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“So dad and I had a talk,” Jax starts in very seriously. “And we made a decision.”
“A decision?” I arch an eyebrow. “Without me? I think that’s against the rules.”
“Sometimes you have to break the rules a little,” Jax says and everyone laughs. “He asked me if I want to be family.”
I’m confused. “We are a family, honey.”
“Not all the way. Not yet. Not until you say yes.”
“Say yes? To what?”
I’m lost.
Until I’m not.
My hands clasp over my mouth as Ethan lowers to his knee. He smiles over at Jax who hands him a small box with a nod.
“You’re a good man, Jaxon,” he tells him.
“You too, dad.”
“Are you kidding me right now?” I whisper.
“Kidding? Not a chance.” Ethan flips the box open. “You are…incredible. I’ve always known you to be strong, stubborn, challenging. But I’ve learned you are also compassionate, brilliant, and beautiful in every way. You’re an amazing mom and an even more amazing partner. And a damn good writer too, while we’re at it.”
Everyone laughs and Jax adds, “He can say that cuz he’s also your boss.”
“I’m not her boss though,” Ethan shakes his head. “When I found out Jaxon was mine, I was scared. Scared I wouldn’t be a good dad. Scared I wouldn’t know how to love you the way you deserve. But then I realized something. You’ve done life alone for so long. And if you can do it, I can strive to be that strong too. You’ve proven to be an amazing partner at work, helping me run the magazine with both grit and grace. Even if we do butt heads.”
I giggle through the tears that are already spilling down my cheeks.
“But I don’t want to just be partners. Facing it all together. Forever. Izzy-not-Isabelle Sloane, will you marry me?”
Guests gasp and shriek softly before I even answer.
Jax cuts in before I get the word out either. “It’s okay mom, you can say yes. I want you to say yes.”
I laugh at that. “Yes,” I nod down at Ethan. “A thousand times yes.”
Ethan’s smirk spreads to a grin that reaches his warm eyes and lights a fire deep in my chest. He slides the ring on my finger and stands up. We kiss and the party erupts.
“Forever?” He asks.
“Yes.” I nod again, looking down at the ring. It’s…a rock. Quite possibly the most beautiful, over the top, Marilyn Monroe shit I’ve ever seen.
Ethan knows what I’m thinking and a smug smirk tugs at his lips. “You wouldn’t let me buy you the estate downtown, so I settled for Tiffany’s finest.”
“It’s bigger than the estate downtown,” I blurt out, tilting my hand and watching it sparkle.
Ethan laughs. “And that’s called compromise.”
I give him a look.
He winks.
We kiss again.
I wouldn’t change a thing.