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“Well, I’m here now.” I squeal as he lifts me into his arms and carries me into the living room. “I’m like a fungus. You’re never getting rid of me.”
“That would imply that I had planned on living without you.” He gives me a bright smile before sitting down on the couch and placing me in his lap.
We are only able to enjoy the silence for a few moments before Vance’s voice booms through the door. “Honey, we’re home.”
I attempt to slide off Connor’s lap, but he pulls me back into his chest. “They better get used to seeing us together because I don’t plan on ever letting you go.”
“I like that plan,” I respond with a smile as Vance, Selina, and the girls come piling into the room, asking a million questions at a time. The noise level quickly rises as the girls squeal in delight at seeing the two of us together.
“I know we asked for this, but can we keep the PDA to a minimum in the house?” Jade makes a gagging noise before plopping down on the couch beside us.
“We are sitting on the couch,” I gripe.
“Yes, but it might take a little getting used to.” Love wraps her arms around both of us, pulling us in for a quick hug.
“You owe us a hundred bucks.” Jade points at Vance, holding out her hand.
“Why?” Connor asks as he places a kiss on both girls’ cheeks. “Tell me you three didn’t bet on whether Audrey and I would get together.”
Vance chuckles. “We sure did. I owe them a hundred bucks, and Selina is going to go on a real date with me, thanks to this turn of events. I call that a win for me.” Selina slaps him in the back of the head before heading right back out the door. “I’ll leave you all to it. It’s time to get my girl.” He flashes us all a smile before following her out the door and closing it behind him.
“When are you guys moving in?” Jade questions lightly before Love asks, “Please don’t make us share a room.”
Connor and I look at each other and laugh. “Can we have dinner first? How does pizza sound?” The girls fist-pump the air before running into the kitchen to get a menu.
“Is this how our life is going to always be?” Connor asks as he leans toward me.
“No, it’ll be better,” I whisper before he captures my lips. We kiss for a few moments before we hear vomiting noises and break apart.
“We don’t want to see that!” both girls exclaim at the same time as they cover their eyes.
“You better get used to it,” Connor says before leaning in for another kiss. As I sink into his embrace, I realize the stars haven’t been against me. They’ve been leading me here to Connor. They took the long way around, but I have finally found my happily ever after.
Epilogue
Connor
It’s been almost a year since Audrey and Love moved to Tyson’s Creek, bringing us once again to the girls’ fifteenth birthdays. Of course, everyone knows these two aren’t twins, but their birthdays are only a few weeks apart. Each girl had originally wanted their own celebrations, but when I told them what I had planned for the day, they gave in quickly. Audrey complained that she wanted both of them to feel special on their birthdays, but the girls reassured her that this was exactly what they wanted.
“A bit higher,” Audrey directs me. She steps back before pronouncing the sign perfectly even. “Now you can start the grill. Everyone should be here in an hour or so.”
“Where’s my rifle?” I mumble, climbing down from the ladder. Audrey giggles as she wraps her arms around my neck.
“You’re going to have to let them grow up. They aren’t little girls anymore.”
“Growing up is going to the movies alone or learningto drive, not having boys come to my house while they are half-naked.”
“Daddy! Calm down, you know everyone in this town. Do you honestly think anyone will do anything when you could just text their parents?” Jade whines as she comes bounding out of the back door and onto the deck.
I unwrap my arms from around Audrey and head to our outdoor kitchen to start the grill. I look out over the deck railing to the large in-ground pool the girls convinced me to put in when we built this house. We’ve only all been together here for a few months, but it feels like forever. Wanting to have a fresh start with Audrey, Vance and I built her dream house a few miles outside of town. Our craftsman-style house has a beautiful wraparound porch, the perfect place for Love and Audrey to meditate and do yoga first thing in the morning.
“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble.” I turn and smile at Love as she brings me a large platter covered in hamburgers and hot dogs. Although a recent development, my heart swells each time I hear her call meDad. Jade and I are still thick as thieves, but I’ve formed a special bond with Love. She’s my daughter in almost every way possible, something that will be rectified as soon as she agrees to it.
I first brought up adopting Love with Audrey after we moved in. I wanted to make sure there was no doubt to anyone how much Love and her mother meant to me.Audrey immediately agreed and we drafted up the paperwork, the only thing that we are waiting on is Love’s approval.
I’ve been searching for the right time to bring up adoption with Love since we received the papers a few weeks ago, but it never felt right. Audrey also isn’t in a hurry to get married, but I have other plans. Today seems like the perfect day to officially make us a real family. I reach into my pocket, gripping the black box nestled inside, holding the ring the girls and I had made for Audrey. “Is everything ready?” I ask Love in a hushed tone.
She has no idea about the adoption, but there was no way I was proposing to Audrey without including both our girls. After creating the perfect ring, the three of us came up with the perfect plan.
