His eyes crinkle. “I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”
“Strolled.”
He picks up my hand. “I’ll always want you.” It’s not a line; it’s a promise. When he leans in, kissing him is as natural as breathing. The press of his lips is steady. Unhurried. Soul-filling.
Taking in a deep breath, he rests his forehead against mine. “This is going to sound so romantic, but we need to discuss your job.”
“I’m melting. Say more.”
“Ro,” he grumbles. “I’m trying to be serious.”
“Trust me, I know.”
He can’t kiss me again because I’m smiling too big, so he kisses my cheek, and then along my jawline. “I don’t want to pay you,” he whispers. “I want everything that’s mine to be…” He sighs. “I can’t say what I want.”
“Why not?” I whisper back.
“Because I care more about whatyouwant. And also, I’ve been accused of getting ahead of myself. A couple of times, actually.”
I laugh before growing serious. Pulling back enough to look at him, I rest my hands against the warmth of his neck and consider him. The words aren’t hard for me to say. “I want to marry you and help raise your amazing kids. With Esther and Daniel. I’ll walk that line with you, day in and day out.”
“I accept.” Liam pulls me onto his lap, and we hold each other like we haven’t just promised forever, and this is our last day together.
Then we go get the kids. They’re not the least surprised to see us holding hands when we walk into Esther’s house.
Wyatt turns and gives Callie a look. “Told you so.”
Epilogue – 6 Months Later
Liam
Coming inside, I step over Clover, our safety hazard, who is snoozing on the mat by the back door. No dog bed has ever tempted her. She wasn’t bred to be a guard dog, but she sure thinks she’s one—a fluffy, loveable guard dog who follows the kids around the second they get home from school begging for rubs behind the ears and eating anything they drop.
“Ro?” I try to keep my voice down, knowing Wyatt and Callie are hopefully now asleep upstairs. We’ve been dividing and conquering. I walked my parents out and chatted with them by their Lincoln Town Car until they finally left. Rosalie tucked the kids into bed. It’s anyone’s guess which took longer.
Rosalie comes around the corner and sighs in satisfaction upon seeing me alone. “Not that I don’t love your parents…”
I laugh. “There is only one Mrs. Campbell I want to hang outwith after ten p.m.”
“Oh, really?” She takes my hand and lifts it, twirling under my arm. I pull her in and sway with her against my chest, humming the words to “Mary Had a Little Lamb” since it’s the only song I’ll ever have in my head again. The kids played it for their grandparents on their cat pianos tonight. The things are shaped like a cat’s face and every note says “meow.” Now that my parents are regularly coming over to our house, I’ve noticed the annoying gifts have stopped. Joke’s on them. We pull them out for their visits.
I owe Rosalie a really good back rub. When her parents come over, it’s a party. A fun one. I was terrified of her dad at first, especially having to tell him that I’d already proposed to his daughter. (Although technically Rosalie proposed to me.) However, once I got to know him, I found a great friend.
Rosalie reaches out and grabs the little remote to the sound system off the counter. Soon we’re listening to “Lovesong” by Adele, turned down low. It’s a favorite song of hers and much better than nursery rhymes in cat.
“My mom wants to know what you want for your birthday.”
Rosalie makes a humming noise. “Books maybe. She has good taste.”
“She’ll be thrilled to hear that.”
“I’ll bet. So, my darling man. You seemed like you were a thousand miles away during the kids’ concert earlier. But then you looked at me…” She flushes at the memory.
“I looked at you?” I ask, playing innocent.
“Anything you’d like to share, Liam?”
I smile. “I was thinking about us in Maui, when we walked the beach at sunset and found a little secluded cove.”