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He shook his head. “I wanted to get your take on it first.”

“I think you should go for it if they’re okay with the idea.”

“You wouldn’t mind dating a guy with two kids?”

She lightly socked his shoulder. “I thought I already was. Seriously, Eric, I love those boys. And they need a good dad like you.”

“That’s one of the reasons I love you.”

She blushed, but before she could respond, the boys were running toward them.

Dion dropped his glove on the table and plopped into a chair. “Time to eat yet? I’m starving.”

“I’m starving too!” Lucky echoed.

“Why don’t the three of you go wash your hands, and I’ll get everything set up,” Allye suggested. Eric cocked an eyebrow at her, and she gave him an impish grin. “Yes, you too.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He rose and winked at the boys. “You heard the lady.” They groaned but followed him inside without protest.

When they returned, Allye had pulled paper plates, napkins, and a small container from one of her bags. She offered them each a plate, and the boys dove into the pizza.

“No pizza for you?” Eric asked as she opened the other container and lifted a fork.

“I have to avoid cheese as part of the detox diet. Mold.” She wrinkled her nose.

He lowered his slice of pizza. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think about that.” When Allye had called with the offer to bring dinner, he’d just chosen what he thought would be easiest for her.

She waved her fork at him. “Don’t you dare stop enjoying your pizza because I can’t have it right now. My leftovers are more than fine, and picking up pizza for you guys was a lot easier than preparing a meal.” She redirected the conversation and soon had Lucky giggling at knock-knock jokes while Dion and Eric groaned appropriately.

As the sun sank lower in the sky, the temperature began to drop. Soon it was uncomfortably cool, and they relocated inside to watch a movie.

Lucky insisted Allye take the middle of the couch so he and Eric could both sit by her, and less than halfway through the film, he’d fallen asleep with his head on her lap. Eric exchanged a grin with her. He loved that the boys were becoming so comfortable here.

When the movie ended, Dion scooped up his brother and carried him to bed, but Allye lingered.

Eric stroked her hair. She fit so well nestled next to him. “You know what we were talking about earlier?”

“Mm-hmm?”

“I had another idea I wanted to run past you.”

“Hmm?”

She sounded drowsy. Should he wait for a better time? But it had already taken him a week to get up his nerve.

He took a deep breath and dug in his pocket. “What if, instead ofmeadopting the boys,weadopted them?”

Her head spun toward him so fast, he would have laughed if he hadn’t been so nervous. When she caught sight of the ring box in his hand, her eyes rounded.

He slipped off the couch and knelt in front of her. “I can’t promise you a perfect life or even an easy one, but I can promise to love you with all my heart, to be faithful in sickness and in health, to admit when I’m wrong, and to stand by your side through life’s trials if you’ll let me. Will you marry me, Allye?”

Tears shimmered in her eyes. “Nothing would make me happier.”

“Is that a yes?”

“It’s an emphatic, one-thousand-times-over-every-day-for-the-rest-of-our-lives yes.”

He placed the ring on her finger and sealed their engagement with a kiss. He held her close, her cheek against his. “I love you, Allye Jessup,” he murmured.

“I love you too. So very much.” She turned her face for another kiss, and he gladly obliged.