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“Five,” Rachel corrected as she opened the box and stared down at the ring. “Oh, Violet… It’s beautiful.”

“You like it?”

“It’s perfect.” She met Violet’s eyes. “I have one for you in the room.”

“You do?”

“I was going to ask you tonight over dinner, but I just couldn’t wait anymore. I was out in the water, which is beautiful, but I turned around, and there you were. And you’regorgeous. I ran to you because I couldn’t wait. I want to stop calling you my girlfriend. I want you to be my wife.”

Violet took the ring box from her, removed the ring, and slipped it on Rachel’s volunteered finger. Having kissed the finger as well as the palm, she pressed Rachel’s palm to her own cheek and breathed in deeply. This was the second reason she’d wanted this trip for them. The third one, though, might just be the one that would change things more than even a proposal.

“So, we’re getting married here?” Rachel asked. “We’ll just find a random witness?”

“I will gladly marry you here.”

“We can wait until we get home, but I don’t want a long engagement. I want a short one. If you want to plan something, we can. Maybe we start next week when we get home.”

“We’re actually not going home next week,” she revealed.

“We’re not?”

“I was going to surprise you.”

“With what, exactly?”

“One week here, and then one week in Italy.”

“Italy?”

“You wanted to see Pompeii, so I booked us a hotel in Naples. And we’ll fly out of Rome, so two nights there, too.”

“You’re serious?” Rachel smiled and covered her mouth with her hand.

It was with the same hand that she now wore her engagementring on, and Violet smiled wider seeing it.

“Yes. It’s your anniversary present, technically. I made sure to clear our schedules at work and–”

“Janus and Apollo?”

“Your mom knows. She’s taking care of them when the dog walker can’t. You know she loves her grandbabies and will make sure they’re spoiled while we’re gone.”

“Oh, there’s a can of worms.”

“What?”

“Grandbabies for my mother,” Rachel said and shoved at Violet’s shoulders until she was lying back on the towel. “I thought I wanted to be married for a couple of years before having kids, but we’ve waited this long to get engaged, so I think I’m ready, babe. Whenever you are, I’m ready.”

“Really?” Violet asked as she ran her hands up and down Rachel’s back. “I was worried you might be rethinking that, with work and us being so busy.”

“What? No, I want our kids, Violet. Let’s talk to the doctor when we get home.”

Violet pulled Rachel all the way down on top of herself and held her tightly.

“You are the love of all my lives,” she whispered.

“And you’re mine,” Rachel replied.

Two Weeks Later