“It’s okay, Dante. I know how you feel.”
“No. I’m supposed to take you to the trial to protect the people.” He rested his head against the cold metal of the car. “I’m supposed to take care of the woman I love, but I can’t do both. I know what I should do, but I can’t, Laurie. I just can’t.”
He pushed himself upright. He took his fist and rapped it hard against the top of the window. He turned around, leaning against the car, placing his hands on his hips. He hung his head in shame.
“I can’t be like my dad and just give up my family to God and country. You’re my family now. How can I take you back when I know what’s ahead?”
“Dante.” Laurie placed both her hands on his chest. “I know it’s terrifying, but we have to go back.”
He raised his head. He looked at her with such deep, incredible pain that it made Laurie’s heart ache.
“I can’t protect you if we go back.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what will happen to you, or our baby.”
She cupped his face, running her gloved fingers over his cheek. His arms snaked around her in a move that was both protective and possessive. Laurie took a breath to steady herself. She had made her decision. It felt right. Now she just needed to help Dante feel right about it, too.
“I’ll be all right,” she told him, her voice steady. “There are other Marshals that can protect me. We’ve made it this far. We have to see it through.”
He shook his head, breaking free of her hands. He looked skyward. Laurie curled her hands into Dante’s jacket, pulling his attention back down to her.
“Dante.” She looked into his eyes. “I saw how scared they were when I was in that hotel room. They were terrified. I’ve thought about them every day since.”
Her hands had dropped to her growing belly.
Dante swallowed hard.
“We have to go back. I know it hurts; it’s killing me to leave. But we have to—I have to do this.” Laurie pleaded with him with her eyes. She tugged on his jacket.
Dante nodded. He took a breath, steeling himself.
“We have to get going.” Laurie let go of him and took a half-step back. “We’ll miss the plane.”
She made her voice stern. She turned to shed his embrace and walk to the other side of the car, but Dante caught her wrist. She turned back to him. He looked into her eyes.
“Marry me,” he said. Laurie felt her heart trip over itself.
“What?”
“Marry me. Please?” He tugged on her arm.
“Dante—” Laurie started to say, shaking her head.
“No, please listen to me.” He sank to one knee. “I love you. I love you, and I want to have a family with you. Not just this baby, but a big family. I need someone who’s as strong as you are. I need someone who makes me laugh like you do. I need you with me for the rest of my life. Please marry me?”
Laurie’s heart stopped beating, as she listened to him utter those words. She had never imagined or daydreamed about the perfect marriage proposal, but she was sure she just heard it. Her pulse fluttered. She smiled down on his anxious face.
“Yes,” she said. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Dante propelled up from the ground. He wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her, standing by the side of the road as onlookers drove by. Then he rested his forehead on hers, and they grinned at each other.
“Thank you.” He kissed her again.
“Dante, we have to go.” Laurie gave him a pointed expression.
“Right! Right. Get in.” He released her.
Laurie ran to the other side of the car. She slid into the passenger seat with a smile. She buckled her seatbelt while Dante gunned the engine, and they took off down the road toward the airport.
Dante parked the rental car right by the door. He grabbed their bags from the back. They ran into the small airport, rushing to the counter. The attendant looked hesitant, but Dante reached for his badge. With a flash of the Marshals symbol, the attendant hurried to check them in while flagging down a colleague to escort them through security right to their gate.
After they boarded the plane, Dante put his arm around Laurie as they began the first of two flights to Honolulu. They sat, holding hands and staring out the window with contented smiles. When the captain turned off the seatbelt sign, Dante rose to rifle through his carry on. He pulled out a worn leather jewelry box and sat down. He opened it, revealing a sparkling diamond ring.
“My mom gave it to me last night. It was my great-grandmother’s on my mother’s side. They’ve passed it down. My mom wanted me to give it to you when I proposed, which I planned to do after the trial. But I guess I got a little ahead of myself.” He gave her a sheepish grin.
Laurie hugged him from her seat. She gave him a heartfelt kiss, before extracting the ring from the box. She slipped it on her left hand.
“Does it fit? I was going to have it re-sized.”
“It’s a little loose, but I have a feeling I’m going to be gaining some weight soon anyway.” Laurie beamed at him.
She kissed him, circling his tongue with hers in a kiss that was both sweet and a promise of more to come. They gradually became aware of clapping and whistling in the background. They had caught the attention of their fellow passengers in the tiny plane. When they broke off the kiss, they smiled at the people around them. The people on board began congratulating them. Embarrassed, they both sat quietly as everyone who walked past smiled or winked at them for the entire flight.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-THREE
Dante
Several hours later, Dante and Laurie emerged from the plane. After flying for almost half a day, they both felt cramped. The warm Hawaiian winter was shocking. When they were finally able to take off their heavy winter coats, they had to peel them from their body like a second skin. The sky was overcast, and the humidity made their clothes cling to them as they exited the airport, taking their bags out to a waiting rental car.
Since they had flown west, chasing the sun, it was now the early evening. Dante thought about where he wanted to take Laurie for dinner—a nice dinner. They would have to go into the Marshals headquarters on Monday morning, but tonight and tomorrow were their own. He had made hotel reservations at a hotel in Waikiki, overlooking the ocean. They could spend two romantic evenings together and put Monday right out of their minds.
They walked on the beach, ate ice cream, and swam in the hotel pool. They acted like a honeymooning couple on the islands, and no one spared them a second glance. On their last night, Dante picked up some takeout food. He drove Laurie to his favorite lookout point. They picnicked there, as the sun sank into the ocean, and night descended on the city. They made love on the picnic blanket, underneath the stars. They were at peace as they lay in each other’s arms. They both thought it was the most perfect day they ever had in their entire lives.
The next morning, they silently went down to breakfast. They moved with deliberate care, as if a quick movement would shatter their pretense. They packed everything up, put everything in the car, and checked-out. Dante made some excuse about wanting to miss rush hour, so they walked on the beach one last time, but they both knew the truth.
In the late morning, Dante parked their rental car outside the federal building. He took Laurie’s hand as they walked toward the front entrance. As he opened the door to step inside the building, Dante saw several of the security guards he knew. They stared at him in wide-eyed shock. They said nothing as Laurie passed through the metal detector. Dante pulled out his gun and his badge. He placed them on top of the x-ray machine. He nodded to one of the security guards as he stepped through the metal detector. He went to reach for his gun, when Jacob, an elderly guard Dante had known for years, spoke.