Page 49 of When We Were More (Aron Falls #1)

H enry

I’ve got my toiletries packed, the heat turned down since no one is living here now, and I sit in my favorite chair. Since the farmhouse has all its own furniture, we were able to keep most of the furnishings here.

“Hey, Dad. I can’t believe I’ll be officially moved out of this cabin soon.

I’m grateful it was here for me and the girls to stay in.

I wish you could have met them. You would have been a great grandpa.

You sure were an amazing dad. Then there’s Matilda…

You’d have loved her. I genuinely thought that love wasn’t in the cards for me until I met her.

I imagine if you were still alive, you would have been smirking about how quickly I fell in love with her.

She completes our family, and now I know why you and Mom were always grinning like fools around each other.

I feel it. Anyway, I’ve gotta get back to the farmhouse.

My girls are waiting for me. But I wanted to take a minute to tell you I love you and I miss you every day. Thanks for being the best dad.”

I grab my small bag and walk to the door.

After I step out onto the porch, I take one last look at the cabin.

It was my dad’s dream place, and someday, maybe it will be someone else’s.

Mine though? My home is where my three girls are, and they’re waiting for me in a farmhouse on the other end of this small town that’s worked its way into my heart.

I shut the door and lock it, then I head home.

When I pull up to the farmhouse, Matilda is on the old cedar swing, wearing my college sweatshirt, the purple afghan covering her legs. The late evening sky is full of bright stars. It’s beautiful, but it’s no match for Matilda. It strikes me that, all plans be damned, now is the time.

I grab my toiletries bag from the passenger seat and then reach into the truck’s console to pull out the small velvet bag I’ve been hiding there.

I get out of the truck and make my way to her, dropping my toiletries bag in front of the door on my way, but discreetly bringing the other bag with me.

When I reach the swing, she has the most radiant smile on her face, and her eyes hold a different look.

At first, I stare, trying to figure it out, then it strikes me.

The pain I saw after Harrison pointed it out has disappeared.

I don’t have to glance in a mirror to know that mine has as well.

My heart skips a few beats. She’s happy.

Us being a family, living together, has made her that way.

Since I’d give her the world if she asked for it, my heart swells with pride and joy, knowing I had even a small part in giving her this life that makes her smile like that.

I lean down and kiss her. It’s soft, sweet, yet also enough to get me a bit riled up. Especially when she puts her hand in my hair. I fucking love that.

“Mmm, what’s that for?” she asks.

“I missed you, is all.”

Instead of sitting next to her, my heart tells me it’s time, and I drop to my knees in front of her. Not one knee, as is traditional, but both. Because I’d get on my knees and crawl through glass for her, or either of my girls. My heart, my life, is all literally right here.

“What are you doing?” She tugs my arm to encourage me to get on the swing with her. I don’t.

“I’m telling the woman that I love that she’s more than I ever dreamed I could have.

That she’s brought laughter, more happiness, and peace to my life that I couldn’t even have imagined in my wildest dreams.” I reach for her hand and take it in mine.

“Matilda, I know this is fast, but to quote Layla: ‘When you know, you know.’ And what I know is that I want to marry you, to grow old with you, to raise kids with you, whether it’s only these two or more.

I want you, Matilda. I love you and I choose you.

I will every day for the rest of my life if you’ll let me. Will you marry me, tiger?”

Her eyes pop wide open, and her mouth is agape. I’m kind of proud of myself that I’ve managed to catch her off guard. After a few seconds, she gets her bearings and the corners of her mouth curve up into a smile. She nods her head emphatically.

“Yes. Of course, I’ll marry you.”

Tears spill down her cheeks, and when I pull the ring out of my pocket, she gets a good look at it, and she gasps.

“Is that…” She throws her hands over her mouth.

“It is. Obviously, I had help.”

“Ruthie?” I nod while I slip the ring onto her finger. “Henry, it’s beautiful. How did you know it would mean so much to me?”

“Because I know you, every part of you, and I love all of you. I knew having your ring built with Gram’s stone as the center would mean more to you than any ring I could buy. So, Ruthie stole it for me, and I had it dressed up a bit.”

She wipes at her eyes and stares at her ring. I climb up on the swing and pull her onto my lap.

“I’ve got one more thing for you. It was my insurance to try to convince you in case you said no.” That earns me one of those classic eye rolls that I love.

It’s a stretch, but I manage to reach below the swing and grab the velvet bag I left there. I hand it to Matilda.

“What’s this?”

“Open it and see.”

When she does, her breath hitches. She picks up one of the pieces of metal and runs her finger over it.

“How? Do you know how long I’ve been searching for these?”

“I do. As to the how, I’ve got a guy, and I got him on it a while back.”

“Henry, you found five of the copper kitchen hardware pieces I couldn’t even find one of.”

“Well, four. I couldn’t find a final one, so I paid someone to recreate it for you.”

“I can’t even tell.” She peers up at me through her long lashes. “God, what did I ever do to deserve you?

“Nothing. Just like I didn’t do anything to deserve you. I never could. Love just is. It doesn’t cost anything or keep score. So, I’m just going to keep loving you as long as there’s breath in these lungs. You and the girls are my life, Matilda. You always will be.”

With that, I lean down to kiss my fiancée.

It’s soft, and when she opens her mouth, allowing me to deepen the kiss, it takes everything in me not to take it further.

Even when she’s not trying to be, Matilda’s sexy as hell.

But I have more I need to say to her, so she’s clear on where I stand.

Though I hate doing it, I pull back to look at her gorgeous face.

“There are a few more things I wanted to tell you, to start this engagement off with full disclosure.” Matilda’s eyes widen, and her face falls.

Shit, it’s not my intention to make her worry.

But this type of reaction is precisely why I need her to know these things I’m about to say.

Men have hurt Matilda her entire life, and I intend to do everything in my power to build up her confidence and trust in our love every day, until the insecurity and fear she currently defaults to are long gone.

Then I’ll keep doing it. “Sorry, babe. It’s nothing bad. ”

“Okay. Sorry, my instant reaction is to assume it’s going to be bad.”

“Don’t apologize. Never be sorry for your feelings around me, but I’ll get right to it to ease your mind.

Regarding your father… everything in me wants to go over to his house and beat some sense into the man for not loving you like you deserve.

I won’t do that, though, out of respect for you.

But he isn’t worthy of having you as a daughter, baby.

If you want to keep him in your life, I’ll go there with you every single time, so you never have to see him alone.

I’ll do whatever you need. Know this, though.

You’re mine . Mine to love, mine to protect from pain, even if it comes at the hand of your father.

I won’t let him hurt you without intervening, not anymore.

But if you never want to see the man again, I’ll support you one hundred percent.

You tell me what you want, and that’s what we’ll do. ”

I pause for a few seconds to make sure she’s okay and to place a kiss on one of her temples.

“Is that it?” She whispers the words.

“No, that’s not it. There’s a bit more… Joe.

He better pray he never crosses our paths because I won’t hold back until I’ve destroyed every little thing he cares about for how he hurt you.

I need you to know that. I have the resources, and I’ll spare nothing to make it happen if he ever dares to even breathe the same air as you. ”

I stare at her face, looking for any sign of discomfort with what I said, but I see none. Instead, a beautiful, shy smile forms.

“I’m a strong woman, and I should probably be appalled with you going all alpha male here, but I’m not. It’s kind of hot. I can handle those two at the place I’m at in my life now, but it’s nice to know I don’t have to.”

I skim over her forearm in slow, teasing circles and tilt my head to kiss her cheek. Then I whisper in her ear, “I’d love to take my fiancée to bed and spend the next few hours showing her how much I love her. What do you say?”

She turns her head until our lips meet and plants a light kiss on my mouth. “I say yes. Let’s go.”