are you – ” But when Ash turned around, Jen's torso was bent over the trunk among a half-dozen bags and boxes.
“Be right there,” she called.
Ash shrugged. Whatever. “Hi handsome,” she said to Eddie as she neared the porch. Lucas had disappeared somewhere, probably around back if she had to guess, from the aroma of grilled meat wafting out to them. Fresh red paint on the front door and impatiens lining the windows gave the house an inviting air. A Cape-style with dormers, it sat low to the ground, cozy and warm, like something she'd choose for herself one day. “Cute place. Did you help too?” She didn't recalled Eddie mentioning it, but they'd both been so busy this last month that it might have slipped by her.
“I helped a little, yeah.” He ran a hand over the porch railing. “You like it?
“It's nice. Very cute. Did Frank close the shop early today?”
Eddie rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah, yeah.” Hair damp from the shower, shirt a little wrinkled, he smelled as delicious as always, and for a second Ash thought about suggesting they find a bedroom to christen rather than pull up picnic chairs. Damn, he turned her hot in a hurry. She reached for him, but rather than fold her into his arms, he stepped back.
“What's wrong?”
His face reddened. “Nothin'. Just – ah. Close your eyes for a minute, will ya?”
“Close my – ” She stopped. Jen's knowing look. Eddie being here in the middle of the afternoon. Her pulse sped up as she closed her eyes, lids trembling against the sunlight.
“Okay.”
When she opened her eyes again, Eddie rested before her, one knee to the ground and a box in his hand. Ash started to cry.
“Told you a long time ago that you changed my life.” His voice broke on the opening words. He opened the box, and a gorgeous diamond surrounded by two sapphires sparkled in the afternoon light. “It's always been you, Ash. Always.”
She cried harder. Somewhere behind her she thought she heard voices, but she didn't trust her legs to turn around.
“You are my best friend. My soul mate. You are my world, my light, everything good that's ever happened to me. Please say you'll marry me.”
She couldn't speak. I came to Paradise to escape. Who knew I'd end up finding everything I'd ever wanted? She nodded, not trusting her voice.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes,” she managed to say as he slid the ring onto her finger. “Oh, Eddie, yes. Forever, a thousand times, yes.”
“It's about time,” Jen said from behind her. She skipped over and grabbed Ash's hand. “Damn. Must have cost a fortune, Lover Boy.” She planted a kiss on Eddie's cheek. “Congrats.”
Ash stared at her hand in wonder, but for a moment only, as other familiar faces joined them in the front yard. “Dad?” And her mother too, and both her sisters. “You – ” She turned back to Eddie. “You invited them all here?” There was Frank and his wife, and a couple of waitresses from the restaurant, and Shelia and Teagan, her fellow professors from the college. “All of them?”
“Yeah. Good thing you said yes. Woulda been a shitty party if you hadn't.” This time, finally, he pulled her in for a kiss, one hand in her hair and the other tight around her waist.
On her tiptoes she leaned into him. Their kiss deepened, and her hands moved to his face, to the stubble of his beard she loved so much. “I'm crazy about you,” she whispered against him.
He ran one hand over her hair, his expression tender as his thumb rested on her lower lip. “Any chance I can convince you to sneak away for a quickie before the party starts?”
She laughed. You read my mind. “I don't know if the host would be thrilled with that.” She glanced at the front door. “Though I wouldn't mind taking a tour of the house. What do you say we ask?”
Eddie let her go long enough to pull a key from his pocket. “He says yes.”
Ash looked at the key, attached to a fob that read “Frank's Imports.” She'd seen that fob before – or one like it, anyway. Her brows drew together. “I don't...” Realization spread over her. She looked from Eddie to Lucas and back again. “Please tell me you are not the ‘friend’ that Lucas came up here to help.”
Lucas grinned from under his baseball cap and held up both palms. “Guilty.”
“Eddie!” Her jaw dropped. “This is your