Page 48 of The Grinch who Loved Me
Farren snorted and Jet rolled his eyes and mock glared at her.
“Do you need a little ice for that burn?”
Jet shook his head and chuckled, “You are gonna get it later, wife.”
Farren went pink and Jet turned back to Ryland, “Good answer. Are you always going to protect her?”
Ryland looked down at Aria, “She is the most perfect woman I have ever met or seen. And I would protect her with my life if she needs it. And yet, Aria is so capable she doesn’t need my protection. But she gets it nonetheless.”
Jet blinked, “Damn it. My mom told us what Aria did. That you were perfect for her.”
Aria grabbed his hand, “He is. More than perfect for me. He knows that I can handle myself, but yet, if I need him he is there. And I love him for that. He won’t let me fall or let me down. He is mine. And if anyone tries to scare him away by interrogating him, I will be angry.”
Ryland coughed to hold back his laugh, “She is so fierce. And that can’t scare me away beauty. No one can. I’m all yours.”
He kissed her right in front of everyone and Gwen stood, “I told you all that he was going to be perfect and here he is, showing it to you all. Now stop being your Navy SEAL selves and accept that Ryland loves Aria and that he is good enough for her, even though you don’t believe anyone is. I have never met a man more suited for Aria. And I will stand with them both.”
Jet sighed, “You never let us have any fun ma.”
Gwen put her hands on her hips, “I know how you think Jet John Cannon.”
Jet scrunched his nose and Aria said, “Oh! She middle named you. You are in trouble now.”
Scout high fived Aria and Ryland coughed again, as Jet glared at Scout.
“You are supposed to be on my side.”
Scout shrugged, “It’s as your mom said, we never believed anyone would be good enough for Aria and she found someone who is. And we have to be okay with it. She isn’t ten anymore. She is a grown woman and I’m just glad that she found someone who loves her like we do.”
Ryland held his hand out, “Thank you Scout. I do love her Jet. From the second I saw her I loved her. She is the only woman who could ever get me to look twice at one. She is my everything.”
Farren put her hand in Jet’s, “See? Leave it be you big bad SEAL. You don’t scare him.”
Ryland coughed, “Oh, he scares me, but not away from Aria.”
All the adults burst out laughing and Jet stood and shook Ryland’s hand again. “You will do.”
The rest of the night was spent getting to know everyone and John tried to include Rick as much as they could.
Rick ended up helping John fix a few things that he couldn’t figure out in his engine and Ryland loved that John was so willing to be kind to a stranger.
By the time Christmas rolled around, the kids were all excited and Ryland remembered what it felt like before his mom left.
He and his dad had mended their relationship even more and Ryland had found a car at an auction and had bid on it and bought it and would pick it up in the New Year.
A car his dad has always wanted and when Ryland gave him the title and the paperwork for it, his dad almost cried.
It was Ryland’s favorite and Gwen and Raegan had also told him the gem that Aria wanted in her ring and the cut she wanted it to be. So he had bought it and when everyone had opened presents and the kids were in another room playing with toys, Ryland got down on one knee again and all the people in the room watched as he did.
He opened the box to reveal the purple amethyst that was square cut in the center of the cushion. It was three carats and he loved it and he had also bought two triangle cut diamonds to accompany the amethyst.
Aria put her hand to her mouth and he smiled, “I already asked you, but here I am, on my knee in front of your family and friends and I am asking again. Aria Jane Cannon, will you marry me? Make me the happiest man to ever walk on the earth? And be mine for always?”
She nodded and he stood, cupping her face in one of his hands and kissing her.
He loved this woman. And he couldn’t believe she was his.
They hadn’t been able to get alone time and he respected her family too much to ever jeopardize his relationship with them.
