Proof of Life (The Potentate of Atlanta #4) - Hailey Edwards Page 0,98
here?”
“Better than okay.” She rocked forward and kissed Hadley’s forehead. “Come on, sweetheart.”
Hadley shot him a nervous glance but linked her arm with his mom’s and entered the house.
He stood close enough to catch her indrawn breath when she spotted the massive gathering in the entry and recognized the closest faces. Boaz and Addie. Grier and Linus. Bishop and Remy. Ford and Lisbeth. Abbott and Lethe.
“What is this?” She whirled toward him, and his mother slipped away like a wolf into mists. “Midas?”
“I made my share of mistakes during our courtship,” he said, loud enough his voice carried through the room. “Most of them stemmed from fear. Of losing you, of losing control.”
Her mouth fell open, her eyes rounded, and she rocked back a step. All signs pointed toward her bolting. It was then he realized he had done it again, let his cultural needs supersede her personal preferences. It made the knot in his gut pull tight with certainty that he had no idea what he was doing, but he was sure he was doing it all wrong.
“I made my fair share of mistakes too.” Exhaling slowly, she slid her warm hand into his and repeated his words to him. “Most of them stemmed from fear. Of losing you, of losing control.”
In her voice, he heard understanding and acceptance, and his stomach quit twisting quite so hard.
“I had no clue what I was doing,” he said softer. “I followed the rules outlined by my people to the letter, because they gave me guidelines until I could figure out what to do on my own. Except I keep falling back on my customs and neglecting yours. We need to start our own traditions that meld our heritages.”
“I don’t feel slighted.” She walked into his arms. “I’m just glad one of us had a plan.”
“You have to hold me accountable for this to work.”
“You’re doing your best, and I can’t ask for more than that.” She linked her hands at his spine. “I like that you want to establish our own traditions, but your pack is your family, and I want to be part of it too. We can walk the line between our cultures, but I’m also good with stepping over to your side every once in a while, if it means allowing you to grow and mature into a leadership role for your people.”
“Our people,” he corrected. “You’re pack, Hadley.” He smiled a tiny smile. “You’re mine.”
“This again?” She rolled her eyes. “I’m not a thing to be owned.”
“I have no problem being owned.” He stared down at her. “Everything I am is yours.”
“I thought there would be food,” someone yelled. “Where are the cupcakes?”
No, not someone. His sister. Lethe. Giving him the kick in the pants he needed to drop to one knee.
“What are you…?” Hadley slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, Midas.” Her eyes rounded. “Midas.”
“There are children present,” Ford called. “Keep it PG.”
Fumbling in his pocket, Midas closed his hand around a small box. “I need to ask you a question.”
“Okay,” she whispered between her fingers. “Um, yeah. Okay. You can do that.”
Careful not to let the box slip through his clumsy fingers, he cracked open the lid to reveal a ring.
“What is that?” Grier leaned in. “An onyx?”
“Looks like jet,” Linus countered. “A rather large piece of jet.”
Joining in the speculation, his mom tossed in her guess. “Black tourmaline?”
Hadley hadn’t moved since the hinge squeaked on his palm. He wasn’t certain she was breathing.
“It’s a Carbonado diamond,” he told them then focused on her. “It’s made from—”
“—a star,” Hadley finished for him, “that exploded before the formation of our solar system—”
“—and fell to Earth as an asteroid over—”
“—two billion years ago.”
The Asscher cut black diamond was three carats, prong set in eighteen-karat white gold, and surrounded by a halo of round white extraterrestrial diamonds. More of the same white diamonds studded the band.
The black stone lacked the glint and glimmer of a traditional white diamond, but its origins spoke to him, a tribute to his geeky mate’s love of science fiction. He hoped it spoke to her too. Especially when he had lost his voice again.
“Marry me,” she breathed then flashed her eyes up to his. “I’m serious.”
“Can I handle this part?” He gestured at his pose. “I’m the one down on one knee.”
“Oh. Yeah. Sorry.” Her fingers clenched and released at her sides. “I just—wow. I got excited.”
“Marry me.” A smile tickled the right side of his mouth. “I’m serious.”