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“You really are an asshole,” I laugh.
“Yeah well, are you gonna be my brother-in-law or my stepbrother?”
I ignore his stupid jokes. “I’m going to be the man who loves your sister every day for the rest of her life.”
“Good answer, Cooper. Good answer.”
* * *
I sit in our bed later that night with the ring in my hand, still unsure of when I want to ask her. I thought it might be easier after I talked to Murphy, but it’s not.
I’ve put so much thought into the how and when, but nothing’s seemed right... until now.
The door of the bathroom cracks open, so I shove the box back into my nightstand drawer and watch as Carys steps out.
She takes my breath away, walking toward me in lacy-blue lingerie and spinning in a circle. “Do you like it?”
I don’t answer her because the words are stuck in my throat. She walks across the room and climbs up on the bed. “Hey, you feeling okay, Coop?”
I lift her onto my lap and gather her face in my hands. “You are the love of my life, Carys Murphy. The air I breathe. I’ve tried to figure out how to do this about a million times over the past few weeks, but nothing seemed right.”
She tilts her head and wraps her fingers around my wrists. “What are you talking about, Cooper?”
“We’ve done everything differently from the very beginning. It’s always just been us. We didn’t need anyone else, so I wanted to do this in private. Just you and me.” I wrap an arm around her waist and kiss her softly. “Sixty years from now, when we’re old and gray, sitting outside on this lake, I want to look back and know I’ve lived a good life. A worthy life. I want to be a good man who’s worthy of you. And if I only do one thing right in this life, I want you to know that I love you completely. Fiercely. No holding back. With no regrets.” I reach inside the nightstand, pull out my feather, and hand it to her.
“The feather?” She runs her finger softly over the vane and smiles a sad smile. “I’m not sure it was exactly the good-luck charm I hoped it would be.” She spins it in her hand, then looks back up at me.
I lift the diamond ring from my drawer and slip it on her finger. “I don’t think it was the feather, baby. I thinkyouwere the good luck. I held on to that feather because you gave it to me, but you were what I was holding on to. What I was coming back for. And when I didn’t know if I was ready for all this, you stayed by my side until I opened my eyes to what was right in front of me.”
A single tear falls down her cheek.
“Marry me, baby. Walk by my side for the rest of our lives. No matter what that looks like. The good, the bad, the crazy highs, and the awful lows. Marry me, so we can take care of each other forever.” I lift her hand to my lips and kiss her fingers.
She nods her head as more tears spill freely. “Of course, I’ll marry you, Cooper Sinclair. I love you.”
“More than the air I breathe, Carys.”
EPILOGUE
I flipthe sign on the door of Le Désir toClosedand hurry next door to Sweet Temptations, where I’m meeting the girls for coffee. The shop officially opened the first week in December, and it’s hard to believe how busy we’ve been in the five months since. Chloe’s already negotiating new contracts with a manufacturer and a new supplier in California, so we can keep up with demand.
We’ve been trying to get together once a week since football season ended a few months ago, when Aiden and Sabrina and Nattie and Brady all moved back to Kroydon Hills for the off-season. Well, we also waited a month or two because... so many babies.
I swear, the girls gave birth like dominos.
Belles started it off in December, having a beautiful little boy, who they named Leo.
Sabrina was next, with my nephew, Jameson.
Nattie followed, managing to make it to thirty-seven weeks before Lyla and Noah joined the family.
Lenny and Bash’s son, Maverick, was the last little one to be born, making his entrance a month after the twins.
I basically get to snuggle a baby whenever I want, then can give them back to their parents when they get cranky or blow out their diaper. Definitely my version of winning.
During football season, it was only Chloe, Daphne, Maddie, and me who would meet here or at the Busy Bee. But once the other girls came home, our little foursome grew. And apparently, I’m the last one to arrive today. I wave, make my way to the counter for a Chai tea and vanilla-bean cupcake, and then join our crowd in the back corner. I steal Jameson from Sabrina and sit down. “What’s up, ladies?”
“Shouldn’t we be asking you that?” Nattie cuddles a sleeping Noah while Chloe holds a bottle to Lyla’s lips. “Are you ready for this weekend?”
