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She pulled it out and her eyes shot to his.

Ford dropped to one knee and took the box from her hand. “You’re an incredible woman, Jolie Malssum. I love you more than I thought possible. You’re so bright, you light up my world. Will you marry me, my sexy mermaid?”

Tears streamed down her smiling face. “Of course I’ll marry you, Ford. I love you so much.”

He slid the ring on her finger and rose to kiss her with his whole heart.

They swayed and danced in the clearing. In front of Duckington Palace, in the middle of an apple orchard. So far from anything he’d dreamed of as a child.

So much better than anything he could have imagined.

And when he stripped her out of her mermaid waders, it got even better.

Bonus Scene

Amber Malssum

Amber stared at her closet with a frown. She didn’t have a choice in what to wear. She wore her uniform every single shift.

Crisp white shirt.

Black skirt and jacket.

Name tag.

Every single shift.

Where was the color?

The joy?

Her sister was full of both. Jolie brought color and life to everyone, no matter where she was.

Even to an old apple farm in Vermont.

Her bright rubber boots, her sparkling smile.

She brought joy.

What did Amber bring?

She looked down. Even her underwear was boring.

She’d been so afraid for so long. Since her parents had died in that crash. Amber had worked to make sure Fox would never regret taking them in. Never regret giving up his bachelor life to give his grandchildren a home.

Then she’d worked hard to make him proud. At School. With her jobs.

Now she was scared again.

Putting on the uniform shouldn’t require an act of courage, but it did. Her fingers trembled as she buttoned up the blouse. Sliding on the name tag required deep breaths.

As she had for a couple of weeks now, Amber pictured a pair of steady, almost-black eyes. Remembering the man’s calmness and determination helped fuel her own. She might not know his full name, but Santoro had helped her get through some tough times already.

She could do this.

She would get through another shift.

Once she was dressed, she checked her appearance. Boring but acceptable. No one could see the cracks from the outside. No one could know how thin her shields had become.

Those steady eyes approved of her determination and helped her control her breathing as she moved out the door.

Her shift awaited.