An Unlikely Bride (Lucas & Ava)

I don’t know why I never realized that. Why it took holding Mia in my arms.

A frown furrows her tiny forehead. “Cwy? Sad?”

I blink, shocked at the tears wetting my cheeks.

“Hurt?”

I shake my head. “No. I just love you so much.”

She gives me a blinding smile then babbles. Or at least I think it’s babbling; I can’t make sense of her baby talk. But maybe that’s because she’s already smarter than I am.

I see the innocence in her, the absolute conviction that she’s deserving of love and care and everything else wonderful and sweet in life, and I know Darcy and Ray have done an incredible job raising Mia. Taking her from them now… It would be a travesty.

I feel Ava’s hand on my shoulder. Then I remember we aren’t quite finished. I give Mia to Darcy and Ray. “You’ve done an amazing job with her. She’s lucky to have parents like you.”

Darcy blinks away tears. “It’s our pleasure, Lucas…and thank you.”

“No, thank you. I’ll never be able to repay everything that you’ve done for Ava and Mia.”

“You know you’re always welcome to spend time with her. We’d like that,” Ray says.

I nod. “Of course. She’ll have two sets of parents who adore her.”

Ava rests her head against my arm, and I shift to put it around her. Darcy and Ray leave with Mia, giving us some privacy.

When the door closes behind them, Ava pulls away and takes my hands in hers. Her expression is serious. She goes down on one knee and says, “I know it’s traditional to have a ring, but engagement rings are usually reserved for women. So I’m asking without any props—Lucas Reed, will you marry me?”

Dropping to my knees, I hold her arms, needing to make sure she isn’t saying this out of some momentary emotional overload. “Ava, that’s supposed to be my question.”

She shakes her head. “Nope. This isn’t just a proposal, Lucas. You said you were going to marry me, and I’m thrilled. But what I’m asking you to do is marry me sooner rather than later.”

“I already told—”

“I know what you said. You don’t want to give me any reason to doubt your love. And I don’t. You have the biggest heart in the world and I’m lucky it’s mine. But I also want you to know I’m going to be devastated if your…perception…of my insecurity cost you an inheritance. If your siblings are all jumping through hoops, the paintings mean more than just money. So I’m asking you to marry me. Now.”

“Now?”

“Well…as soon as we can manage.”

“But I don’t want you to rush into this just to help me get the paint—”

“Don’t you understand? I’m doing this because I don’t want to wait any more to start my life with you. Over two years, Lucas! Don’t you think we’ve waited long enough?”

She has a point. “Yes. And yes.”

“Before Darcy and Ray go back to Charlottesville?”

“If that’s what you want.” There’s no way I’m denying this woman anything.

She gifts me with a thousand-candlepower smile, and I know I’ve found what I’ve been looking for all my life.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Ava

Darcy and Ray are scheduled to fly out on Tuesday, so Lucas and I go to the courthouse on Monday. Since it is a wedding, after all, I haven’t let him see my knee-length white dress, and insisted on arriving separately. It’s such short notice that I don’t expect anybody else to attend, but somehow all of Lucas’s siblings and in-laws except Blake and Elizabeth show up. She sends me a text apologizing that she’s out of town. Blake… Well. I don’t mind too much that he’s unavailable.

“I’m so happy to see you getting married,” Darcy says, helping me with my hair. “You look beautiful.”