Page 34 of Falling for You (Balsam Cliffs #2)

I haven’t let anyone else have a turn with Olivia. She’s been in my arms since the second Roman parked the truck at the inn.

Seeing her smiling face, and snuggling her is healing the hole in my heart that got put there when she didn’t come home.

It feels like an entire lifetime has happened since then.

Roman had to leave to go back to the house for more baby supplies and to bring Fiona home. Violet has kept me supplied with coffee and cookies.

“How are you holding up?” She takes the seat next to me after putting another cookie in my mouth.

“I think I need some real food.” I laugh as I put the cookie down on the table next to me.

“Already on it. You know sugar is my love language though. You shouldn’t be so judgy about my love language.” She fake pouts.

“Ugh. Being judgy is apparently my thing today.” I lean my head back on the couch. Olivia fell asleep a few minutes ago and I’m just soaking every moment in, but I am exhausted.

“Uh oh. That doesn’t sound good. Who else and why were you judging?”

“I was judging Rome for judging Diane Ryan. He was so rude to her. She apologized and he just said nothing. He didn’t say anything to her about her husband.

He just took Olivia and went to brood in the corner while I had to keep up conversation and logistics about getting our custody back from them. ”

“And you blame him?” The look she’s giving me is proving that I’m wrong.

Even though I already know it. I honestly didn’t want to forgive her but she was so upset.

“I guess not. But at the time I was being mean about it.” She raises an eyebrow at me. “I guess I owe him an apology.”

“What a coincidence, he just walked back through the door. So give me this sleeping beauty and go take a minute with your man to apologize.” She winks, standing up to take Olivia from me.

I relent, and let her. Walking off to find Rome, I find him talking to Pops.

“Hey, can I steal you for a second?”

Pops winks at Rome, “The four wheeler is gassed up. Why don’t you go for a ride.”

He tosses the keys and Rome catches them with one hand.

“You want to ride with me?” he asks, unsure of himself.

I grab his hand in mine and open the front door. Where I walk right into Hunter.

“Hey, Hunt.”

He looks between us at our clasped hands and just grunts before pushing past us.

“He’s really being a dick about this.” I scowl at my brother’s back.

“Yeah. It’s fine. I deserve it.”

We descend the stairs and find the four wheeler. “Where to, Sunshine?”

“The spot out by the Peterson’s?”

“You got it.” He starts the engine, placing his hand on my thigh.

This spot on our property lines up with the Peterson’s farm at a point on the cliffs. From here you can see nothing but ocean, hidden by the pines from the world.

It’s the spot I would come to when I needed to work out all of life’s problems.

Rome pulls the four wheeler to a stop, and grabs the blanket out of the storage box for us to sit on. He spreads it out by the cliff’s edge, and sits with his legs spread open for me to slide between them.

Once I’m settled with my back to his front he wraps his arms around me.

“I’m sorry, Sunshine. I should have been more empathetic with Diane.”

“No, I’m sorry. I should have been more empathetic with you. I was just annoyed that I had to be the nice one and I didn’t want to be. I wanted to do what you did. But I couldn’t. I wanted to make sure she let us take Livvy Girl home.”

“I should have been the one to do that. You should have been the one to comfort Olivia.” He places a kiss on the top of my head.

“I love you, Stud.”

“Sunshine.”

He shifts us so he’s facing me and dread shoots through me. He fidgets trying to get further away from me. But then he produces a black velvet box.

My hand flies to my chest. “What are you doing?”

He kneels in front me, pulling me to him.

“The last month has been the hardest of my life to say the least. And you’ve been there for me through it all. You’ve been the rock I never knew I needed. And the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Every risk, every consequence, all of it is worth it to have you by my side, Sunshine.”

He opens the black box and staring back at me is a beautiful halo cushion cut diamond nestled on a twisted band.

“Roman.” I have no other words.

“Emma Keaton. I fell for you in the most unexpected way, and then you came back into my life at just the right time. I can’t imagine any parts of my life with anyone but you. Will you please, officially, be my wife?”

I launch myself at him. “I already said yes, you wonderful man.”

He pulls my left hand off his shoulders and I lean back so he can slide the ring onto my finger.

I hold my hand out in front of us as it sparkles in the sun.

“I was happy to marry you ringless, but this is pretty great.” I smile big at him before jumping on top of him and kissing him senseless once more.

“When did you have time to get this? I’ve been with you every day!” I lay on his chest staring at my hand.

“I bought it in December.”

His simple statement shocks me. “What?”

“I had this dream that I was going to be brave, and ask your Pops if I could marry you. Then I’d ask Hunter, take the black eye before you came home for break, and propose.”

“What happened?”

“We talked about our future and you seemed to be happy in the friends with benefits category, Hunter was starting to suspect something so he was making comments about me and killing anyone who ever touched you, and then Pops agreed that no one would ever be good enough, and I just got scared. It’s a coward’s excuse honestly. ”

“What are you going to tell everyone now? Are you ready to tell them we got engaged?”

“Everyone knows. I came by the inn that morning I brought you donuts, and when Hunter came by the brewery last night I whipped the ring out of my pocket and showed him. He stormed off.” He shrugs under my head.

I roll my eyes at my brother. I don’t understand what his damn problem is. This is overkill at this point.

“Are you ready to face the firing squad?” he asks.

“Yes! I will forever scream from the rooftops to anyone who will listen that I am going to be Roman Thomas’ wife!”

He scoops me up and puts me back on the four wheeler, gripping my face and kissing me deeply.

He runs over to grab the blanket and haphazardly throws it on the back of the four wheeler.

When we walk back into the inn, I simply hold up my left hand for everyone to see.

We are enveloped by everyone in hugs and congratulations. Everyone except Hunter who slipped through the kitchen and out the door.

After a dinner with my family as an engaged couple with our girl back, we finally get to come home.

Fiona is beside herself to have Olivia home. We can’t bear to put her in her crib yet so we set up the pack and play in the living room next to the couch while we watch television. Fiona is snoring happily next to her on the floor.

“Did you ever think this is how our story would go?” Rome traces circles on my bare shoulder absentmindedly.

“Absolutely not.” I laugh. “But I wouldn’t change any of it because it led us here.” I lay my head on his shoulder.

“So, are you going to marry me tomorrow?”

“Whenever you’re ready, Stud.”

Now that we have Olivia back, I’m envisioning our wedding day with her and our matching dresses.

It’s a surreal dream coming true.