“None. All I feel is an absolute rightness.”
“Then say yes.”
I wanted to. I had sat up most of the night thinking about it.
“Neither of us wants a big wedding. In fact, we only plan on getting married with our witnesses. Maybe a party after if anyone was interested?”
Beth laughed. “As if this family would let an occasion like that go without a party?”
I sniffled. “Our family,” I said softly and flung my arms around her neck. “Now we get to be real sisters.”
She hugged me, her voice happy. “Yes, we do.”
Liam was quieter than normal when he arrived for lunch on Monday. He brought me a small bunch of flowers, not an unusual thing anymore, but I knew there was more to the gesture than simply making me happy.
I took them from his hands, inhaling the sweet perfume. He always included my favorites, and today’s bouquet was rich with the scent of lilies and tiny roses. I slipped them into a vase after thanking him.
We ate the sandwiches at the table, the bouquet sitting in the middle.
“So pretty,” I murmured, stroking the petals. “Almost like a bridal bouquet.”
The air around us buzzed with sudden tension.
He lifted his eyebrows, his voice low. “You think so?”
I met his gaze, intense and yet hopeful. I knew he’d been holding back, not saying a word since his impromptu proposal on Saturday. But Beth was correct. I felt the rightness of us. The belief in our future. Liam was it for me. He wanted this.
I wanted this.
“Yes.”
He knew I was answering his proposal. He was out of his chair and I was in his arms in seconds. He kissed me hard, holding me tight.
“I love you,” he repeated over and again. “Life is going to be amazing. I promise.”
I held him close.
“I know.”
Beth grinned at me. “Nervous?”
I fluffed the skirt of my dress. I was wearing the one Cami had given me, the sleeve repaired and perfect. Liam loved it, and I wanted the memory of my wearing it today to be the one he thought of. I held a small bouquet of roses and sweet peas—how Liam found them this late into the season, I didn’t know, but he had.
“No,” I answered truthfully.
“Good.”
Liam stepped into the room, Lucy in his arms. She wore a pretty dress I had bought her and carried a matching bouquet. Beth had one as well, and Liam, Ronan, and Evan each had a small rose pinned to their lapel.
“The justice is ready for us.” He held out his hand. “Okay?”
I slid my hand into his, his grip strong and steady. I looked into his eyes.
“Okay.”
The service was quick and simple. We said I do, repeated vows, and signed a piece of paper. Ronan used his phone and took a lot of pictures. When the justice of the peace pronounced us husband and wife, Lucy had piped up, exclaiming gleefully, “And me!”
Liam kissed me leisurely and thoroughly, whispering words of love against my mouth. Then he bent and scooped Lucy up and kissed her cheek. “And you, Munchkin.”
She cupped her hand, and he leaned close, a smile breaking out on his face at her whispered query. He nodded, and she smiled in return, the sunshine of her happiness making us all smile.
“I love you, Daddy.”
He wrapped his arm around me, drawing me into their love fest.
“My girls,” he said. “All mine.”
Ronan clapped and Beth beamed, her eyes misty. I knew she wouldn’t be far behind me, although I had a feeling she wanted a bigger wedding. All I wanted was Liam.
Evan took a picture and nodded. “Good one.”
Liam took the camera and studied it. Evan had captured his wide smile, Lucy in one arm and me tucked against him in the other.
“Yes,” he agreed. “Perfect.”
Chapter Seventeen
Liam
“You ready to do this?” I asked Paige.
My new wife sat in the passenger seat of the truck. We’d had two days and three nights of just us. A hotel, a big bathtub, room service, and her naked most of the time. It had been a perfect way to start off our married life.
While we were rolling around in a hotel suite, unbeknownst to her, my brother and Beth moved the last of Paige’s things into the house and returned the keys to the landlord. Paige would never have to go back or be alone again. I planned to tell her later, but for now, we had some other news to share.
“Maybe we could put it off.”
I laughed and lifted her hand to my mouth, kissing her knuckles. The light glinted off the diamonds on her hand. “The women are gonna spot the rock before you even say hello. The cat is going to be out of the bag fast. Best we confess and get ahead of the curve.”
She regarded me, worried. “Will they be upset?”