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“How are the kiddos?”

Koen had two kids, both boys. They were two and four and looked like the exact replicas of their father.

I wasn’t sure of their story, but I knew that it was an intense one.

One day, I hoped that I learned it. But until then, I’d let my imagination run wild.

“They’re good, Purdy.”

I laughed at his kiddos’ nickname for me. They’d heard it one time from Reyelle, and it’d stuck.

“You ready to go?” Creed asked after Koen said his goodbyes.

“Yep.” I handed him the cream cheese pastry. “I snatched you one before they ran out.”

He groaned. “I’m starving.”

He devoured it within two bites, and I threw the box into his floorboard as he navigated our way home.

Home.

His home—my old home—was now our home.

Creed had offered to sell it, but I hadn’t taken him up on the offer.

I liked the location, the size, and the mountain views.

One day, I hoped we had a ton of kids who would grow up with this same view.

“Got a call from the prison today.”

My brows rose. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.” He took the final turn to our house. “Your dad. He called me because he wants to see you.”

I snorted. “No.”

“That’s what I said.” Creed winked. “He asked why not, and I gave him the obvious reasons. He said he’d try again in six months.”

“The answer will be the same in six months,” I said.

“That’s what I said, too.” He grinned wickedly. “I asked him for your hand in marriage.”

I burst out laughing in his front seat. “And what did he say?”

“He told me he’d rather see me dead than married to you.”

I batted my eyes at Creed before saying, “We could always make that happen.”

He caught my hand in his as he pulled to a stop in the front of the garage.

My breath caught when he produced a small velvet box from his door and flicked it open.

“I told him it didn’t matter what he said. That I would be marrying you, and taking away his shitty name, by the end of the year.”

I stared at the princess-cut diamond ring and almost burst out crying.

“You’re not kidding.”