There’s not a dry eye in the house. Vivian has a handkerchief dotting her eyes with Harris looking on with such pride I think he’s going to burst. It’s an incredible moment with an incredible family—a large, loving, remarkable family that is as simple as they are complicated.
Standard vows are read and Alison is declared to be Mrs. Barrett Landry in just a few short minutes. As Barrett lays a kiss heavier than I would expect on his new bride, the family erupts in cheers and hugs.
I lean my head against Ford, his muscled shoulder moving so he can wrap his arm around me. He glances down, his eyes filled with emotion. He doesn’t speak, but he doesn’t have to. I feel the same way I see in his eyes.
“That was beautiful,” Vivian gushes, getting to her feet and swatting Barrett away. She takes Alison at arm’s length. “I want to be the first to welcome you into the family, Alison.”
“Thank you,” Alison grins. “I know that was quick and to the point, but I already have everything I want. And I didn’t want to have a stuffy event with a bunch of senators’ wives,” she cringes.
“Thank God for that,” Vivian laughs.
“I have one more announcement,” Barrett says, clearing his throat. “Hey, Hux. Where are you, buddy?”
His new step-son races in the room from the kitchen, a cookie hanging out of his mouth. “Yeah?”
Barrett stands in front of him, holding out a piece of paper. Alison steps to Barrett’s side, this time her face awash with more emotion than ever before. Vivian hands her a tissue as Alison latches on to Barrett’s arm.
“I want you to read this,” Barrett says, handing the paper to the child.
Huxley takes it. T
he cookie falls from his lip as his head snaps up to Barrett’s. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Like, really, really?”
“Like, really, really,” Barrett smiles.
Huxley launches himself into Barrett’s arms. Alison embraces them both, her arms enclosing the two men in her life. It’s a sight to see, even though I have no idea what was on that paper.
The family is quiet, watching something unfold in front of us. Vivian and Harris arrive in the center of the room and the five of them have a quiet conversation.
“What did the paper say?” I whisper to Ford.
“He’s adopting him,” Ford tells me. “His biological father signed his rights away.”
My vision now blurs as I watch Harris come away with a smile reminiscent of Ford’s. His eyes shine with pride, of course, but maybe something else. Maybe of a job well done. Harris Landry may have made millions of dollars in real estate over his lifetime, but his greatest accomplishment is his children.
Barrett looks at Ford. With a raise of his brow, he leads Alison and Huxley off to the side. Much to my surprise, Ford untangles my arm from around his waist and stands.
The room quiets again. I look at Mallory, then at Sienna, and they’re both looking at me with huge smiles.
My heart starts to race as I realize Ford hasn’t moved. He hasn’t disappeared to the bathroom as I expected, nor has he ventured into the kitchen for a second slice of apple pie. Instead, he’s standing in front of me, ignoring his family’s whispers, and waiting for my reaction.
“Ford?” I ask.
His eyes are sober, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he bends on one knee. I gasp, grabbing Camilla’s hand and squeezing it for dear life.
“Ellie,” he says, clearing his throat. “I’ve loved you since the day I first saw you. You were wearing jeans with the right knee out and a grey shirt that hung off your shoulder. You had mud everywhere and a fishing pole on the ground next to you.”
I vaguely hear his family chuckle, but I’m too focused on the gorgeous man in front of me to mind. I take his hand and place my thumb over the star in the crook of his fingers.
“I swore to myself if God ever gave me another chance with you, I wouldn’t blow it. That I’d do everything in my power to take care of you and love you the way you deserve to be loved.”
My hand touches the side of his face as the heat of my tears slides down my cheeks.
“A few weeks ago, I talked to your father.”