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“And it’s going to be filled with love.” I kiss her forehead. “Laughter.” A kiss on the cheek. “And probably a lot of pets,” I say, with a kiss on the lips.
“Really?”
“Yup, and that’s just the beginning.”
“What else did you have in mind?” she asks, as she takes my hand again.
“You’ll see.”
When we get back to the inn and return Zeus, the tiny dog, to his owners, Meg insists that we tell Mia the good news.
“Wait, does she know already?” she asks, looking down at the ring.
“Just your grandfather,” I reassure. “I figured I had to get his permission first.” I kiss the top of her hand.
“Let’s hope he didn’t tell her, because I want to see the look on her face.”
She’s walking so quickly that her little legs are almost at a jog, but my longer legs let me keep up at a bit faster than a walk. I can’t help but laugh seeing how excited Meg is that we’re engaged. She so badly wants to share the news with her sister that she cuts through the bushes on the way up the hill.
“Mia!” Meg calls out the moment she’s through the cottage doors. “Come here, quick!”
Before Mia can get to us, we hear scrambling from just down the hallway. A very flustered Mia appears, dressed in pajamas with her hair thrown up in a bun. My guess is that she was napping.
“What? What’s wrong?” She rubs her eyes, and when she focuses on me, her expression hardens.
“Before you give him dagger eyes.” Meg walks over and shows the ring on her finger. “And he got his family to agree to the new proposal for the inn.”
Mia looks shocked and confused as she looks at Meg, then down at the ring, then back up at me. Once her mind puts all the pieces together, that the inn is saved and her sister is happily engaged, a beaming smile appears on her face as she starts squealing, jumping up and down like her sister did just minutes before. She hugs Meg so tight, I worry she might snap her in half.
“Holy crap, that was a lot to take in after a nap!” Mia laughs. “Congratulations guys! I can’t say I’m completely surprised, though,” she teases.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Oh, come on, you guys have been glued to each other since you went out on that first date,” Mia says. “Plus, I knew Meg was hiding something.” She winks.
“I guess our clandestine meetings were not as private as we thought,” I mumble into Meg’s ear.
“She kind of caught on when she saw how I was when you were in New York,” Meg says, when I wrap my arm around her shoulders.
“How so?” I ask Mia.
“She was basically a blonde Eeyore walking around the inn, all mopey and sad all the time,” Mia says, as she gives a demonstration of Meg’s alleged forlorn face.
“Oh, come on, I wasn’t that bad.” Meg playfully pinches Mia’s arm.
“You really did miss me,” I laugh, kissing the top of her head.
“So, are you guys planning to live here or in New York?” Mia asks.
“We’re staying here,” I say, looking at my fiancée. “During our little excursions, I happened to notice a couple of houses for sale. I believe there was a little blue one in particular that this one here admired the most,” Drew said, seeking my approval.
Once again, Meg’s eyes light up. Clearly, she likes the idea. Mia can keep her small cottage just for her and maybe the pets while Meg and I find our forever home nearby.
“I thought some sunflowers and daisies would look nice planted right out front too,” I add.
“Okay, I’m not going to lie, I keep waiting for someone to pinch me and wake me up because this whole day feels like a dream,” Meg says, nearly tearing up again.
Mia does the honors and pinches Meg a bit harder than she did her.
