Page 81 of Under His Watch

I lowered to the carpet and picked it up, and I realized her ploy. On my knee, I asked her again. “Will you marry me, Tessa?”

She held her hand out and laughed lightly. “It would be my pleasure, Romeo Constella.”

I slid the ring onto her finger, and after I stood, I pulled her close for a deep kiss, a promise.

Because this woman would always be mine, to love, to keep, and to protect.

32

TESSA

“Ithink it’ll be fine,” Nina said as I bustled through the kitchen.

“I know it’ll be fine, but I’m still nervous somehow.”

She laughed as I nitpicked about food lying out for the small engagement party she wanted to throw for me and Romeo. While she was the host, she planned to be a lazy one. Her pregnancy was going smoothly, but her feet hurt too often to stand for long.

“Nervous about what, though?” she asked, watching me fret.

I’d never had a party thrown for me, so that was a little anxiety-inducing, but it was the arrival of one certain guest that threw me off.

“I haven’t seen Liam in years,” I reminded her. “About six.”

She nodded and munched on a carrot stick from the veggie plate. “Okay. But it’s Liam. A friend from the past.”

“I know. But I can’t tell how he’ll react to my being engaged to Romeo.”

She frowned. “Like he might not approve?”

I sighed. “I don’t know. I’m being silly.”

“Not silly. I’m curious about him coming here to stay, but not out of fear he won’t like Dante or Romeo.”

I pursed my lips and drummed my fingers. “Curious about what?” I was intrigued too, but I wanted to hear if she felt the same about what made me suspicious.

“Hmm.” She shrugged. “He’s being vague in his calls.”

I pointed at her. “Yes!”

“He sounded glad to have a place to stay, but he put so much more emphasis on needing to find work.”

I nodded. “Maybe it’s because he decided not to enlist again?”

“Maybe. And that’s surprising too. I don’t know Liam as well as you, but I always figured he would be a lifer like my dad was, in the service for a whole career.”

With my friend being only in his early thirties, that math didn’t add up.

“Not to mention the way he keeps warning me that he has a ‘surprise’ for me to see,” I reminded her.

“Hmm-mmm. But hey, maybe Dante or Romeo could offer him a job here.”

“Offer who a job?” Eva asked as she walked through.

“A friend,” I replied before she exited, not staying to chat.

Regardless of my excitement and nervousness to see Liam, I was counting down the minutes until he’d arrive. I hadn’t seen himin years, and I was happy that he’d stay. In a small way, I wanted him to approve of Romeo because hewasn’tanother member of the Constella Family. I was surrounded by those who knew Romeo already, and I was excited to receive an independent opinion of the man I loved. Nothing would steer me from loving him, but in a ridiculous little way, I wanted someone else to see and admire what I’d found.

Just before the engagement party would start, I worried that Liam had told me the wrong time or day of his arrival or that he wasn’t coming.

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