Beneath the Surface, page 22
I nod my head toward the bed. “I know how to relieve some of that stress for you.”
She smiles. “Very tempting, but we’ll have to save that for later tonight. We have a family dinner to get to.”
I groan, but mostly in jest. I look forward to family dinners—much more than I used to since Paul and I reconciled our differences. Nevertheless, if I had my choice between going to dinner or spending the evening in bed with Hannah, it’d be an easy decision.
I know she’s right, and we should go. Besides, there’s another event on the agenda tonight, not that she’s aware of it yet.
We walk into the living room, and I grab my jacket—the one with the ring in the pocket—and put it on.
“What’s that?” I ask, pointing to a pink gift bag sitting on the coffee table.
“It’s for Immy,” she replies. “It’s a new doll. This one allegedly has no-tangle hair.”
“Jeremy will probably love that as much as she will,” I reply with a chuckle.
Immy’s other doll is beyond help at this point.
Hannah picks up the bag, and we head downstairs and to my car.
We’re in the car for fifteen minutes when Hannah picks up on the change of plans. “You just missed the turn.”
I grin as I glance over at her. “Dinner doesn’t start for another hour, so I thought we’d make a quick detour first.”
Her eyes light up with amusement. “Okay …”
I try to keep my nerves in check as I turn toward the beach—our beach.
“Just in time to catch a view of the water before the sun sets,” I say when we arrive, putting the car in park.
She claps her hands in excitement. This has become somewhat of a habit of ours over the past few years, and it never gets old.
We get out of the car, and I grab a blanket out of the trunk.
We walk over to our usual spot and lay out the blanket. The sun has dropped, so the timing is perfect. It’s exactly how I wanted this moment to be.
Hannah sits on the blanket, and I take the spot next to her, wrapping my arm around her and pulling her close to keep her warm.
In silence, we watch the waves as the sky changes colors. It’s like that first night that I brought her out here. Just as before, I steal a glance at her, wanting to take a mental picture of this evening.
“So beautiful,” I say.
She looks up at me, and by the way her cheeks flush, I know she remembers how I said it before.
“You’ve kind of turned into the perfect boyfriend—you know that?”
I’m certainly not perfect, by any means, but the comment means a lot. I’ve spent the past three years trying my best to appreciate every second with her and take nothing for granted. If life has taught me anything, it’s that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.
“I’d like to take my shot at being the perfect husband,” I reply as I release her. I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out the tiny box.
Her eyes widen as she comprehends what’s about to happen.
In retrospect, I should’ve planned this so she was standing and I could kneel, but asking her to stand now just seems awkward. At least I haven’t broken all the traditions though—I got her father’s blessing before I bought the ring.
With shaking hands, I open the box, revealing the two-carat diamond ring inside. “When we got paired together on that ridiculous assignment, I thought it was the worst thing in the world. Little did I know that fate had plans to bring us back together in the most unpredictable way. I experienced life and a world without you, and it made me realize I want—need—you for the rest of my life.” I take a deep breath and can hear my heart pounding in my ears, even over the waves. “Hannah Parker, will you marry me?”
She places her hands on my forearms. “Of course I will. For me, it’s always been you.”
I carefully pull the ring out of the box and slide it onto her finger. It’s a perfect fit.
She throws her arms around my neck, and I hold her tight, knowing that I will never let her go.
THE END
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I want to thank my husband. You are my rock, my comic relief, and my best friend. I am so lucky to have you by my side.
A big shout-out to Mom, Melissa, and Pam. Thank you for your endless support and for being the first to read Beneath the Surface. Your feedback was invaluable in shaping this novel into the best it could be.
To Jovana. Thank you for your expertise and your razor-sharp eye. You are amazing, and I’m grateful that I get to work with you.
A special thank-you to Brande, Mary, and Angie. Brande, thank you for listening to me ramble on about my book and for letting me take over our craft days with bookish things. Mary, thank you for believing in me and encouraging me to pursue my dreams. Angie, thank you for talking me out of giving up on this novel when the writing got tough. I’m so glad I didn’t!
To Amy, David, Michelle, Denise, Terri, and Kathy. Thank you for being in my cheering section and for always giving me a boost of encouragement when I need it.
My amazing friends, family, and readers. Thank you for believing in me. I do this for you, and I couldn’t do it without you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laurie Harrison is an award-winning writer, known for her enthralling romantic suspense novels. Her books feature captivating characters, page-turning thrills, and swoonworthy romance. When she’s not crafting stories that keep readers on the edge of their seats, Laurie loves spending time with her husband, traveling, and getting lost in a good book.
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OTHER BOOKS BY LAURIE HARRISON
The Unveiling Series
The Unveiling
The Deceiving
The Awakening
Stand-Alone Novels
Beneath the Surface
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Laurie Harrison, Beneath the Surface
