Page 82 of The Seal's Promise

“It was, and I asked Dalton if he would be my dad one day,” Max said very nonchalantly as he pulled out of the hug and looked up at his mom.

But Brooke went still and a light pink started to creep up her neck.

“Max, you can’t just ask Dalton to be your dad.”

“Oh, I know, he has to marry you first,” Max said matter-of-factly.

Brooke’s eyes found Dalton’s, and her forced smile was all he needed to know that she wanted the same thing.

Right there in the living room, Dalton sank to one knee and pulled out the ring box he’d been carrying around the last week. He popped it open and smiled up at Brooke.

“So I found this and I thought, why don’t we just make things official? It’s not like I’m going to be able to love you any more than I already do. Or Max. I want to be the one who gets to hold your hand through this life and grow old together with you. Will you marry me, Brooke Garcia?”

Max held on to Brooke’s waist as his head swiveled between the ring and his mom.

“Yes, I’ll marry you!” Her chin wobbled as she swiped at tears. But then she held out her hand so Dalton could push the simple gold band with a sparkling round diamond onto her delicate finger.

“Wow, we could catch a lot of fish with that thing, it’s so sparkly,” Max said.

Dalton wrapped them both into his arms and kissed Brooke. “You’re both my favorite part of every day and I can’t wait for forever.”

“Me too,” Max said.

“Me three,” Brooke agreed.

Dalton still couldn’t believe everything he needed was right where he started in his hometown of Sandy Point, but he was grateful he’d finally made his way back. Home really was where the heart is, and he wasn’t leaving ever again.

The End