Page 116 of Crack the Ice

Lightness fills my chest, my forehead meeting hers as I let out a watery chuckle. “You did this?”

She nods, lips pulled tightly between her teeth.

“What did I do to deserve you?” I whisper, bringing my lips to her forehead. My arms wrap around her shoulders to pull her further into me.

“You’re really adopting us? Like for real, for real?” Lily says, stepping up to the side of us.

Cade picks up the folder, eyes running over it from top to bottom, not once, not twice, but three times before his head snaps in our direction.

“This is real? Not a joke?”

“Why would it be a joke, Cade? You didn’t ask to lose your parents, and we know we’ll never replace them. But you deserve a family, a real one. And if you don’t want to change your last name to Reed, don’t. But there are so many other things that get covered if you’re adopted. It’s not just about us gaining you. It’s about protecting the two of you the best we can.” Cecilia says, pushing away from me.

Her hands land on his shoulders, a soft smile pulling at her lips. “I always wanted a family. Mav did, too. And though this isn’t what we originally thought our life would look like, I couldn’t imagine a better one. All of us are broken in some way, but the most beautiful things usually aren’t perfect. We don’t want you to worry about getting split up, or coming home and feeling like you’re in the way. But we also want to leave whatever legacy we build this side of heaven to the two of you.”

His eyes well with tears, and before I can blink, he’s wrapped himself around my woman and sobs. Lily tucks herself under my arm and smiles up at me before she whispers, “Best birthday ever.”

“Yeah, Lils. It sure is.”

MAVERICK

Thanksgiving Day

I’ve watched Cecilia and her mom run around like chickens with their heads cut off all morning, and I’m about done with it. Our entire group of friends got together last night, but today, we’re having Thanksgiving dinner with her parents, brother, and Kait, and of course the kids.

Cecilia is the only one who isn’t privy to what’s happening today. But when I brought up proposing at our first holiday as a family, not a single person protested. In fact, Matteo and Selina both chipped in to help distract her and make her think that this whole thing was their idea. Getting to spend time with the grandkids and all.

The table has been set with a maroon tablecloth, silver plates sit in front of every chair, and silverware is placed in its correct settings, though Lily has asked why there are multiple forks more than once, stating it’s “too fancy” for her liking.

We have more than enough food: turkey, a honey-baked ham, pies. Oh my god, so many pies. Candied yams, mashed potatoes, mac n cheese. A whole spread. Cade spent all night helping Cecy make some of it. The kid is turning into quite the little chef. Though if I had to guess, I’d say it’s because he likes spending time with her.

The house smells of the best mix of cinnamon and apple cider. Definitely the superior fall scent, though Lily would tell you pumpkin spice is the way to go, all day, every day. Have we gone to get Pumpkin Spice Lattes before school every day for the past couple of weeks? Yes. Will I ever stop pretending I don’t like them? No.

Cade won’t admit it either, but I see the way he chugs those things down. He even brought one to the girl he’s crushing on earlier this week. Apparently that scored him major brownie points, along with being a “romance reader,” so I’ll take credit where credit is due, even if he won’t admit it.

The spread of food set out in the center of the long table is waiting for us to come and eat. There’s one thing that has to be done first, one very important thing. Of course, Cecy has supplied the desserts, some of the kids’ favorites and some of her family’s favorites, namely Tarta de Santiago and Arroz con Leche, which is quickly becoming one of my favorites, too.

She went on this long tangent about wanting Cade and Lily to know as much about her culture as she could get into them before they got too old and too cool for her. She wants to bring them to Spain next summer, let them see where she grew up. It was the tears over not being able to have the summers she did before they moved here that got me to book our flights the same night, not that she knows that yet.

“Mav,” Selina calls, and I know it’s about time. The ring is safely in my pocket. I’ve reached in to make sure no less than a hundred times since I got here. “Do you think you could get the wine from the cellar?”

“Of course, be right back.” We don’t need wine. We don’t need anything. But that was what we decided was going to be our code word. I know Cecy doesn’t like being put on the spot.

So, I’ll stand in here for a couple of minutes before her mom sends her in after me. The dark oak floor is covered with rose petals. Candles lit where they sit on a table, the freaking lemur stuffy that Lily insisted on being in here, and a camera in the corner to record the whole thing should she want to relive it one day.

Nerves skitter across my skin as I wait, the silence stretching into something uncomfortable. But then I hear it, the soft click of her heels against the hardwood, and the way she’s mumbling under her breath, clearly annoyed.

“Maverick,” she says from the other side of the door, seconds before she presses down on the handle. “It’s wine, it’s not that–” her voice trails off as she sees me standing in the middle of a rose petal heart.

Her soft intake of air may as well be a gunshot. “Hi, baby.”

“Maverick, what?”

I hold out my hand, and she takes it, letting me pull her into me. “Sixty seconds,” I whisper into her ear.

“Screw you, Mav,” she cries. “You’re going to ruin my makeup.”

One hand wraps around the small of her back, the other pressing on her head until she rests it against my chest. We sway back and forth as I replay my speech over and over again until I’m confident I can say it without messing up.