The six-year-old son of the most powerful man in Chicago fired five doctors before breakfast.

A year after the day Oliver fired five doctors, Gabriel took me on a weekend trip to Lake Michigan.

He had rented a private, breathtaking glass cottage sitting on a cliff overlooking the vast, sapphire-blue waters. Oliver was staying with my sister—who had completely fallen in love with him as an aunt—giving Gabriel and me our first real weekend completely alone together.

The sun was setting, painting the sky in brilliant hues of magenta, orange, and gold. A cool evening breeze rustled the trees as Gabriel and I walked hand-in-hand along the wooden pier stretching out over the calm lake.

I was wearing a warm white knit sweater, leaning my head against Gabriel's shoulder as we stood at the end of the pier, watching the water glow under the evening light.

"You know," Gabriel said, his voice deep and reflective as he wrapped his arm tightly around my waist, pulling me close to his side. "Two years ago, I thought my life was effectively over. I was surviving for Oliver, but I was dead inside. I thought love, warmth, and real family were things I'd never experience again."

I turned to look up at him, reaching up to smooth his dark hair back. "And now?"

Gabriel looked down at me, his gray eyes filled with an intensity of love that made my breath catch.

"Now, I live for every single second I get to spend with you," Gabriel said gently.

He took both of my hands in his, turning to face me completely. The golden light of the sunset reflected off his handsome face.

"Claire, you didn't just diagnose my son's heart," Gabriel said softly, his voice trembling slightly with raw emotion. "You saved mine. You brought light back into a home that had been dark for years. You showed Oliver what a mother's true love and protection feel like, and you showed me what it means to be whole again."

My eyes filled with happy tears. "Gabriel..."

Gabriel slowly dropped to one knee on the wooden boards of the pier.

He pulled a small, velvet box from his coat pocket and opened it. Inside sat a breathtaking ring—a rare, radiant-cut yellow diamond surrounded by a halo of brilliant white diamonds, sparkling like sunlight on water.

"Claire Monroe," Gabriel said, looking up at me with absolute devotion. "You are the only woman I will ever love. You are the heartbeat of our home. Will you marry me and make our family complete?"

Tears spilled down my cheeks as I laughed through the joy overwhelming my chest.

"Yes!" I sobbed happily, dropping down to my knees on the pier to wrap my arms around his neck. "Yes, Gabriel! A thousand times yes!"

Gabriel laughed, holding me tightly, lifting me slightly as he kissed me deeply under the setting sun. He slid the gorgeous ring onto my finger, fitting perfectly, before kissing my hand, my forehead, and my lips again.

"Oliver is going to be ecstatic," Gabriel whispered, grinning against my cheek. "He’s been hiding the fact that he helped me pick out the ring for three weeks."