Air left me.
I started blinking away tears.
My throat had swollen.
My chest was pounding.
“Logan,” I whispered.
He knelt, holding that sparkler out of reach since Natty had come over to try to help. “So there’s a family thing. We’re supposed to propose in front of everyone, and well, we didn’t go that route.”
“Cheater,” Heather yelled.
Logan grinned but extended the ornament to me. He nodded at it. “You already have your ring. We already got married, but that’s a memory for us. This one is for the family.” He held it up. “Will you marry me, Taylor?”
I took the ornament, my cheeks hurting from my smile. “I’d love to marry you.” I moved in, hugging him, and for a moment, it was just us. A ripple of tension eased from his body as I held him, and I leaned back. “Were you actually nervous?”
He gave me a look. “Um, yes. I’m proposing to you.”
“Should’ve said no before the ceremony, Taylor.” From Nate, his hand cupped around his mouth.
Quincey added, “She could this time.”
“Wait!” Maddy shoved to her feet. “What? Are you already married?”
Max’s eyes got big. He was sitting by her but eyed her balled hands and started looking around. Without missing a beat, Channing reached forward, grabbed his son by his shirt, and pulled him back and out of swinging distance.
“Uncle Logan!”
Maddy was fierce.
“Uh.” Logan glanced my way before saying, “We are, but nothing official until the whole family witnesses the wedding.”
Maddy was blinking, confused. “So you’re not married?”
“We did a ceremony, but it wasn’t—”
He was struggling, shooting me a look. Sam, Mason, anyone.
I spoke up, “Maddy.”
She glared my way, but it was less fierce. She had a soft spot for me. I had one for her too. “Would you be my bridesmaid for the wedding?”
She gasped again, but her eyes were filling up with tears. The change was dramatic but genuine. “Really?”
I nodded. “If I’m doing a big wedding, I won’t do it without you.”
“Aunt Taylor!”
She started for me, tears sliding down her face, but Mason caught her and nodded at us. “Considering there’s a live sparkler going, let’s let Logan have the floor for a bit longer.”
“Oh.” She blushed. “Yeah. Sorry, Uncle Logan. I love you, Uncle Logan!”
Logan was still holding the sparkler as high in the air as he could get. Thank goodness for the tall ceilings in this Mausoleum. He cleared his throat. “As I was saying, now everyone shut the f—eff up!”
One of the twins gasped. “He said a bad word.”
Nova’s whisper was heard, “They always say bad words. Just go with it. Keep a tally and hit your parents up at the end of the night.”
Smothered laughter came from the room, but Logan was now cursing under his breath. He leaned in, his forehead finding mine, and he whispered, “I brought this sparkler to torch the bottom of the ornament, make a whole gushy thing about it, but now I just want to drop it and torch the house.”
I laughed, hugging him. “Don’t give in to your delinquent side. Keep the faith, brother.”
He tipped his head back. “Excuse me?”
“I’m pretending to be an SBC-er. Chill. Zen it out of you and proceed. You want to torch the ornament?”
He snorted, laughing, but then got serious. “Yes. From early on, you were my sparkler, bringing a whole new life to me, and I want to singe the bottom of this ornament. It’ll go up on this tree to commemorate the first of another new chapter in our lives.” He stared at me, and then dropped his gaze to my stomach and back.
Oh. OH!
I was back to fighting back the tears because my whole body was melting.
I nodded, tears streaming down my face. “I got it. I love you.”
His own eyes got a little wet, but he stood, touched the sparkler to the bottom of the ornament until it had darkened. He handed the sparkler off to Nate, who dumped it in a bucket of water and set that aside.
“Dad! Are there fish in there?”
We heard Quincey replying in a hushed tone, but Logan went to the tree and hung it up. He turned, addressing everyone. “I love each one of you guys. Adore some of you more than others.” He winked at Maddy, who was now all smiles and laughing. “But you all are my family. Each of you, and I know I went around the family tradition with you know, but it truly means the world to me to have everyone here together. I know life is going to keep going. Who the f—knows what will happen with James and Analise, but it’ll happen. Promotions. Jobs will change. I’m sure more babies will come, but we’re here. All of us. Together. I’ve had you guys all my life, and we just keep adding on. I love you all and Merry Christmas! #KadeChristmas”