Me And Mr. I.T. (Kupid's Cove Book 2) (26 page)

I smiled and tried to slip hers off her hand, the IV having made her hand swell enough it wouldn’t come off. “I guess you’re going to have to keep being my wife,” I teased her and she shook her head on the pillow a few times.

Lei came over with a bottle of lotion from the tray near her bed and rubbed it on the finger. She managed to work it off slowly and handed it back to me with a wink. “Safekeeping and all that.”

I took it and wiped the lotion off on my shirt, staring at the small band, so small, yet it already held so many memories. The shopping trip to buy it where she was so angry, and so beautiful, the long walks on the beach, the feel of it on my face while we kissed, the glint of it in the candlelight in the Jacuzzi. This was her ring and I saw so much more than the memories of the past. I saw the memories we would make in the future.

I raised her head on the stretcher then lowered the railing. I held the band up and knelt on one knee, my arm braced on the bed. “When I put this on your finger the first time it was out of convenience. It was an underhanded way of forcing you to spend time with me; time that I knew would be exactly what we needed to explore our feelings for each other. I think it’s safe to say that we have, because I know without a shadow of a doubt, I love you. I love you with everything that I am, and would have given my life tonight to make sure you were safe. I don’t know what the future has in store for us, but I know that we can’t experience it together unless you’re wearing one of these on your finger. While this may be the least traditional and romantic proposal of all time, I will do anything for this band to be back where it belongs, representing our love, and the promise of a future together. When we started this whole crazy charade, we called it Operation Me and Mr. I.T. and I have to tell you, I want to keep that operation going for the rest of my life. So, Eliana Susanna Monroe, will you marry me? For real this time?”

She was crying, her head nodding and her hand shaking as she reached for me. “Yes, I will marry you. I want nothing more than to be Mrs. I.T., for real and forever.”

I heard Katie sigh with happiness while Lei and Gideon clapped, but all I saw was the woman I love reaching for me, a ring of promise on her finger, for realsies this time.

Epilogue

Ellie

So much has happened since leaving the hospital with a splint on one hand and an engagement ring on the other. When my parents arrived at the ER, the receptionist told them there was no one by the name of Eliana Monroe in their hospital. Imagine their surprise to find out I was officially unofficially Ellie KeKoa. My mother cried. My father shook hands with Mr. I.T. while giving him a lecture much the way I picture him lecturing his cadets at the Naval Academy. The good news is Mr. I.T. and my father are like old friends now; it was Gideon who took the brunt of my father’s anger for his little girl being in danger. Thankfully, Gideon knew it was all in good fun and no one actually held him responsible for the craziness of the last few weeks.

By the time we made it back to the hotel early the next morning, Marcus had earned himself a spot in the Honolulu jail, and wasn’t going anywhere fast. The rangers found his two flunkies still trussed up like Christmas hens, and apparently enjoyed sharing the pictures they took of them with us. I’ve never seen my father so proud of me in all his life. I have to say, I can tie a mean constrictor knot, but that’s only because he taught me how.

My hand was healing, but slower than I would like it to. When we returned to Maui, Gideon insisted I see a specialist here, which I did, but he agreed, time and immobilization was all that it needed to heal. Since we arrived back home, Mr. I.T. has moved all my belongings into his apartment and we let my lease go. It was a tight fit for both of us, but we had our name on the next family unit that opened up. Rumor has it our den mother and father would be moving into a new beach house, which meant no more Katie-Bug every morning, but a bigger apartment for us.

Speaking of Katie, I’ve never seen her happier. It was as though the little trip we took against our will reminded her that we had to live. Just live. That was all we had to do. Anything else was a waste of the precious time we have on this earth with the ones we love. She’s put together the most spectacular party of all times for tonight, both here and in Honolulu.

Leilani is so cool under fire that even after being taken hostage, she barely missed a beat in stepping right into the GM role when we returned. Together she, Katie, and I made the plans needed to pull of the Honolulu side of the event before Katie and I flew home to pull the last minute details together here.

There was a knock on the door and I tied my bathrobe around me, my hair already up. I was waiting for my dress to arrive from the specialty boutique. That must be them now. I would be wearing an original gown from Trabor Boutique, since I would be on TV and broadcasted across Hawaii. It was the least I could do considering the fact that they were integral in making the event happen.

I pulled the door open and Gideon stood in front of the door, holding a dress bag. “Your dress, Mistress of Ceremonies.” He bowed ever so slightly, enough for me to see Katie behind him, her back turned away from me.

“Thanks for bringing it up, Gideon. Is everything okay?” I asked while pointing to Katie and mouthing, ‘What’s up?”

His face wore a smile that I’ve never seen before. “I’ve literally never been better in my life, Ellie.”

Katie turned around, and swaddled in her arms lay a pink blanket clad bundle. I put my hand to my mouth and motioned them in. Maltrand was just coming out of the bathroom, dressed in his tux shirt and pants. He stopped when he saw us all in the doorway.

“My goodness, Katie,” I whispered, tears already falling. “Is that who I think it is?”

She turned so I could see the little girl’s face. “I think you remember Hope,” she started to say, but she was too choked up to finish. Maltrand took my dress from Gideon and laid it on the bed before coming back to put his arm around my waist.

“Of course I remember Hope,” I laughed and cried at the same time. “How could I forget that little angel?”

Gideon put his arm around Katie and Hope. “It turns out Katie couldn’t forget about the little girl who needed a home either. We didn’t think we would get approved so quickly, that’s why we didn’t say anything.”

“But they called us this morning and told us she was ready and would be arriving this afternoon.”

“We couldn’t tell them no,” Gideon said, laughing at the stunned look on our faces.

I shook my head, wiping my eyes. “No, you couldn’t.”

Katie came over and held her out to me. I took her in my arms for the second time, Mr. I.T. helping me hold her considering my cast didn’t allow for a lot of movement. I noticed right away she had gained weight, and was even more beautiful than the first time I saw her.

“Right now we’re her emergency placement foster parents until our home study and paperwork is finished. Since her birth mother abandoned her, we’ll be able to adopt her as soon as all the paperwork is finished. I know when you were telling me about her in that motel room you were just trying to keep me calm, but she was the only part of the whole thing my mind would let me remember. It didn’t take very long to find her, and when I held her…”

“Your heart fell in love,” I said, Mr. I.T.’s words about my own mother reverberating in my ears.

“It was like she took every piece of my beat up, damaged, messed up heart and made it whole again. Hardest thing I’ve had to do was walk away that day. Thankfully, Marcy has been wonderful and sent me pictures and texts every day that I couldn’t be with her. She knew she met you for a reason, and it turns out she was right.”

I handed Hope back to Katie and hugged them both carefully. “I’m so happy for you. Did Marcy get her in to see a pediatrician about her face and leg?”

Gideon gave me the so-so hand. “She saw the pediatrician, but not a specialist. As soon as I have the paperwork, I can put her on my insurance and she’ll be seen by the best in the world.”

I laughed and clapped my hands carefully. “Of that, I have no doubt. I’m still in shock. Wait, what are you going to do with her tonight?”

“Timing is everything, right?” Katie laughed and it really didn’t matter what she was going to do with her tonight, because she was here.

“I have more helpers than I know what to do with, but the best part is, you’re so incredibly talented at what you do, you don’t need me to do anything, but look pretty. I plan to add her to my ensemble tonight.”

Maltrand chuckled. “If you do that, the donations are going to come pouring in. She’s a special little girl who seems to be able to wrap everyone she meets around her little finger. Congratulations, you both deserve so much happiness with her.”

He shook Gideon’s hand and then kissed Katie on the cheek and then Hope.

“I don’t mean to kick you out, but it’s late and we have to get dressed. Are you ready to party?” he asked, his voice going up into Monday Night Football excitement.

I opened the door and held it while Katie went through with the baby and Gideon followed behind, one hand on her back.

“We’ll see you down there. I would say, break a leg, but well, you’ve cost me enough in medical bills the past month as it is.”

I snorted and punched him playfully with my good hand. “I’ll be careful, I promise. I’m so happy for you three.” I wanted to take the baby again, but I shooed them away. “Go, or I’ll never be ready.”

“See you very soon,” they both called and stepped onto the elevator, their eyes focused on their new family.

“This is going well; don’t you think?” Mr. I.T. said, watching a man hula his way down the runway.

I nodded my answer because the crowd was waiting for me to start the bidding. “Bidding for bachelor number six, our final bachelor of the evening, starts at one hundred dollars. Ladies, he likes piña coladas and getting caught in the rain,” I said seductively, the laughter of the crowd a sure sign the bidding would be high. Do I hear one hundred dollars?” I called into the microphone.

“Five hundred dollars!” I heard, watching a woman jump up, much to the pleasure of the crowd who was already cheering.

“Do I hear a five fifty?” I asked.

“Six hundred!” called another woman. They knew this was their last chance at landing a date with a young hottie.

The bidding went back and forth several more times until the original bidder won the date with a bid of eight hundred dollars.

The crowd was having a ball; the money was flowing as people bid on the singles as though this was the bachelor on steroids, and Katie was sitting back and taking it all in, still holding Hope. I couldn’t blame her. You only get that first day with your baby once, and even if it wasn’t the ideal time to have a baby, she certainly was enjoying every second of it.

Maltrand put his hand to his ear with the wired sound bud in it and looked at me, wincing. He leaned over and whispered in my ear. “Katie needs your help. The last bachelorette is sick. Will you wear the gown? She says they saved the best dress for last and she knows people are waiting to see it.”

“I’m already taken. I don’t want people bidding on me,” I whispered back, the horribleness sinking into my gut.

“She’s said the final gown is only for show, not for bidding. You’ll be fine. Put it on, walk down the aisle and then back, boom you’re done.”

I unhooked my earpiece and rolled my eyes a little. “Sure, boom you’re done, is easy when you aren’t the one doing the booming.”

Mr. I.T.

As soon as Ellie couldn’t see the stage any longer, I jumped up on it, leaving the microphone on the ground and picking up the premade cards. I held my finger to my lips and the crowd looked at each other confused, but eventually quieted and read the first cue card.

Let me tell you a little story…

The crowd nodded along, as though they knew it was important they stayed quiet.

A little over a month ago, Ellie didn’t want to marry me.

The crowd booed quietly and I held up a finger, changing the cue card.

Fortunately for me, we were going undercover to help catch a thief, and we had to be newlyweds. We called it ‘Operation Me and Mr. I.T.

Everyone grinned, looking at each other and getting into the story.

She told me if I thought she was going to fall madly in love with me like in a romance novel, and agree to marry me for real, I was crazy…

The crowd chuckled and I changed the card.

So I bet her a honeymoon in Maui I could change her mind.

Everyone erupted in laughter and I didn’t even hush them. I knew backstage Ellie would be wondering what was going on, but sometimes it was okay to keep her guessing.

I wined her, and dined her, and danced with her in the rain…

I noticed all the women had their hands over their hearts when I changed the next card.

When our assignment was over, and we went back to being Mr. I.T. and Ellie, I wasn’t happy being without her.

Frowns were forming on the crowd’s faces as though they saw a twist in the story they didn’t like.