He opened the little black box, and inside was something I’d never seen before. The velvet-lined box contained two rings. On the right was a gorgeous, emerald-cut diamond set in white gold with tiny baguettes going all the way around the band. On the left side was a tiny replica of the engagement ring. He took the first one out of the box and held it out to me. “I’m not just asking you to marry me. I’m asking you to be my family with Charlie. So I had yours made, and then a mini replica in cubic zirconia for her—my two ladies. Whaddya say, sweetheart? Be ours?”

I looked over at Charlie. She had a giant smile on her face as she took something from behind her back and held it up.

A banana with writing on it.

Say yes, so we’ll never split.

As silly as it was, the banana did me in. The happy tears now streamed down my face. Wiping them, I mouthed I love you to Charlie before pressing my forehead to Hudson’s. “Yes. Yes! My heart already belongs to you both, so this is the icing on the cake.”

After Hudson slipped the ring on my finger, we helped Charlie put on hers. The three of us held each other for a long time before my fiancé told her to go wash up to go to her aunt’s house.

“Finally...a minute alone.” Hudson cupped my cheeks and pulled my mouth to his. “Now kiss me properly.”

As usual, he left me breathless. “You know, between your diary and that proposal, I think you might be a true romantic at heart, Mr. Rothschild.”

“Oh yeah?” He smiled. “I’ll deny it if anyone asks.”

I laughed. “It’s okay. I’ll know the truth. Under that hard exterior is a big old softie.”

Hudson took my hand and slid it down to his crotch. He cupped my fingers around a pretty damn steely erection. “I got more hard exterior for you later.”

I smiled. “I can’t wait.”

He brushed his lips with mine. “Did you like the diary?”

“I loved it. It was the best love story I’ve ever read. But my favorite part was the ending.”

Hudson shook his head. “That wasn’t an ending, sweetheart. It was only our beginning. Because a true love story like ours never ends.”