Aggie darted towards her. ‘Do you want me to help you open the presents?’
‘Aggie!’ Christian and Chloe spoke simultaneously, and Lara laughed.
She sat down on the sofa and pulled the little girl onto her lap. ‘Actually, I’d love some help,’ she said, reaching into the stocking and pulling out the first present. Smiling at Aggie, she rattled it and sniffed it and then squeezed it. ‘Interesting shape.’
‘Open it.’
Lara dutifully opened it and found a set of keys. Intrigued and
puzzled, she glanced at Christian. ‘Keys? Keys to what?’
‘Open the next present,’ he ordered softly, and she blushed, wishing he wouldn’t look at her with such blatant masculine appreciation.
The children were going to notice.
Wondering why on earth they’d given her a set of keys, she reached for the next present and opened it. It was a travel brochure.
Even more baffled, she glanced at them. ‘I don’t understand…’
Chloe was smiling. ‘You have to open all of the presents before we tell you.’
Tell her what?
‘Open the next present.’ Christian was smiling, too, and Lara pushed her hand into the stocking and retrieved the final item. It was a small box, beautifully wrapped in glittery paper and tied with ribbon.
‘It’s pretty,’ Lara murmured, glancing towards the keys and the travel brochure, wondering what to make of them. She hadn’t had enough sleep for riddles.
‘Open it, open it.’Aggie bounced on her lap and grabbed at the small box. ‘I’ll help you.’
‘No!’ Chloe dashed forward and gave the box back to Lara. ‘She has to open it herself.’
‘But she’s so slow.’ Aggie whimpered with impatience. ‘Can you open it quickly?’
Lara obligingly slid her finger under the tape, freed the box from its packaging and flipped it open.
And gasped with shock, because there, nestling in a bed of blue velvet, was a ring.
But not just any ring.
It was the biggest, most beautiful diamond solitaire she’d ever seen, and it flashed and winked at her as if determined to catch her attention.
Dumb with astonishment, Lara lifted her head and met Christian’s eyes.
They stayed like that for a moment, just gazing at each other, and then Aggie flung her arms around her neck.
‘Daddy wants you to marry him. Are you going to say yes? We’re not sure if you’re going to say yes. Please, say yes. If I promise not to talk too much, will you say yes?’
‘Aggie!’ Appalled, Chloe glared at her sister. ‘You’ve just ruined everything! Daddy is supposed to do the asking, not you!’
‘But he was taking so long!’Aggie’s lip started to wobble and Lara cuddled her closer, her eyes still on Christian, who was smiling.
He looked happy and relaxed, as if an enormous load had been lifted from his shoulders.
‘Well?’ His voice was soft as his gaze held hers. ‘Aggie asked you a question. Are you going to give her an answer?’
Lara tried to breathe. ‘You—I…’ She stared down at the ring. ‘This is for me?’
‘If you don’t like it, we can change it.’