“Don’t cry, baby,” he says softly. He leans in and presses a kiss to the corner of my mouth.
“What does this mean?” I ask. I should be embarrassed his family is witnessing this conversation, but I need to know. This isn’t something you can table to a later date. This needs to happen now, regardless of our audience.
“Fellas?” Marshall calls out. One by one, his brothers ask him what he needs. “You listening?” he asks them.
Eight replies, male and female, give us a resounding “Yes.”
“Good.” He nods, smiling. “Wren, baby.” He swallows again. “You want to know what this is?”
“Please?”
“This is me telling you that I love you. I love your daughter. This is me telling you that I’ve found my magic.”
I don’t get a chance to ask him what he means by that. I remember a conversation we had about the magic of love and his family, but he claimed it was a story for another day. He’s pulled to his feet, and one by one, his four older brothers hug him tight.
“Sawyer,” Marshall calls out, while holding his hand for me. I place my hand in his and allow him to pull me to my feet. “Hand over my girl.”
My heart gallops in my chest, and there are a million butterflies swarming in my belly. “Let’s take a walk,” he says to me.
I nod. I can’t speak. I have no words and I don’t know that he could hear me over the roar of my heart. Sawyer hands Madeline to him, and she gurgles up at him. “Hey, baby girl.” He smiles down at her. “Let’s take Momma for a walk.” He doesn’t say anything to his family, and I don’t either. I let him lead me out of the house and out to the spacious backyard.
Chapter 19
Marshall
With Wren’s hand laced with mine and Madeline resting against my chest, I lead us out to the backyard. Neither of us say a word as the emotions and the meaning of what just happened sink in.
I’m in love with her.
This isn’t new information to me. I also know that blurting my feelings out to her while we’re surrounded by my siblings probably wasn’t the best idea. I know that, but I couldn’t hold it in. Not when I heard her say that they were a lot to take on. She needed to know that beat by beat, she and Madeline have captured my heart, and I never want it back.
When we make it to the swing underneath a huge shade tree, I sit and pat the empty swing next to me. Wren follows suit and snuggles into my side. My lips press to the top of her head and again to Madeline’s, just because I can.
“When we were little, Dad used to tell us a story about the magic of love. He’d always been hugging and kissing on Mom, and we would give him a hard time for it. He sat us all down and told us that one day we would find our magic love.” I pause, waiting to see if she has questions and taking the time to remember all the magic of love stories our dad used to tell us.
“Anyway, when Royce was married the first time, Dad tried to tell him that she wasn’t his magic. Royce, like the rest of us, thought that Dad had lost his mind. We should have known with Mom supporting him that there was something to it. Anyway, fast-forward a few years, and Royce’s marriage fell apart. He vowed a life of bachelorhood. He threw himself into his position at Riggins Enterprises, and nothing any of us could say could change his mind. Not that my brothers and I tried all that hard, but my parents, they kept telling him he would find his magic.”
“Sawyer,” she whispers.
“Yeah, baby. Sawyer. He fought it at first. He was convinced that all women were like his ex. Luckily, Sawyer didn’t give up on him. He finally pulled his head out of his ass, and he said it hit him like a bolt of lightning. He just knew that she was the only one for him. She was his magic. Once he let himself fall, things fell into place for him.”
“They seem happy.”
“They are,” I agree. “We went from the five Riggins bachelors to four. Which wasn’t so bad until Owen, the grumpiest of all of us, fell ass over heels for Layla. He met her on a business trip and convinced her to come home with him and work at RE.”
“Layla’s told me a little of their story. All the girls have, but I like hearing your version too.” She smiles up at me.
“There is a reason behind the history lesson.” I chuckle. “Anyway, we all knew the minute Owen called home and asked if there was a spot for Layla in the company that he was a goner. He learned from Royce and didn’t fight his feelings. Layla, however, it took her some time, but they’re blissfully happy.”