Whimsy lightened somber emerald eyes to spring grass. "More than Hostess Ho-Hos?"
"Oh, damn, that's a tough one."
She slugged his uninjured arm.
Laughing, he pulled her close, inhaled the scent of honeysuckle shampoo and the promise of forever. He held her while the wind encircled them and could have sworn there was something symbolic in the moment. A damned strange thought for a man more comfortable in the mathematical realm.
He held her closer. "You know I'm not a. flowery-words kind of guy. I wish I could tell you how much I love you with the poetry that you deserve. All I can say is that I love you. No measurements. No limits."
Her hands hooked around his neck, she stood in his arms, unmoving while they both watched the fading sunlight stain the sky deeper hues of purple.
One hand slid from his neck to his shoulder, unzipping his sleeve pocket. He smiled, already planning his one-knee proposal once she passed him the ring.
Mary Elise inched away, the solitaire between two fingers. He reached to take it.
She pulled her hand back farther. "Wanna marry me, Danny Baker?"
Surprise nipped and he wasn't complaining at all. He was starting to like the way she assumed the aggressive role. "Yes, I do. Very much."
She placed the ring in his palm and extended her fingers. He slid the engagement diamond in place again. Forever.
He sealed its placement with a kiss on her finger, followed by one on her lips, and knew without question he would be challenged, entranced, in love with this woman for the rest of his life. A strong woman who would, hell yes, demand the best of him.
And would give her best in return.
Pulling back, he stared into eyes a shade of green he'd only ever found on one woman. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yeah, Danny," she answered, her voice echoing with surety along the salty breeze. "I'm all set."
He hooked his arm around her shoulders as he'd done a thousand times before with Mary Elise, his best friend, his love. "Then let's go get the boys and start putting our family together."
Epilogue
Mary Elise paced around the oval table, spinning each empty chair she passed. Waiting sucked. But the reward for patience would be worth every lap on the industrial carpet in the private hospital waiting room.
"Settle down, boys." Daniel hooked an arm around each brother, immobilizing the hyper kids with a pseudo-wrestling match that landed them on the blue-plaid sofa.Thank goodness the hospital had provided a small conference room for gathering to meet the newest member of their family. The baby had been born nearly an hour ago, but Daniel had requested they not hear the gender until the infant was brought to them after the doctor finished the exam.
Even though the boys had only arrived a half hour prior, she had been waiting at the hospital with Danny from the minute the call came that the birth mother had gone into labor. Darcy and Max had brought the boys over later, and even now were down in the cafeteria picking up food. Maybe the boys should have gone with them, but she'd been so afraid they would miss "the moment."
Of course Trey and Austin had been more impatient in waiting for their new sibling than she would have expected. The aide from the adoption agency had suggested she and Danny might want to leave the boys home and bring them later.
The boys' crestfallen faces at the mere mention of delay had swayed her.
Danny gave both brothers noogies on .the head before releasing them. "Hang tough and we'll go to IHOP soon."
"No chocolate chips," ten-year-old Trey insisted.
"Roger that, bro."
Mary Elise extended her arms for Austin and hitched him on her hip. "How about we check out all the pictures again?"
"Nuh-uh." The wriggling four-year-old slid from her grip back to the floor, seeming more in need of a run to the snack bar than another perusal of a doctor's diplomas.
Snick. The door opened.
Last-minute nerves tangled in her tummy. They knew without question the birth mother was firmly committed to giving up her child. Still, what if the nurse entered empty-handed…
A nurse wearing surgical scrubs backed in, tugging a rolling basinet, the clear sides revealing the wrapped and squirming infant inside.