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“Stewart, I love you,” he said. My man. “And I’m not saying this to bribe you or make you do anything you don’t want to do or anything like that.”

“Bad timing, Dad.” Constance rolled her eyes.

“I know, but I kind of wanted to say it, and it’s… Stewart, I’m rubbish at this. All of this. I was going to wait until we went away on that break, but I want to ask you, because I think it’s the right thing to do, so you see where I’m coming from here. And because I want to. And I’ve asked all the children. Even Reuben agrees.”

“Agrees to what?” I sighed. Chance? I stood no chance. Ever.

“Stewart. Will you marry me?”

“What?” I let that slip, didn’t I? The children cheered, and Dylan blushed.

Goddammit, Dylan.

I grabbed his face, and then I kissed him. Really kissed him.

“You’re an idiot.” Adrenaline talking.

“Got you a ring and all. Constance chose it.”

“You didn’t.”

“Got paid for the Blackwell Heath job. Gave Jean a bonus and, well…rings.”

“Get married, Stew. You can’t get rid of us anyway.”

“Thank you, Constance.” I laughed.

Oh, gosh. Yes. Yes please.

“Might as well,” I said. Dylan grinned. “Idiot.”

“And when are we doing this…getting married bit?”

“The Maldives?” he said, the man I loved, as I rolled my eyes harder than Constance.

“I can’t believe you lot,” I whinged, though I actually loved it. How they schemed and manipulated me and did all the little things that made me so insanely happy.

“Well, I want to marry you,” he said. “I want this to be all…set in stone. For the future. The kids and…you know.”

“Not going anywhere,” I insisted. I wasn’t. Over my dead body.

“Just to New Orleans and back.” Constance laughed. Winked.

“The Maldives.” Isighed.

“Do you love me?” Dylan. The little shit.

“Always.” I smiled.

Then I kissed him.

The Maldives. What the hell had I just agreed to?

“You’ll love it,” Constance said, happily holding out her phone. “And I just booked us on the fear of flying course. It will be great. Can’t wait.”

Strangely?

Maybe I couldn’t either.