I sigh as he sweeps his hand up and down my back, soothing us both.
“You need to know, we’re a package deal, Caleb. My girls and I are a team, and if you want to be a part of my life, you have to join the team, not just me.”
He frowns and stares at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“Brynna, you don’t have to remind me of that. I’ve never given you any reason to think that I don’t want your girls.” He kisses my forehead before smiling softly down at me. “They asked me if I was gonna come home where I belong. I told them that was up to you.”
“They love you, you know,” I murmur. “They were devastated after you left. Maddie cried for days. Even Bix couldn’t console her. We adopted him permanently, by the way.”
He nuzzles my nose with his own and then backs away before kissing me, watching me closely.
“I love the three of you with all my heart, Brynna. Your girls may not have come from me, but no one will ever love them more. Let me give all of you my name. Marry me.”
I swallow and my jaw drops in shock. My damn eyes are leaking again, but I can’t move to brush the tears away.
“I want to adopt them,” he continues. “Seeing you there in that hospital made everything crystal clear for me. The thought of ever losing you is like a knife twisting in my soul. I want more babies with you. I want to give you everything you’ve ever wanted.”
I continue to silently cry and watch his handsome face, his deep blue eyes are moist and full of emotion, and I know without a doubt, he is meant for my girls and me.
He’s ours, and we are his.
“You are my happy, Legs. Marry me.”
I smile slowly and cup his face with my hand. “We would be honored to marry you, Caleb Montgomery.”
He smiles widely and leans in to kiss me. Gently. Tenderly. Lovingly.
“Love you so much,” he whispers against my lips, sending tingles through me.
“Love you too, stubborn man,” I whisper back and kiss him, sweeping my lips over his, enjoying the way his stubble feels against my face.
“Keep kissing me like this,” he murmurs and kisses a trail down my jawline to my neck. “And I’ll forget that you were in an accident the other night and have a concussion.”
“I missed kissing you,” I mutter.
He pulls back and cups my face tenderly in his hand, staring down at me longingly. “God, I missed it too. I missed you.”
“Thank you for coming home.”
“You’re gonna marry me.” He smiles proudly.
“We are,” I nod and smile back. “When?”
“As soon as possible. There’s no need to wait.” He shrugs and frowns. “How big of a wedding do you want?”
“I’d love it if it was just our family,” I confess with a shy smile. “Something small and intimate with the people closest to us sounds perfect to me.”
“Hell, we can do that tomorrow.”
“Well, I would like to buy a dress, and the girls will want pretty dresses too,” I remind him.
“Two weeks?”
“I guess I’d better call Alecia the Montgomery party planner extraordinaire and start making plans.”
“Tomorrow,” he agrees. “For right now, I just want to hold you.”
“Good plan.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Mommy! Look how pretty I am!”
I turn from the mirror where my mom is zipping me into my own dress to admire my daughters in their little ivory dresses with pink sashes and pink roses in their dark hair, both smiling so proudly.
“You are both beautiful,” I announce and kiss both of their cheeks. “Caleb is going to be so excited when he sees you.”
“He’s wearing a suit,” Josie informs me with a giggle. “He looks really big in it.”
“The man has the broadest shoulders I’ve ever seen,” Mom agrees with a chuckle.
“I think they’re ready,” Stacy announces as she walks into Steven and Gail’s formal living room, which has been dubbed the bride’s dressing room for today’s event. “Oh, honey, you’re so beautiful.” Her eyes fill with tears and I shake my head adamantly.
“No! No, no, no! No tears today. My makeup is done and I’ll look all red and stupid if I cry, and if you start I will too.” I pull my sweet cousin into a tight hug and fight tears.
“You know, this means we’re really sisters now. Who knew we’d end up marrying brothers?” She giggles as she pulls away and smiles happily. “I’m so happy for both of you.”
“Thank you.”
“Come on!” My dad calls as he steps in the room. “They’re not going to wait forever.”
“Oh please,” Mom waves him off with a roll of the eyes. “She’s the bride. They’ll wait as long as she wants. Where are they going to go?”
“I’m ready,” I assure them as I turn to take one more look in the mirror. The dress I chose is a simple ivory gown. It’s strapless and form-fitting, but has rouching all the way down to my feet, which are in pink satin Louboutin’s, a gift from Natalie and Jules.
Those girls and their shoes.
My hair is up in a twist at the base of my neck, and I’ve decided to forgo the veil.
I want to see him clear as day when I walk out there before our family and pledge myself and my children to him.
“Okay, I’ll see you out there.” Mom kisses my cheek and smiles wide before leaving the room.
“Here we go.”
Stacy leads us to the back door, and I take a moment to peek out at the beautiful back yard I’m about to get married in. Steven Montgomery’s yard is always lovely, especially in the spring. The fresh scent of lilacs fills the air. Seattle weather had mercy on me today and the sun is out with a light breeze floating through, making it perfect.
Alecia has outdone herself, as usual. She managed to get my favorite restaurant to cater, and they are set up and ready to go under the cover of the patio. Steven’s sound system has been wirelessly piped outside and At Last by Etta James has just started to play.
The family is seated in white folding chairs in the center of the yard in a semi-circle, and everyone is here. Leo Nash even returned late last night from his tour schedule so he could attend.
“Okay, girls, follow me.” Stacy winks at me and clenches her pink-rose bouquet in front of her as she sets off down the yard, and the girls follow, side by side, also clutching small bouquets rather than baskets of petals. When Caleb sees them, his face breaks out in a wide smile and he winks at the girls as they stand off to the side.