Page 27 of To Win a Rebel

“Yeah, do not ever call me that again, and next time, don’t attack my man. Nate doesn’t want you,” Molly said. “Get it through your head, there are plenty of other men out there. Stop chasing after mine.”

There was silence and Nate realized that the music had been turned off. Molly jerked as a round of applause ensued.

Nate looked around to see a lot of people had witnessed this.

“I’m going to sue you,” Rachael said, suddenly getting to her feet and glaring at her. “For assault.”

“You do that, I will do the same to you, and let’s talk aboutthe harassment as well,” Nate said. “You think I won’t? Come after my woman, and I’ll make you pay.”

There were a lot of cheers. Rachael had upset a lot of men and women in town. No one was on her side, with how she’d treated everyone. Seeing that she was not going to win this, she scrambled out of the room, and Molly turned toward him as the music started to play.

Nate cupped her cheeks. “Thank you.”

“What’s this?” Molly asked, holding up the velvet box. “I was waiting in line for the bathroom, and I got cold, and so I shoved my hands in my pockets, and I found this, and I … what is this?”

Nate took the engagement ring from her and lowered to one knee.

Bethany and Randy were close by, and he reached for Molly’s hand.

“I want to marry you, Molly. Shit, fuck, that is not what I meant to say. I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time, and I didn’t think I deserved you. You’re a special kind of woman, Molly. The kind of woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. Will you marry me?” He had been practicing his speech for a long time, and he didn’t even use it. It had failed him.

“You’re not breaking up with me?” Molly asked.

“Breaking up with you? Why would I do that? I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you. I want to grow old with you, have lots of kids, but in time. We’ve got plenty of time.”

Molly didn’t answer, but cupped his face and kissed him.

Nate wasn’t sure if this was a yes, but he had a feeling it might be.

“Is that a yes?” Nate asked, when she broke the kiss.

“Yeah, it’s a yes, because, Nate Sinclair, I love you more than anything in the world, and I have for quite some time.”

And now, there was a different kind of applause, as he slid the engagement ring on her finger, wrapped his arms around her waist, and then spun her around the room, knowing she had just made him the luckiest man in the whole freaking room.

Epilogue

Ten Years Later

“Relax, trust me, your kids are in good hands. I know, and I do speak from experience,” Bethany said.

Molly glanced at the other woman and knew she spoke the truth. This was not the first Halloween she’d allowed her kids to go on the annual sleepover. When they were babies, she and Nate had enjoyed Halloween in front of a roaring fire, a bowl of candy between them, and movies to enjoy.

The last few years, once Michael, their eldest, had gone to school, and wanted to do the Halloween sleepover, they had been enjoying the party. Especially as Macy, their youngest, was about to head to school and wanted to join in.

All three of their kids were at the sleepover, along with Bethany’s as well, apart from her oldest daughter who had already gone to college.

“I know. I know. We do this every single year, and it’s always fun, but I can’t stop worrying.”

“Trust me, this feels like nothing compared to having a daughter go away to college.”

“Shelby is coming back every holiday, right?”

“Yep, that she is, but come on, college, and yeah, I’m feeling too old right now.” Bethany sighed. “Seems like yesterday it wasusthinking about going to college!”

Molly laughed and then gasped as her very own scientist wrapped his arms around her. She had fake scars all over her face, along with cobwebs and mud in her hair. Her face had too much makeup on, and Nate was a scientist with a massive head for a brain.

Each year they always came to this party as a couple. This was their engagement anniversary, it was where she told him she was pregnant with their first child.