We lie like that for a long time, watching him, enjoying just being together, while Ethan blows bubbles and finally we all fall asleep.
Epilogue
Abigail
Two weeks later
Summer moves from side to side, bouncing Ethan in her arms. “Doesn’t she look gorgeous?” She gestures with her head toward the bride currently dancing with Noah. Izzy looks absolutely stunning in her ivory gown. The breeze has caught her headdress and is making it float around her head, but she’s laughing, looking like an angel on this beautiful spring day.
It’s late September, the day of Izzy and Hal’s wedding, and luckily the weather has been wonderful. I’m sitting with most of the gang from the Ark, having half a celebratory glass of wine and a five-minute rest before Noah comes to whisk me away again for another dance.
It doesn’t surprise me at all that Hal and Izzy decided to have their wedding at the Ark. Hal wanted a big do with his family, all the staff at the Ark, and a lot of our favorite clients, saying he wanted the whole world to watch him declare his life for his new wife. The square has been transformed by ribbons, balloons, and a band. The organizers set up a huge marquee in the field where we’ve just finished having an amazing dinner. Horses and sheep are looking through the fence, watching the proceedings, and quite a few dogs are running around with the children, enjoying the occasion.
The ceremony was incredibly touching, carried out beneath a white canopy with the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean behind them. Izzy cried as Hal promised to love her and cherish her until death parted them, and the rest of us girls—and I think some of the guys—had a few tears, too.
Izzy’s dad died when she was young, and Noah was incredibly touched when she asked him if he’d give her away. He thinks this whole affair is amazing, and he’s spent the whole day helping Stefan—Hal’s best man—to make sure everything goes smoothly.
I watch Noah where he’s dancing in the square in front of the band, occasionally twirling Izzy away from him before bringing her back into his arms. He’s an elegant man who can dance as well as he sings, and he looks gorgeous today in a dark-gray suit that complements his silvery gray hair perfectly. He’s wearing a white shirt and a light-gray waistcoat beneath the jacket. I’m going to ask him to leave the waistcoat on later. Hell, maybe leave the whole suit on. I kinda like the idea of having sex with James Bond.
Summer coos to Ethan, who swats a hand at her and bonks her on the nose. “Ouch,” she says, and laughs.
“He’s got quite a right hook on him,” Hal declares. “He gave me a black eye last week.”
“He did not,” I scoff.
He smiles. “Enjoying the day?”
“It’s fantastic,” Summer says with a sigh. “I think you’ve made Izzy the happiest woman in the world, Hal. Look at her.”
We all follow her gaze, and I catch my breath at Izzy’s radiant smile as she laughs at something Noah’s said.
“If I could make her smile like that every day, I’d be a happy man,” Hal comments.
“Aw.” I nudge him. “You old softie.”
“He takes after his dad,” Brock says, coming over. Hal grins, and the two of them exchange a bear hug.
“The two of you are going to smudge my mascara,” Summer scolds, sniffing.
“Wouldn’t be a wedding if everyone didn’t cry,” Hal says cheerfully, sitting back down. He smiles as Noah leads his wife toward him. Izzy runs up, sits on her new husband’s lap, and puts her arms around him, and they exchange a long, sensual smooch.
“It’s shocking, the public displays of affection that happen in the workplace,” Leon states, then laughs as Nix leans toward him for a kiss.
Hal grins as Izzy lifts her head, then turns his mischievous gaze on Noah. “So… have you asked her yet?”
Noah fixes him with a steady stare. “No, Hal. I haven’t gotten around to it yet.”
“Asked her what?” I say.
“You idiot,” Leon tells the new groom.
Hal pulls an eek face. “Oops. Sorry.”
Noah sighs. “Well you all interfered with my sex life; stands to reason you were going to interfere with everything else.” As they laugh, he stands and holds his hand out. “Come with me.”
Frowning, I slide my hand into his and let him lead me away from the table. Summer waves Ethan’s hand at us, and I smile before turning my gaze to the gorgeous view toward the Pacific, which is a bright blue today, reflecting the sky.
He leads me over to a fence overlooking the field, where two horses stand grazing contentedly. Then he turns to me and takes my hands in his.
“What do you want to ask me?” I say, puzzled. “Is it about making those dog biscuits that Izzy mentioned? Because I’ve had some ideas about those.”
“No, Abby,” he says patiently. “I don’t want to ask you about dog biscuits.” He glances across at the table, and I follow his gaze to see everyone trying to look as if they aren’t watching us. “Seems I can’t do anything in private,” he mumbles, and sighs.
He slides his hand into the pocket of his trousers and extracts a velvet-covered box. As my eyes widen, he opens it to reveal a ring with an enormous diamond.
“Holy shit.” I stare at it.
He lowers onto one knee. I shift my gaze to his face. His violet-blue eyes are as warm as the spring sun. “Will you marry me, Abby?”
I’m completely speechless. I didn’t expect this as at all. It’s only been two weeks since we first slept together. True, it’s been an amazing fortnight, and the two of us have spent a good portion of it in bed whenever Ethan’s had a snooze. And it’s true that we’ve known each other for several months now. And he delivered my baby. And he’s a better father than Ethan’s actual father. But even so. He wants to marry me?
He wants to marry me?
He’s still kneeling, his expression turning a little wry now. “Abby?”
“Is this a joke?” I say. It must be something Hal and Albie have concocted.
Noah sighs and gets up. “No, sweetheart.” He slides a hand beneath my chin and lifts it to look into my eyes. “Wouldn’t you like to stand in front of all our friends, like Izzy did today, and promise to be with me for the rest of our lives?”
My jaw drops, and I blink rapidly. “You really want to marry me?”
“I do. I love you, Abby.” He looks at the box in his hand. “I want you to wear this ring so every man who sees you knows you’re mine.”
“It’s a diamond.”
“I can’t get anything past you, can I?”
“Noah, it’s huge!”
“Are we still talking about the diamond?”
I’m too shocked to laugh. “But…”
“I’ve had an idea,” he says. “I thought we could get married at Christmas, maybe go somewhere in the snow, Europe or Canada or something. We could fly everyone over there. It’d be fun.”
“Europe?” I’m stunned. “You think you could get on a plane?”
“I do. I’m doing so much better,” he says, and he’s right; for some reason ever since we slept together, his agoraphobia has improved a hundredfold.
“And one more thing…” he adds. “About Ethan… I’d like to adopt him. I delivered him—he’s practically mine anyway.” He smiles. “What do you think?”
My bottom lip trembles. Then I burst into tears.
Noah blows out a breath and pulls me into his arms. “Oh dear.”
There are voices behind us, and then everyone’s gathering around, clapping him on the shoulder and rubbing my back as they cheer.
“She hasn’t said yes, yet,” Noah points out, and I throw my arms around him and bury my face in his neck.
“Yes, yes, yes!”
“There you go,” Hal says.
Summer’s there, too, Ethan in her arms, and Noah takes him from her, lifting him up in the air and chuckling as Ethan beams at him.
“Oh, Abby,” Summer says, seeing me crying, and she gives me a big hug.
“He
asked me to marry him,” I say through my tears.
She laughs. “I know. About time.”
I look over her shoulder at Noah. He’s smiling at his father, Matt King, who’s come over to hug him, and his mother, who’s also in tears. She kisses Ethan’s forehead, and my throat tightens again.
I’ve spent so long being unhappy and lonely, and now I’m being welcomed into this wonderful family. My son is going to grow up surrounded by love. “I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve this,” I tell Summer, wiping my eyes.
“We’re the lucky ones,” she says, as Noah turns to us and passes Ethan to me.
“We are,” he says, and he leans forward and kisses me, as the seagulls cry overhead, and Hal dances with his new wife under the hot spring sun.
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My Wounded Billionaire
My Wounded Billionaire (Book 5) – Fitz and Poppy’s story – will be released on 17 October! Unfortunately, I can’t put this one up for pre-order because I’ve canceled another pre-order and Amazon won’t let me do any more this year! But you can join the Kiwi Birds below to be informed when it’s out!
Can’t wait? Have you read the Three Wise Men?
Available as individual books or a USA Today bestselling box set! Read more here
Book 1: The Perfect Gift
Consultant pediatrician Brock King lost his wife to cancer two years ago, and he’s convinced the love he felt for her only comes around once in a lifetime. Then, while visiting the children’s ward, he meets single mum Erin, and suddenly his future doesn’t seem so bleak. Brock offers to take Erin away for her birthday, no strings attached, to give her the perfect gift every single mom would kill for—a night in an exclusive hotel. Will she take him up on his offer, which might (if she’s very lucky) end up with hot sex with a billionaire? Or should she take the moral high ground and say no?
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Join the Kiwi Birds!
Join my Kiwi Birds community and you’ll be able to download my free starter library!
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Other Series by Serenity Woods
For an up-to-date list of available books, please visit the Books page on my website.
Bay of Islands Brides
Between the Sheets
Blue Penguin Bay
Christmas Wishes
Dartmoor Big Cat Brides
Heartfelt
Like a Boss
Love Comes Later
Sensual Healing
Serenity’s Standalones
The Billionaire Kings
The Four Seasons
Three Wise Men
Treats to Tempt You
Collections
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About the Author
Serenity Woods lives in the sub-tropical Northland of New Zealand with her wonderful husband and gorgeous son. She writes hot and sultry contemporary romances with a happy ever after, and would much rather immerse herself in reading or writing romance than do the dusting and ironing, which is why it’s not a great idea to pop round if you have any allergies.
Website: http://www.serenitywoodsromance.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/serenitywoodsromance
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Serenity_Woods
My Lonely Billionaire (The Billionaire Kings Book 4) Page 20
