“I’ve been so busy with the house, I haven’t been out fishing since the day I met you,” he said. “I was miserable then. I didn’t even know why. I thought I knew how the world worked and how I fit into it, and everything I learned that told me otherwise hurt. I couldn’t even admit to myself what the Sweets were really like.”
“Arlo—” Jacqueline reached across the table to take his hand. Arlo folded his fingers around hers.
“And then I met you. And everything I thought I knew about the world and how I fit into it turned completely on my head. But it didn’t hurt anymore. I finally understood what my own soul had been telling me.”
He wrapped both his hands around hers. “Love is more important than fear. Openheartedness is more powerful than defensiveness. I was so scared of losing what I thought was my pack, I didn’t realize they weren’t my pack. You saved me from that. You showed me what love really is.”
He took one of his hands away with hers and fumbled with the small box.
“You’re the heart of this pack, Jacqueline.” He kneeled down on one knee and Jacqueline gasped. “You’ve thrown yourself into this world with so much courage and so much love it takes my breath away.”
“You’re the strong one,” Jacqueline protested. “You saved my life. You stood up to your parents…”
“I couldn’t have done it without you at my side. And in my heart.” He took a deep breath. “I know you’ve done this before and it hasn’t worked out. But I need you to know that I’m yours. I want to be bound to you in every way. The mate bond, our pack… and in marriage.” He opened the box. “Jacqueline March, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Jacqueline was completely still. Arlo’s heart was in his throat. Then she made a noise that was half-laughter, half-sob, and slid from her chair. “Yes! Of course!”
She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him so hard he almost dropped the ring box. He exclaimed and fumbled for it and she grabbed for it, too, laughing against his lips. At last they both had their hands around it.
“I love you,” Jacqueline whispered as he slipped the ring onto her finger. “Marrying you is the only thing I can think of to make our life even more perfect.”
Arlo pulled her close against her. They sat together, gazing at the ring in the glittering light of the fairy lights.
“It’s beautiful,” Jacqueline whispered.
“The kids helped,” Arlo said. “Eric came up with the design. Kenna and Dylan chose the stones. And Tally… Tally did a really good job of not swallowing any of the pieces, or anything else in the workshop.”
“You made it yourself?” Jacqueline cupped her hand over the ring, treasuring it. But only for a second, before she had to look at it again.
“The guys helped. And the kids. And YouTube.”
Jacqueline laughed. “It’s perfect.”
“It’s not.” Arlo’s voice was rough. “It’s—look, you can see where I slipped and took a groove out of the edge. And there’s—Tally decided she likes hammers—I think I managed to buff out most of the d
ent, but you can still see it if you know where to look…”
She kissed him and he shut up.
“Shh. It’s perfect. Dents and all.”
She held out her hand and the fairy lights shimmered on the gold band with its cluster of tiny stones. The central gemstone was a dark sapphire with glints of lighter color in its heart, like sunlight on deep water. Around it were arranged four smaller London topazes.
“It’s the pack,” she breathed.
Arlo’s heart swelled. Of course she’d understood. “Tally, Dylan, Kenna, Eric… and me,” he said. “So you can always keep us close.”
Jacqueline curled the fingers of her other hand over her ring and kissed him again. When she pulled away her eyes were shining.
With happiness, Arlo reminded himself as his heart thudded. She only cries when she’s happy.
“What did Kenna say before she left?” Jacqueline asked.
Arlo rested his forehead against hers. “That I’d better not come find them until you’d agreed to marry me.”
Jacqueline burst out laughing. “She didn’t! No, God, of course she did.” She sighed happily. “I suppose it will make things easier. Making it official, finishing the house—so we square up our little family with the authorities.”
Arlo nuzzled her, brushing his lips across the soft skin of her cheekbones. “That’s not the reason I’m doing this.”