Page 60 of The Billionaire's Accidental Daddy Duty
“Isla.”
His imploring tone compelled me to amble toward him and reach for the doorknob. A part of me wantedto ask why he had waited so long to come for me. But I knew why. He had Joey and Harper. Even if he missed me, nothing had changed.
“Wait, what?” I pressed my eye to the peephole. I’d been so shocked to see him, I hadn’t realized what he’d been holding in his arms—or rather who. I swung the door open. “You brought your son? Why?”
“I thought you might want to see him.”
God, he looked so handsome when he did that half-smile thing. I switched my attention to Joey, who immediately wiggled toward me. How about that? The little guy missed me. I let him fall into me and then squeezed him tight while I took in a big waft of baby scent off his head. I had missed them both so much.
“You’re not playing fair.” My eyes watered as I lifted my gaze to meet Declan’s.
“No one smart ever does.” He stepped inside the studio and shut the door. “I’ve been dying to see you. Be with you.” His hand reached for my elbow.
“What do you want?” I stepped back.
“I only have one question for you.”
“Okay. Make it quick because I’m super busy.” I pointed toward the scattered boxes in the room. Unpacking and settling in would literally take two hours. But he didn’t need to know that. He needed to not be here, messing with my head and my heart.
He took Joey from me and set him down on the floor. Joey kicked a few times, then walked a circle around me. “Omigod. He’s walking.”
“Oh yeah, he started a few days ago.”
My chest tightened. Though it had no reason to. So what if I missed a major milestone? Joey wasn’t mine. This incredibly sexy man standing in my small apartment wasn’t mine.
“He also said his first word.” He chuckled. “Mum. He says Mum a lot.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks. I bent down to touch his head, and Declan caught my hand. My jaw dropped to the floor when he got down on one knee. “Isla, would you marry me?”
“What? That was your question?”
“It is.”
Did I want to marry Declan Noble? Of course I did…but. “What about Harper?”
“We’ve worked things out.” He let out a breath, his intense blue gaze never leaving mine. “I’m not in love with her. I tried to do the right thing, but my thoughts, my whole being were always somewhere else. I love you, Isla. I want you. No one else will do.”
“I don’t know what to say. I honestly was not expecting this at all.” I raked my free hand through my hair. “You were gone.”
“I know.” He squeezed my fingers to get me to face him. “I’m so sorry it took me so long to figure things out. I promise you; it was never about my feelings for you. That part was very clear to me since the beginning.”
“Harper is okay with this?”
“She is. I have full custody of Joey now in case, you know, the treatments don’t work out. I have power of attorney, so her doctor knows to include me in all health-related issues. She doesn’t want her family involved. Longstory there.” He shot a glance toward Joey, who was now inspecting one of my boxes. “In a year when she’s better, we’ll revisit all the legal stuff. Today is actually her day with Joey, but she let me bring him here.”
“She knows you’re here to…” I waved my hand trying to figure out which word would describe our current situation and could only come up with one. “To propose?”
“Yes, she does.” He beamed at Joey. “Who do you think dressed him in his Sunday best?”
“He looks very dapper.” I laughed.
I had spent my days wondering what Declan was doing, wondering if he ever thought of me, if he missed me, if he ever loved me. As it turned out, he had spent his time sorting out his life so he could be with me. Onlythe fixercould come up with such a thorough solution. Every aspect of Harper’s and Joey’s life had been taken care of.
This was exactly what I loved about him. He never did anything half-ass. And now I could be with him without guilt. Declan was here to offer me his heart, his whole heart. I blinked to clear my vision and take in his face and tall frame. I inhaled and the pain and regret from all the days he was gone, simply vanished. I loved him so much.
“Tell me I’m not too late.”
“You’re not too late.” I bit my trembling lip. “Ask me again.”
