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“Oh! Here.” I hold my left hand out so all the women can get a good look at it. “He did a good job.”
“Now, that’s a rock,” Mom says with a laugh. “How can you hold your hand up with that much weight on it?”
“It’s a burden I’m willing to bear.”
“Good job, Keaton,” Natalie says and then pulls me in for another hug. “I’m so happy for both of you.”
“Thanks.”
“Have you two thought about where you’re going to live?” my dad asks.
“Seattle,” I immediately reply.
“Nashville,” Keaton says.
My head whips to him, and I scowl. “What? No. Absolutely not. We’ll be based out of Seattle, Keaton.”
The parents and Maya seem to back away, leaving Keaton and me to hash this out.
“Your job and your house are in Nashville,” he points out. “I’m not going to ask you to give that up.”
“Who said anything about giving it up? I’m not selling the house. It’ll be there when I need to go to Nashville for work, but I can do most of it in Seattle. I can use Leo’s studio, and we can live in your house. I like your house, but please, for the love of Moses and all the Greek gods, let me decorate it.”
“Amen,” Natalie mutters.
“Wait.” Keaton holds up a hand and shakes his head. “How did we communicate so badly on this?”
“Is this why you’ve been so distant? So…different?”
“I’m not trying to be. I’m just working through everything in my head because there’s a lot to do when it comes to getting my business set up in Tennessee and moving everything out there.”
“No.” I shake my head and hurry over to him, wrapping my arms around his middle. “That’s not happening. I didn’t ask for that, and I won’t. Before you proposed, I already decided that I’d be making Seattle my home base. I like being closer to my family. Nashville is the office. The Pacific Northwest is home.”
He frames my face in his big hands, hope so fierce in his green eyes that it makes my heart hurt for him. I hate that he’s been agonizing over this.
“I’m sorry we didn’t talk about this,” I continue. “You were worried about nothing.”
“I wasn’t worried,” he insists. “Home is wherever you are, sweetheart. But, I admit, I’d rather live in Seattle and go to Nashville when you need to, or even when you want to.”
“That’s my plan.” I grin up at him, and then, even though we have an audience, I push up to my toes and kiss him. “We can have both, babe. We don’t have to choose.”
“Hell yes.” He kisses my forehead and then hugs me close as the others start to talk in excitement.
“And you’re okay with the fame?” The question comes from my dad, but Luke nods in agreement.
“I photograph well,” Keaton says with a thoughtful nod. “I’ve been told that I’m handsome like my dad. I think it’s all going to work out just fine.”
Luke grins, and my dad laughs.
But Keaton looks down at me. “It seems I’ll do just about anything to be with your daughter. Even pose for pictures in uncomfortable clothes.”
“We’ll have to beef up your wardrobe just a smidge.”
“Why do I get the feeling you just want to go shopping?”
I grin up at him. “Duh, because that’s my favorite sport.”
With a mischievous grin, he leans down and whispers in my ear. “I think what we did this morning is your favorite sport.”
I feel my face flush and plant my elbow in his side.
“Be good.”
“Honey, I’m very good. And I plan to spend the rest of my life reminding you of that.”
“Lucky me.”
Epilogue
Sidney
Every woman in the Sterling-Williams-Montgomery, and all the other surnames, clan is in my house tonight.
Our house, that is.
Mine and Keaton’s.
And let me just say, that’s a lot of people, but how could I narrow down who to invite to help settle my nerves the night before my wedding? Who would I leave out?
No one. Because I love every single one of them, even the ones I don’t know so well yet.
I have a lifetime to forge relationships with everyone in this big, crazy family.
More than anything, I’m so happy that my mom and sister are here with us. Keaton’s dad flew them in a few days ago, along with my dad, so they were here to help me get ready for this shindig.
Even though it’s a very small affair, right here at the house—only including our families and a few good friends—means there are close to a hundred people in town for the wedding.
“This family kicks ass,” Misty says as she joins me on the front porch. “Will y’all adopt me?”
“Sure.” I grin and pat the spot next to me on the porch swing that Keaton hung for me last week. “Have a seat.”
“What are you doing out here by yourself?” Misty sits and takes my hand in hers, linking our fingers together. “The party’s inside, and you’re the guest of honor.”
