He was about to make the biggest purchase of his life. Tomorrow he’d drive to her father’s and ask for her hand in marriage.

Ed rubbed his palms together. He’d never been so nervous in all his life. This was crazy.

He’d negotiated million dollar deals and met some of the world’s most influential people, but looking now at the platinum ring setting and the two carat diamond that the jeweler placed in it to show him, he pegged himself for the next heart attack victim at Miami General.

The next morning, he called to make sure Christian was well taken care of before his surgery.

“It’s no wonder Mom tried to have surgery without telling anyone. She spent the night on my couch.” He scoffed, and Ed laughed. “This isn’t the first time I’ve gone through this.”

“Yes, but you’re still her baby boy.”

“Right. So when are you coming home?”

“Tomorrow. I have some things I need to take care of first.”

“Your girl is a little mopey without you. You’d better hurry home.”

“Can you keep a secret? I’m going to plan a surprise party for her birthday.”

“And you think this group can keep a secret?” Christian laughed.

“I think I’ll just tell you and mom. That way everyone can show up for a dinner, and we’ll have a party instead.”

“Oh, so dinner on a Tuesday instead of a Sunday? Yep, she’ll never see it coming.”

“You are a smart-ass.”

“And to think I used to be the quiet one.”

That had Ed laughing. Baseball and locker rooms had completely transformed his brother from a shy boy to, well, a smart-ass. But still, there was no man who was more compassionate that Christian Keller. The woman who finally landed him for a husband would be well taken care of.

Ed disconnected the phone call with his brother and headed down the highway. Her father had moved to a small retirement community outside of Miami.

It was a nice setting, he thought, when he pulled through the front gate.

Each house looked exactly the same. Older men drove golf carts on the streets, and he’d seen more than one porch with a group of women sitting back and chatting.

Finally, he pulled up to the house that George McCary had given him the address to. A Marine flag waved in the breeze from the front porch. Yep, this was the place.

Before he could make it all the way to the door, a tall, strong man walked out of the front door and stood on the porch. His hair was cut high and tight, and he stood with his feet apart and his hands grasped behind his back. There was no mistaking this was Dr. George McCary, retired Marine.

Ed’s mouth went dry, and he could feel the small, square box in his pocket digging uncomfortably into his upper thigh as he walked toward the man. Again, they might have to call for that ambulance that was going to carry him away. He’d simply never been so nervous.

“Mr. McCary?”

“Yup. You Eduardo Keller?”

“I am, sir.” He held out his hand to the man. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

George McCary shook it firmly. The man might be working his way into his seventies, but Ed was very sure he could easily kill Ed with one quick move.

“So, you’re the man keeping my daughter in Nashville, huh?”

Ed swallowed hard. “That’s what I’d like to discuss with you, sir.”

George ran his tongue over his teeth. “Well, c’mon out back. My sister made some lemonade and set up the patio. She likes to fuss about like that.”

George led him through the small house. Everything had been tidy and clean, he noticed. Just as a military man would keep it. He thought of Darcy’s small, dark apartment. The furniture wasn’t hers and the space was very small, but she kept it neat as a pin. Now he knew why.

The patio on the back of the house faced many others like it. It was as if each neighborhood had a cul-de-sac of backyards instead of driveways.

Ed sat in the chair George pointed to. The ring box dug deeper into his leg.

George poured Ed a glass of lemonade and handed it to him. Then he did the same for himself and eased back in his chair.

“Well, Ed, let’s cut to the chase. Something tells me you’re not just dropping by for lemonade.”

Ed cleared his through. “No, sir, I made a special trip to come see you.”

“That would explain why you’re alone, and Darcy never mentioned you coming by.”

Ed nodded. “I’ve come seeking your blessing. I’d like to ask your daughter to marry me.”

He’d done better than he thought he would. His voice hadn’t wavered. But as he lifted his glass to his lips to ease the dryness that was nearly disabling him, he noticed his hands shook.

He quickly took the drink and lowered the glass.

George McCary wasn’t a man to show emotion.

Ed thought better of it. Perhaps he knew how to show emotion—when he found the need to kill someone. He wasn’t feeling threatened, so he took that as a good sign. But as the moments turned into minutes of silence, Ed thought maybe he’d rather have been run off the property.

“You haven’t known Darcy very long.”

“No, sir, I haven’t.”

“And you think you love her enough to want to marry her?”

“I know I do.”

George gave a long, slow nod. “You’re a successful man?”

“I’d like to think I am. I’m the vice president of Benson, Benson, and Hart.”

“Nephew to the owner, I think she said.”

“Yes.” Ed hoped this man understood that nepotism wasn’t a cushy job.

George McCary crossed his ankle over his knee and relaxed his shoulders. “My daddy owned a grocery store in Georgia when I was little. My friends always teased me about being rich because I got to work. Damned fools. They didn’t know that working for your father’s business means you have to start at the bottom and you don’t usually get to the top.”

Ed smiled. He did understand. “I started my job at fifteen on a job site. I have emptied my share of trash cans.”

That made George laugh. They were making progress.

“She’s a strong girl, my Darcy Ann.”

“Yes, she is.”

George rubbed the whiskers on his chin. “Is she still mad at us over the adoption thing?”

Ed bit down on his lip. “No, sir, I think she’s over that. I told her I’d be happy to help her find her birth parents, if that would make her feel at ease, but she says she’s not interested.”