Let Me In

by Parker, Ali

  Laughter floated out of the ballroom behind us. I was glad everyone was having a good time. It was the culmination of a lot of hard work over the year. Every person in there deserved to celebrate their success, including Charlie’s crew.

  “What kind of business?” she asked. “Are you guys cooking up another scheme to make ships even faster?”

  “No. I think I’m good for a while now. I have more important matters to focus on.”

  She touched my cheek. “I better be one of those matters.”

  “You are. You absolutely are.”

  “My dad is pretty excited to be a part of all of this,” she commented.

  “He should be. He made it possible, which is why I gave him a check for his cut of the profits.”

  Her mouth fell open. “You did what?”

  I shrugged. “Without him, I never would have gotten those first few ships to try out the new hardware. He offered suggestions that made it work even better. He deserved—no, he earned—that money.”

  “Wow. Did he accept it?”

  I laughed and nodded. “Oh yeah, he did. His name is also included on the patent. Your father is not going to have to teach another day of his life if he doesn’t want to.”

  “You are amazing,” she whispered.

  “Nah, I’m just lucky to have really amazing people in my life that make me look good.”

  “I think you are incredible all on your own.”

  “There was something else your father and I needed to discuss,” I told her.

  She made a face. “I’m almost afraid to ask.”

  I reached into the inside pocket of my suit and dropped to one knee in front of her. She gasped, putting both hands over her mouth. “I needed to ask him a very important question.”

  “You did?” The words were barely audible through her fingers covering her mouth.

  “I asked him for permission to ask you to be my wife. Evie, you have taken this old, wounded soul and shown me what living really is. You have given me a life I didn’t know was possible. You have shown me light and love and I never want to be apart from you. Will you please marry me?”

  I opened the box, flashing the ring I hoped wasn’t too big but big enough to convince her to say yes.

  She was staring at the ring, tears in her eyes. “Xander.”

  “Evie?” I prompted.

  “Yes! Oh my god. This is so crazy! Yes!”

  I got to my feet and pulled her into my arms to kiss her. I was sealing the deal. I was going to make the woman who’d changed my life my wife. After a heated kiss, I stepped back to slide the ring on her finger.

  “I love you,” I told her. “I love you more than anything in this world. I promise I will do everything I can to make you happy. You will always be taken care of and cherished.”

  “Xander, you are a beautiful man. I love you. I cannot wait to be your wife. I promise I will work hard to make you happy. I will love you no matter what comes our way.”

  There was a sense of peace that washed over me. We were forever bound. I knew there was nothing we couldn’t handle together. We were a team and we always would be. “We should probably go back inside before they start looking for us.”

  “Or we could sneak away and go home,” she said.

  I kissed her again. “Woman, do not tease me. I will take you right against the wall if you let me.”

  “Home. Later.”

  I kissed her forehead, being careful not to muss her hair. “I’m going to hold you to it.”

  We made our way back inside. It wasn’t long before the news of our engagement spread around the party. What was supposed to be a celebration of a lot of hard work and success turned into an engagement party. Evie insisted she was throwing one of those in the coming months. I didn’t mind a bit. I would attend any party she wanted me to if it made her happy.

  I liked having a purpose in life that had nothing to do with making money or being successful. My only goal when I opened my eyes in the morning was to make her happy. I felt I owed it to her. She had come into my life at a time when I didn’t even know I needed her. She had made me whole. She had gotten me through what was absolutely the worst time of my life. Her love kept me afloat.

  My dad came to stand beside me as I watched Evie work the crowd, flashing her ring to anyone that asked. “She’s really something,” he commented.

  “Yes, she is.”

  “Your mother would have liked her.”

  I nodded, smiling as someone hugged her and congratulated her. “Kade knew. The moment Kade met her, he knew. I just wish he could be here to see it all.”

  “I’m sure he knew you two were going to end up together, no matter how hard you tried to screw it up.”

  We both got a small laugh at that. “I did do a damn good job making a mess of things. I’m lucky she loves me despite my many flaws.”

  “Yes, you are. Always remember that. When you don’t feel like you can do anything right or you feel like you are tired and weary, remember she loves you. A good woman’s love can carry a man through for the rest of his life if he lets it.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” I said as I watched her move around the room.

  I watched her and the other people that had made an impact in my life. I had never been surrounded by so many people I cared about. They were all there. I had a family. A real family.

  The days of being a lone wolf were behind me and I was never going to look back.

  The End

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  About the Author

  Ali Parker is a full-time contemporary and new adult romance writer with more than a hundred and twenty books behind her. She loves coffee, watching a great movie and hanging out with her hubs. By hanging out, she means making out. The man is hot. Hello.

  She’s a creative at heart and loves coming up with more ideas than any one person should be allowed to access. She lives in Tennessee with her hubs, teenage son, two grown daughters and first grand baby (yes!). Telling a good story that revives hope, reminds us of love and gives a vacation from life is all she’s up to.

  Questions, comments or concerns? You can always email her at Ali@aliparkerbooks.com.

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  Copyright © 2020 by Ali Parker

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  The novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and plot are all either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons – living or dead – is purely coincidental.

  First Edition.

  Editor: Eric Martinez

  Cover Designer: Ryn Katryn Digital Art

 

 

 
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