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Wyatt grunted. “Me too.”
I looked over and studied them, their we’re-just-angels look made me suspicious. “Do I want to know?”
Avery merely grinned. “We’ll all find out soon enough.” She dashed ahead. “Come on, Emmy!”
Wyatt ran after her, and I had no choice but to pick up my pace. The tub was too damn heavy to run with, but soon I reached the center of the orchard and stopped in my tracks.
West stood with his kids, near the stone bench and arch. White lights hung in the trees, and one of the songs I’d played the night I danced at The Watering Hole before West took me home played softly in the background.
After setting down the tub, I asked, “What’s going on?”
West came forward, took my hand, and lowered to one knee before taking out a ring.
My jaw dropped, and my heart raced.
Before I could say anything, West did. “The night I saw you dancing to this song, letting go, being temporarily free of your past, I started to fall in love with you, Emmy. I already knew you were kind to my kids and that my family adored you. But that night I wanted you for myself, to dance with you and shout to everyone else you were mine. That realization scared the shit out of me, given my past. And I did my best to ignore you, both because I thought it might be awkward but also because I didn’t want to risk my heart again.
“But as soon as I kissed you, I knew I couldn’t ignore my feelings and attraction any longer. Every day since, I’ve fallen a little more in love. From your laughter and hard work and teaching my kids to swim. Or how you help me make stories with my kids and then remind me I’m more than just a dad when we’re alone. I love you for so many reasons. You’re smart and kind and beautiful, of course, but you’re also there for my kids, for me, and you’ve never let us down. You’re our future, Emmy. And before I ask the all-important question…”
Avery and Wyatt stepped forward and lifted a sign they must’ve had in the big bags that read “Will you be our stepmom?”
I placed a hand over my mouth as my eyes filled with tears.
West then squeezed my hand. “Will you do me the greatest honor and become my wife?”
Not long ago, this future had seemed impossible. But now, oh, now, it was perfect. “Yes! Yes to both questions!”
West slipped the gold-and-amethyst ring—my favorite stone—on my finger and then stood to pull me close. He kissed me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. His kids cheered, which stopped us from taking the kiss too far.
I stared into West’s blue eyes. “I love you.”
“And I love you.”
Avery and Wyatt came over and hugged us. Avery squealed. “The orc got the fairy queen after all!”
Wyatt added, “And he didn’t even have to bring her any kittens.”
I laughed—I’d heard this story before—and then moved my arms so I could hug the twins as well. “And I love you two as well.”
Avery grinned. “We love you too, Emmy. And maybe we can train one of the cats to be the ring bearer?”
West scowled. “Maybe not.”
Wyatt spoke up. “Then maybe we need to get a puppy too. One of them would be easier to train.”
West’s scowl deepened. “Now you want cats and dogs?”
“They can be friends, Daddy. I see it all the time,” Avery stated.
I tried my best not to laugh. “Well, seeing as we’re going to havefourcats in one house after the wedding, let’s hold off on new pets for now.”
Avery’s eyes brightened. “Oh, that’s right! Our kitties will get to be reunited with their mom and brother! Maybe Sabrina and Uncle Beck can bring their two over for playdates and have a cat family reunion.”
West sighed. “Six cats in one house?”
“It’ll only be temporary, Daddy,” Avery replied.
I cleared my throat. “We’ll talk about that later.” I glanced up at West. “Does everyone else know?”
