Page 140 of Fierce-Dane

When he was done, he sat up and got dressed.

She went to open the door, but he stopped her. “I’ve got to give you your tip,” he said.

She rolled her eyes. It always bothered her when he did that, but she stopped arguing over it.

“Sure,” she said.

She put her hand out but rather than cash going in it, he dropped to one knee. “I’ve got something better than money today.”

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I know what I want to do, but by the look on your face I might have misjudged it.”

“Oh no,” she said. “You didn’t. It’s just...this is soon.”

He laughed. “I’m getting older. I want more kids. You do too.”

“I do,” she said. They’d talked about it. She wanted at least one of her own.

“Well then,” he said. “Let me continue. “Six months ago today we went on our first date after my second massage.”

“Oh my God,” she said. “You remembered that.”

“I remember everything,” he said. “When it’s important. Just like you are. I love you. I love the way you love my kids. I love that my kids love you the way I do. I want us to be a family permanently. Not running back and forth. I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?”

“I will,” she said. “Because I want all the same things you do.”

He slid the ring on her finger, then stood up and kissedher. “I really didn’t forget I had the kids today. But I wanted today to be the day.”

“You’re sneaky,” she said.

“Not in a bad way. Should we go tell the kids?” he asked.

“Do they know?” she asked. Maybe doing this here wasn’t a good thing. Maybe his kids wouldn’t be happy about it.

“They do. I told them yesterday. I didn’t want them to tell Mel so I waited until the last minute. I told Tiffani if she didn’t say a word to you today she could have monthly pedicures for six months. Tyler got a new game he’s playing.”

“See, sneaky,” she said. “But I love it.”

She knew he’d tell Mel himself but was glad this was between them.

They left to go to her office knowing the kids would all be there.

“Did you do it, Dad?” Tiffani asked, jumping around.

“I did,” he said. “She said yes.”

Tiffani charged her and hugged her waist, then pulled Shiloh over too and said, “We’re going to be sisters. Dad and Sloane are getting married.”

There was no reason to correct the kids on what their relationship would be.

Dane winked at her. “Told you it was all good.”

“You were right, once again. Now I’ve got a call to make.”

“Hello,”Diane said when she answered. She had Sloane’s Spa saved in her contacts but didn’t know why she was getting a call.

“Hi, Diane. This is Sloane. I don’t suppose you can get Carolyn on the call with you right now?”