions
Deadly Proposal
Deadly Prospects
Deadly Ever After
Deadly Honeymoon
Deadly Questions
Deadly Addition
Deadly Vacation
Deadly Secrets
Deadly Storm
Deadly Dealings
Deadly Christmas
Deadly Desperados
Deadly Arrival
Deadly Rivalry
Deadly Memories
Deadly Adventure
Deadly Reunion
Deadly Conflicts
Deadly Payback
Deadly Waves
Deadly Forever
A Maddie Graves Mystery
Grave Homecoming
Grave Insight
Grave Delight
Grave Misgivings
Grave Concerns
Grave Discovery
Grave Decisions
Grave Seasons
Grave Holiday
Grave Haunting
An Ivy Morgan Mystery
Wicked Days
Wicked Dreams
Wicked Times
Wicked Places
Wicked Warning
Wicked Fog
Wicked Season
Wicked Winter
A Harpe
r Harlow Mystery
Ghostly Interests
Ghostly Issues
Ghostly Deceits
Ghostly Worries
Ghostly Images
Ghostly Wrecks
Ghostly Asylum
A Rowan Gray Mystery
Welcoming Seas
Murky Seas
Stormy Seas
Wicked Winter (An Ivy Morgan Mystery Book 8) Page 20