"This has been home since the first night. I can't explain it."

"You don't have to."

"No." He turned his lips into her palm. "Not to you. One last thing." Again he took her hands. "I love you, Lilah, and I have to ask if you're willing to take the risk of marrying an unemployed former teacher who thinks he can write a book."

"No." She smiled and linked her arms around his neck. "But I'm going to marry a very talented and brilliant man who is writing a wonderful book."

With a laugh, he rested his brow on hers. "I like your way better."

"Max." She snuggled into the crook of his arm. "Let's go tell Aunt Coco. She'll be so thrilled she'll fix us blueberry pancakes for an engagement breakfast."

He eased her back against the pillows. "How about an engagement brunch?"

She laughed and flowed into the kiss. "This time I like your way better."

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