Chapter 26

With a lot of help from his friends, a week after he'd arrived home from the hospital, Thomas Magnum was able to make one of his plans a reality. When Terri returned to the guest house after being driven all around town by Rick on a wild goose chase, she gasped with pleasure and surprise when she saw what awaited her. A table for two had been set with the flames from the candles dancing in the middle. Other candles were lit strategically around the living room giving off a soft glow. Quiet romantic music played in the background. As Terri's eyes adjusted to the light, Thomas entered from the bedroom, wearing black pants and a black pullover, the color she loved most on him, next to white.

"What is all this?" she asked, stepping closer to the table.

"I wanted to surprise you, and it looks like I've succeeded," he said, holding out a chair for her to sit.

"You certainly have. What smells so delicious?"

"You mean, besides me?" he whispered in her ear.

She grinned and shook her head. "I'm talking about the food, but..."

"First, we eat," he said, quickly making his way to the oven before Terri could distract him.

He removed the lasagna Jack had prepared for them and placed it on the table. Then, he took the salad Jack had tossed together from the refrigerator and added it to the table. Finally, he carried the warm sourdough bread and the bottle of white wine to the table to complete their meal.

"Wow, this all looks fabulous," Terri said. "Forgive me, Thomas, but I know you did not cook this. This has Jack's handiwork all over it."

"You're right. I give him all the credit."

After Thomas had poured the wine, their first toast was to Jack to thank him for preparing their delicious meal.

"This is so unexpected," Terri said.

"Is it?" Thomas asked, leaning closer to her.

"Well, yes. I didn't think you would be able to put something like this together. You didn't overdo it, did you?"

"Terri," Thomas said, reaching for her hand and gently rubbing the back of it with the pad of his thumb, "you need to stop being my nurse tonight and just be my date. Okay?"

Terri swallowed hard. "You-you're date? Okay. Sure. I can do that."

Thomas smiled. "Can you? Really?"

"Yes, of course, I can."

Thomas' gentle hand movements were causing Terri's insides to flutter. Majorly. What was going on here? This was more than just a simple thank you dinner from a patient to his nurse.

When he finally removed his hand, he served Terri a piece of lasagna and some salad. She was so nervous; she didn't think she could eat a bite. But she knew how good Jack's lasagna tasted, and she didn't want to waste it.

"This is very nice," she said, when she had finally calmed down.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," Thomas said, his hazel eyes twinkling, "because I thought this was the perfect setting for what I want to say."

Terri's heart began its rapid beating again as did her pulse. She willed herself to calm down, but she couldn't do it. Thomas was up to something, and if it was what she thought, she didn't know what she was going to say.

"We've been spending a lot of time together," he began.

Terri nodded in agreement.

"And I know you're my nurse first and foremost, but that's not how I think of you, Terri. I think of you as a lovely, attractive woman who has a lot to offer. I've come to care about you a great deal. I respect you and what you stand for so much. I wasn't ever sure I would find someone as wonderful as you again. I've had romances since Michelle died, don't get me wrong, but when it came down to it, I couldn't commit myself to any of them. I don't know. Michelle's ghost always seemed to be right there, waiting for me to mess up. I don't feel that way when I'm around you. I feel at peace, with the world and with myself. I felt it in the hospital. Even when I was in the coma, I would hear your voice, and it would soothe me. Comfort me. I never wanted you to leave me. Now that I'm awake and almost fully recovered, I feel the same way. I love you, Terri, and I don't want to ever be without you."

Before he could reach for Terri, she was out of her chair and in his arms.

"That was so beautiful," she said, letting the tears slide uncheck down her cheeks, as they held each other close. "I love you, too, Thomas. I think I have from the first time I met you, but I didn't think it would ever be possible that you could feel that way about me. Hearing you say those words to me is something I will never, ever forget."

He gently pulled her away so he could wipe her cheeks.

"I'm taking a break from the PI business for a while."

She nodded as she used her napkin to dry her eyes.

"Pineda's check has afforded me some luxuries I never thought I would have. I want to take some time to heal properly, and then I want to see if I can actually write this book I've had in my mind for years about being a private investigator."

"I think that's a great idea," Terri said.

He stroked her long blonde hair with the palms of his hands as he gazed into her eyes. "I'm never going to be a white picket fence kind of guy," he told her, "but I think we could have a good life together. You, me and Lily. What do you say, Terri? Will you marry me?"

"Yes," Terri said and nodded exuberantly, right before she burst into tears of happiness. Again.

Once they had spent a sufficient amount of time celebrating their engagement, which included some serious probing, hungry, tongue-tasting and teasing kissing that had Terri ready to pour a pitcher of ice water on herself, Thomas called Higgins and asked him if he could bring Lily to the guest house.

When she arrived, Thomas explained to her, in Vietnamese, that Terri was going to be his wife and her new mother. He explained that Terri would never take Michelle's place but that she was going to be a part of their lives and was she okay with that.

Lily nodded happily and hugged her father and then her soon-to-be step-mother.

"Bienvenue," Lily said, wanting to welcome Terri to their family.

And Terri knew exactly what the little girl had said.

"Merci," Terri replied.

And then Thomas drew both of them into his arms for their first official family hug.

"Won't it be something when we all speak and can understand one language?" he said, shaking his head.

Terri laughed and nodded.

When Thomas translated his words into Vietnamese for his daughter, she laughed, too.