Dirty Talker (Filthy Dirty Summer)

I kiss him back on the lips. “I love you too.”

The ride to the tree farm is festive. We sing Christmas carols along the way. I stare at Kade in awe as I listen to his smooth, deep voice. “I swear, is there anything you can’t do?”

He reaches for my hand and squeezes it. Ty eventually gets sick of the Christmas music and puts his ear buds in. “I had an email this morning about my blog. They’re loving my new series.”

His eyes light up. “It is a good one.”

I squeeze his hand. “Yeah, it wasn’t how I originally planned it, but I like this spin on it.”

He scrunches up his face. “How did you think it was going to go?”

I look at him with a twinkle in my eye. “Well, it’s called Dating after Divorce. I had planned to date a bunch of guys—"

I barely get the words out and he pulls my hand up to his mouth. He kisses it and then holds it against his chest. I’m still getting used to the fact that he wants to touch me all the time. “Over my dead body, sweetie. It’s not happening.”

I look at him wide-eyed. “Oh, I know. I like dating you.”

He stares at the road in front of us, and we both start to sing when a popular song comes on the radio.

When we get to the farm, Ty and I are both amazed. It’s not just a place to get trees. They’ve made it a whole experience. There is a hot chocolate stand, ornament making, a big fire pit for ‘smores, and more. Ty barrels out of the truck, and Kade and I follow him.

Kade gets us registered in and then grabs his saw, handing it to Ty. I can’t help but be worried even if it does have a safety cover on it. “Uh, shouldn’t he get a lesson...”

Ty interrupts me. “Mom, Kade showed me everything about how to use it safely last week and again last night. Trust me, he’s bored—I mean taught me all of it. I’m good.”

Kade laughs and looks at me. “I’m boring now.”

I grab on to his hand and pull him to where Ty is walking. “Oh, that just means you’ve made it to parenthood. It’s like an award now. All parents have to be boring at some point.”

His face warms at the thought. “I like that.”

We get to where Ty has stopped in front of a huge tree. “Ty, it’s way too big for our house, but it would probably fit at Kade’s.”

I look for Kade to see what he thinks, and he’s down on bended knee in the snow. He’s holding up a small box, and I gasp. Ty laughs behind me, and when I look over, he’s nodding his head at me with a big smile on his face.

Kade starts to speak. “I love you, Megan. I love Ty, and I love this life that we have together. I want to wake up every morning with you and go to sleep with you in my arms. I want to grow old with you. Will you please marry me?”

I’m nodding with tears rolling down my face. “Yes. Yes!”

He stands up and slides the ring on my finger before pulling me in. He kisses me before pulling away and opening his arm for Ty to join us. He looks hesitant but then smiles and steps forward while Kade brings us both into his arms and holds on like we are his whole world.

I soak it all in because being loved by Kade Lincoln is one of the best feelings in the world.