Page 89 of Dirty Little Secret

“Huh?” she asked as I turned her around to face me. As I slipped the ring on her finger, she gasped, one tear falling down her cheek. “Kane, it’s beautiful.”

“I had to pick out something that would match your beauty, Zandra.” Kissing the ring on her finger, I felt my heart swell. “I love you.”

She looked at me for a long time before she said, “I really do love you too, Kane Price. I really do.”

Shrugging, I said, “Yeah, I know you do. You may not have thought you meant those words, but I knew deep down that you did. You just didn’t want to believe in yourself that you were capable of that love. And you probably didn’t want to believe that I really love you, but it’s true.”

“Yeah, from me too, Mom,” Fox chimed in. “And I know you love me too, ’cause I can see it in your eyes.”

“Oh, hell,” she whimpered as more tears started trickling down her pink cheeks. “I mean, heck. Sorry.” She pulled her hands out of mine. “Let me go freshen up, grab my things, and I’ll be ready to go.”

She rushed away as I called out, “Take only what you really need. I’ll be buying you everything else.”

I heard her sob as she closed the bedroom door. Fox looked up at me with a grin. “Is this what I should expect when I ask a girl to marry me, Dad?”

“I sure hope not.” I ran my hand over his head. “I hope you don’t put the cart before the horse the way I did. I hope you find a girl and you both fall in love and only experience happiness when you pop the question and for the rest of your lives.”

With a nod, he said, “Yep. I think you’re right, Dad.”

When Zandra came back out, she’d changed into a beautiful light blue dress that flowed around her, all the way to her ankles. Her hair was pinned up prettily, and she looked every bit the part of a mother and wife. “You look amazing.”

Fox laughed. “Wow, Mom!”

She spun around, letting the lightweight fabric flow around her. “Thank you, guys. I’m ready to start my life now.”

Putting my arm around her waist, I led her out to the car. “Me too.”

Fox climbed into the backseat. “Yeah, me too.”

As we all laughed, I felt the air lighten around us. Things would be okay. I knew there would be hard times, but there would be more good times than bad.

I would make sure of it.