“Nah.” He grinned and reached in his pocket. “Just this.” When he got down on one knee in front of her, she put her hand over her mouth.
Tears began to pour down her cheeks. “Cade, before I met you I never cried, now I’m just a private waterworks facility.” She laughed through her tears.
“Annalisa Davis, if you’ll do me the honor of becoming my wife, I promise to try to keep your tears to a minimum in the future.” He kissed her palm, and shivers ran up and down her spine. He turned her hand over and slid a diamond and emerald ring onto her finger. “Will you marry me?”
She opened her mouth, but he put his fingers against her lips. “Wait. Before you answer me, I have to tell you something. I’m going to try to adopt the boys. I’ve been talking to social services this morning, and they don’t think there will be a problem. They’re going to call me back. Even Juan’s grandmother says she’s too old to handle him. I think she’d be happy to have him just a couple of weeks in the summer.”
She pushed his hand off her mouth. “Yes!” She tugged on his arm and pulled him up beside her. “You’re offering me a lifetime with the man I love, plus what I’ve been dreaming of for years. . .a family. How could my answer be anything else?”
“You’re a wise girl.” He grinned. “And I am one blessed man. I love you.”
“I love—”
His cell phone rang, and he frowned.
“You too. But, answer it,” she urged. “It could be social services about the adoptions.”
He grinned at her enthusiasm, but flipped the little phone open and sank down beside her in the swing.
“Hello. . . Yes, this is he. . . Yes, she is. Just a minute.”
His eyebrows knitted together, and he wordlessly handed the phone to Annalisa.
“You’re scaring me,” she whispered as she took the phone. “Hello?” She laid her head against Cade’s chest.
“Hello. This is Red Montgomery, and I think we may have sort of met last night.”
“Yes, that’s right. . .” Her heart thudded. “Listen, I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable.”
“You haven’t made me uncomfortable. If anything has done that, it’s my own conscience. Vicky and I have been praying about you ever since Cade came to visit the other day. When I saw you last night, I could see what anguish you were going through.”
“Mr. Montgomery. . .” Annalisa tried to keep her voice from shaking. “I’ve decided not to pursue custody of Amy. Last night, I realized that wouldn’t be best for her.” Cade brushed her hair lightly with his hand, and his support bolstered her. “Thank you for your prayers.” She started to flip the phone shut, but the man’s voice stopped her.
“Hold on, there! I need to talk to you.” Red sounded confident and sure. She motioned Cade to lean in so they both could hear. “If you don’t object to us going ahead with the adoption, it should be final right away. However, Vicky and I were hoping you’d agree to be a part of our family too. . .even if it’s in an unofficial capacity. We’d like you to be a true sister to Amy.”
Annalisa nodded, but words wouldn’t come. Tears clogged her throat, and she sent a silent plea to Cade. He took the phone from her and wrapped his arm around her. She noticed his own voice was husky with emotion when he spoke.
“Red.” He paused, and she could hear his heartbeat against her ear. “Ah, I understand.” He gently caressed her hair. “Annalisa is overwhelmed, but she’d be thrilled for a chance to get to know Amy. You may have to extend your family some more to include me, though. She’s just agreed to become my wife.”
Although she couldn’t make out his words, Annalisa could hear the excitement in Red’s tone.
“Thanks. We’ll call you right away. Best wishes with the adoption.”
When Cade finished the phone conversation, they sat for a few minutes, without moving, the only sound coming from Annalisa’s little hiccoughing sobs. Cade held her until they subsided. “So much for my promise to keep your tears to a minimum.”
Her heart filled to overflowing, she gazed up him. “Happy tears don’t count.”
He pulled her to her feet and enfolded her in his arms. “As long as you keep me updated on the rules, I should still be able to fulfill my promise then,” he teased.
As Cade sealed his promise with a tender kiss, Annalisa knew her search for love had finally come to an end.
In Search of Love Page 15