Just then, the men flipped on the lights again and everyone shouted, “Welcome home!”
Kata turned to her husband with a stunned looked, her mouth gaping open. “Home?”
Hunter caressed her cheek, then dropped his palm to her nape. “Yep. Our home, honey. I bought it for us. For the future. When my tour is up this summer, I’m going to take Jack and Deke up on their job offer. And we’re going to have those babies.”
She didn’t say anything for a long moment, just stared at her husband. Then she screamed and threw herself into his arms. “Really? Seriously? You’d do that for me?”
“For us, honey. I want to be with you and I want to prove it.”
Kata pressed a dozen kisses to his face, her arms hooked tightly around his neck. “I love you!”
“I love you, too.” He held her tight and chuckled. “Do you want to see the rest of the house?”
“Absolutely!” Hunter led Kata off by the hand, and most of the crowd followed them for the nickel tour, slapping Hunter’s back and congratulating the couple on their new place.
Their happiness warmed Caleb and gave him hope for his own future. When Carlotta started to follow her daughter and his son down the hall, he hooked an arm around her waist and held her back. “They don’t need you right now, baby. I do.”
Before she could question him, he claimed her lips in a slow kiss, taking her mouth gently and thoroughly until she melted against him. When she was putty under his hands, her lids fluttering open and her breathing heavy, he cupped her face and lifted her gaze to his.
“I love you, Carlotta.”
She flushed sweetly, but didn’t look away and didn’t hesitate. “I love you too, Caleb.”
Hope buoyed his heart…even if his guts felt as if they were running an obstacle course through slogging mud. He had been through a lot with this woman. A lot of worrying, a lot of waiting, a lot of uncertainty. But he was certain of this and their tomorrow.
Caleb fished into his pocket and withdrew a little black velvet box, then popped the lid open. “Marry me.”
She gasped, her hands covering her mouth as her jaw dropped. Her big chocolate eyes widened. Then she dropped her hands and a huge grin curled up those red, sensual lips he was hungry to kiss again. “Really?”
“Really, Lottie. Be my wife.”
“Yes!” Her happy shout echoed all through the house and brought everyone else running down the hall in a mass of whining toddlers, warriors on alert, and women eager for gossip. Caleb ignored them all as he grabbed the ring from the velvet case and slid it on Carlotta’s finger.
The crowd all stopped short as tears slid down Carlotta’s cheeks. In that moment, she had never looked more beautiful to him. She had never looked more his. And he could not remember ever feeling happier.
“Mamá?” Kata asked, almost as if holding her breath.
“You are not the only one in love with an Edgington man.” Carlotta flushed.
Caleb laughed and picked her up with a whoop. Tara and Delaney dried their eyes. Kimber darted forward to hug her and welcome her into the family again. Logan pressed a kiss to her cheek. The rest smiled fondly, more than happy for another reason to celebrate. Except Xander, who looked like he might never be happy again. Caleb hoped for his sake that he could find even a fraction of the joy he felt now.
Elation bubbled inside him as he pressed Carlotta to him for a happy kiss.
“This is the best Christmas ever,” she whispered to him.
“The very best,” he agreed. “Let’s get married by New Year’s.”
“What?” She looked startled. “Where? How? I don’t have a dress.”
“Vegas. Justice of the Peace. Caribbean island. I don’t care where we are or what you wear. I don’t want to wait another minute longer than I have to in order to hear you say ‘I do.’”
“I’m stronger and happier for having you in my life, and I want to spend all my days loving you, Caleb. I do.”
“I do, too. Now kiss me, baby.”
To the whoops and catcalls of everyone around them, he claimed his fiancée’s lips and held her tight, knowing this would be the first of many magical Christmases to come they would share.