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“Very,” Stella and Alyssa agree at the same time.
Just as we reach the edge of the backyard of the lit-up cabin, Merrick steps out of the shadows from around the side of the building.
“Merrick?”
“Hey, gorgeous,” he says. He holds his hand out for me, and with hesitant steps, I make my way toward him, taking his offered hand.
“What’s going on?”
“I love you.”
I soften at his words. I can feel my face heat at his open declaration in front of his family, but I don’t back down from it either. “I love you too.” My voice is a little softer than his, but I know his family heard me.
“When we started... dating—” he winks “—we thought we were just hanging out. We didn’t put boundaries or expectations on spending time together.”
We kind of did, but I’m keeping my thoughts to myself. There is clearly something he’s trying to say, so I’m going to keep my mouth shut and let him say it.
“With each day that passed, I fell for you. I can’t name the exact moment, but I know that I craved your smile. I savored your laughter, and I wanted all of your time. I found myself seeking you out if I had a bad day, and if I had a good one. I didn’t make plans for the weekend. Instead, I thought about what plans we could make together.”
“Mer—” I can’t even say his name without the tears forming in my throat.
“I knew I loved you long before I told you. I was taking my time, because I wanted the moment to be perfect. I wanted it to be a piece of our past that molded our future that we would always remember.”
“I love you.”
His eyes soften. “I love you too, baby.” He leans in and kisses the corner of my mouth. “You made our house a home. You’ve brought our place to life. Brought me to life, and I want that forever.”
I open my mouth to tell him I want the same thing, but I freeze with my mouth hanging open when he drops to one knee. In his hands is a sparkling diamond ring. I can’t make it out through the tears, but I know it’s beautiful. It has to be because of the man offering it to me.
“I want forever, Court. I want you beside me for the good days and the bad. I want to have babies with you and grow old with you. You’re my best friend and the love of my life. Will you do me the incredible honor of being my wife? Will you marry me?”
I’m nodding, but my tears are falling so hard I can’t speak.
He takes my hand and slips the ring onto my finger. The weight feels as if it was always supposed to be there.
“I need your words, baby.”
“Okay,” I croak, and he tosses his head back in laughter.
His laugh pulls me back into the moment, and I clear my throat.
“Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He stands and lifts me into the air, spinning me around. I hear laughter and hollering with cheers of congratulations behind us. When we stop spinning, he places me on my feet and kisses me tenderly.
“I love you, future Mrs. Kincaid.”
I’m grinning like a fool, and I don’t have a single care. “I love you too.”
He turns us to face his family, only it’s not just his family we’re facing. “Mom? Dad? Chloe? Rodney?” I turn back to Merrick. “How?”
“Baby, it wouldn’t have been fair to propose to you in front of my entire family and not yours.” He shrugs.
“You’re amazing. Thank you.” I launch myself at him, and he catches me easily as I hug him tightly.
“Go hug your family,” he tells me.
It’s not lost on me that my family and his are gathered together. I hug my parents, then his, and I lose track of who’s next. All I know is that these people, they’re mine. An amazing man brought them into my life, and I will love them as I do him for all of my days.
