BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards has asked his mistress, Rielle Hunter, to marry him, the National Enquirer reported Wednesday.
In an exclusive report, the tabloid newspaper said the former U.S. senator from North Carolina also is buying a $3.5 million beachfront home for them and their 2-year-old child. The Enquirer didn't say where the home is located.
The Enquirer said Edwards and Hunter intend to get married after his divorce from Elizabeth Edwards is finalized, possibly within a year.
People magazine reported on its Web site that a representative for Edwards denied the tabloid story.
"It's absolutely not true," the unidentified Edwards representative said, adding Edwards and Hunter "only communicate through a third party" to work out visitation arrangements.
But the tabloid quoted unidentified sources as saying Edwards proposed shortly before acknowledging paternity of their child, Frances.
"John dropped the proposal bomb on Rielle shortly before he issued his statement," the source said. "John knew Rielle had been waiting for a proposal for two long years.
"Rielle never uttered a peep about their affair publicly, and remained loyal to John. John felt she deserved to know that he wanted to raise their child together, and wanted Rielle in his life as his partner.
"John has said that when his divorce is final, he'll buy her a diamond ring. But in the meantime, he's getting them a house."
The newspaper said another source said, "John has proposed to Rielle, and she said yes."
